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Through the Black Hills and Bad Lands of South Dakota
Through the Black Hills and Bad Lands of South Dakota
By P. D. Peterson J. Fred Olander Company Pierre, S. D. Copyright, 1929 P. D. Peterson To my mother who has been an inspiration and a guide for me throughout my early training, ever helping her family to see and acquire the highest ideals possible; and to my wife who has assisted me in the compilation and revision of this book, the following pages are affectionately dedicated. THE SPIRIT OF THE WEST By Edwin H. Blashfield This painting is in the Governor’s reception room in the S. D. Capitol bui
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FOREWORD
FOREWORD
This book is not a history, although it contains some historical accounts where such are necessary to bring out the importance of the scenery described. It makes no attempt at being a technical guide of any sort, although the treatment of various animals, trees, flowers, and minerals is as near accurate as a tourist could hope to obtain. The main purpose of this book is to give a chronological or itinerary account of what may be seen in the Black Hills. It should acquaint the tourist with the th
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CHAPTER I Introduction
CHAPTER I Introduction
“The Wonderland of America” is not an overstatement of the scenic beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota. One cannot but marvel at the endless new experiences that he has each day, whether it be on a three days’ or a three weeks’ trip through the Black Hills. In the shorter trip he will take in the more prominent points, scarcely departing from the main arterial highways. On the longer tour he will drive a thousand to fifteen hundred miles through deep canyons, up to the mines, and to many ot
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CHAPTER II State Capitol
CHAPTER II State Capitol
No matter whether the entrance to South Dakota is made from the north, south, east, or west, all of the main roads are gravel surfaced. Many an Eastener will complain of the driving on these roads, but one may drive up to fifty or sixty miles per hour on them with comparative safety, with the average car. This is far beyond the legal limit of the state. Rain and other adverse weather conditions will not affect traveling. This holds true for most of the main highways in the “Hills.” Corridor and
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CHAPTER III The Badlands
CHAPTER III The Badlands
We cross the Missouri River on the morning of June 29th and speed along through comparatively new but highly productive agricultural land, through Hayes, Midland and Philip to Cottonwood. In Philip we find one of the most modern small cities of the state. It is worth stopping to see. When we arrive at Cottonwood, about three hours from Pierre, or a little less than one hundred ten miles, the weather seems favorable and the roads good so we turn south off U. S. highway 14. Only a few miles out of
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CHAPTER IV Rapid City
CHAPTER IV Rapid City
The School of Mines Museum is not an enormous affair. It is contained in one large room belonging to the School of Mines. The bones of prehistoric animals are probably the best known and most widely advertised part of the museum. This collection includes skulls, jaw bones, teeth, leg bones, and in fact whole skeletons of the prehistoric monsters. One cannot but wonder what life was like, and how these animals acted in the days when they lived. The size and contour of these skeletons are truly re
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CHAPTER V Cement Plant
CHAPTER V Cement Plant
Monday morning we strike camp at 9:00 a. m. We drive into Rapid City, get our snapshots of the Badlands which had been finished there, again shop a bit, and drive out to the cement plant. First, however, a word about Rapid City. It is a thriving little city on the eastern entrance to the Hills. The streets have a modern air to them, with occasional reminders of the days of the “West.” During the tourist season the city fairly teems with life. Prices are reasonable and the people are courteous. T
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CHAPTER VI Crystal Cave
CHAPTER VI Crystal Cave
From the cement plant we take U. S. Highway number 16 through Black Hawk and Piedmont to Crystal Cave. On this road we encounter the second notable man-made achievement. The car begins to register a few degrees of added heat in the cooling system. Before we reach the top of the great hill, (several miles long), we pass several cars which have not been as effectively cooled as our own. The grade has been gradual and even, clear from the bottom to the top of the mountain. The road winds around val
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CHAPTER VII Sturgis
CHAPTER VII Sturgis
The road to Sturgis is pretty well crowded with cars headed for the Tri-State Roundup at Belle Fourche. We arrive about four o’clock. The next hour is spent in getting boots repaired, getting haircuts and in replenishing the food supply. We still have a good supply of eggs, butter, bacon, fruit, and vegetables which we packed up on the farm before starting the trip. At each tourist camp we get plenty of fresh vegetables and milk. We appreciate the vegetable and store service of the camps. It is
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CHAPTER VIII Belle Fourche
CHAPTER VIII Belle Fourche
We retire early on the night of the third and are on the road early the next morning, headed for Belle Fourche over U. S. 16. At Whitewood we go over another gigantic ridge of hills which taxes our heavily loaded car. At Spearfish we take U. S. 85 and gradually leave the mountains for the more level northern plains. We arrive in a very busy Belle Fourche. The streets are lined with people, refreshment stands, side shows and various other gala sights. Parking room is scarce. The whole town reflec
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CHAPTER IX Spearfish
CHAPTER IX Spearfish
U. S. Government Fish Hatchery at Spearfish From Nisland we retrace our route through Belle Fourche to Spearfish. There we find another splendid and modern camp. We enjoy staying at these camps of which their cities are justly proud. The cost is the same fifty cents per night as that of the less developed camps. But the modern toilet facilities, running water, wood, stoves, lights, community log cabins, dance floors, swimming pool, fishing and patrol system create in the traveler’s heart a warm
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CHAPTER X Pine Crest Camp
CHAPTER X Pine Crest Camp
The road from Spearfish rises gradually. At the highest point on the road, thirteen miles from Spearfish, the entrance to Pine Crest Camp comes into view. This is a really beautiful camp. It is one hundred per cent what its name implies. A camp built over one of the tent floors is comfortable even in rainy weather. However, if experience is any teacher, it might be said that trying to sleep under a hole in the tent roof on a rainy night is a pleasure only to the other fellow. In the evening, aft
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CHAPTER XI Lead
CHAPTER XI Lead
Pine Crest proves to be such a good camp that we decide to make it our headquarters for a day or two. In the morning we put up a lunch and drive over to Lead. Of course the first and foremost point of interest in Lead is Homestake Mine. We stop at the Burlington Railway station and register for the trip through the mine buildings. It is only a few moments before we are ready to start. We follow our young lady guide up a steep incline. Half way up she stops us and asks us to face about. Clear acr
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CHAPTER XII Deadwood
CHAPTER XII Deadwood
In Deadwood, the next morning we take our way to the Franklin Hotel, then south, over the railroad tracks to Mt. Moriah Cemetery. We are now, indeed on historic ground. Probably it would be well to reiterate some of the setting before going up to the cemetery to view the resting place of the famous early characters. Deadwood was settled in 1876. When gold was discovered here approximately 25,000 people rushed for Deadwood. Rumor, brought to us through the years, says that within twenty-four hour
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CHAPTER XIII Pactola, Silver City and Camp Wanzer
CHAPTER XIII Pactola, Silver City and Camp Wanzer
The bed is a welcome place after the mountain climbing. Somehow the meals and rest afterward add to the satisfaction of these invigorating and inspirational tramps. After three enjoyable nights at Pine Crest we leave for the central part of the Hills. We take S. D. 85 to the left, just before entering Deadwood. The road is an excellent, improved highway, bordered by interesting scenery. Lights and Shadows Among the Pines Canedy Photo We start the trip with an upward climb of six and a half miles
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CHAPTER XIV Hill City and Keystone
CHAPTER XIV Hill City and Keystone
We put up for the night in one of the Hill City cabins. These are not in some ways as nice as some of the others, but are very comfortable nevertheless. We must try the cabins by all means while in the Hills. Most of them cost a dollar a night. In them, generally are a bed or two, a cook stove, table and cooking utensils, with possibly other conveniences including stove wood. Hill City is in the heart of the Black Hills. It has excellent connections with various cities, fishing grounds and place
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CHAPTER XV Needles Road, Sylvan Lake, Harney and the Gorge
CHAPTER XV Needles Road, Sylvan Lake, Harney and the Gorge
The road winds through the needle rocks, amid beautifully vegetated valleys and mountains to Sylvan Lake. Cathedral Spires. Granite peaks in the Black Hills Lease Photo These roads are the much talked of feats of engineering skill. We can easily see why they are so considered. No barrier, no matter how formidable has proved indominable. In some places the road is merely a shelf on the side of a mountain. The rock is blasted out and the nice wide road, the perfect replica of our modern prairie hi
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CHAPTER XVI Custer
CHAPTER XVI Custer
We go off to the left a few miles to the State Game Lodge. This is the famous Summer White House of President Coolidge. Before we reach it we see a fine group of elk along the road and another of deer. The latter bound gracefully into a thicket when we stop to watch them. Along this road are several tourist camps. Galena and the Game Lodge are the larger ones. The Switchback on the Needles Road Rise Photo One of the Tunnels We will leave the game lodge and zoo, however, and take them in our retu
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CHAPTER XVII Hot Springs
CHAPTER XVII Hot Springs
We arrive in Hot Springs late in the afternoon and look for a cabin for the night. All of them are filled up, so we look for a camp site. Evans Heights is too steep for our heavily loaded car, and we drive down to the Municipal Camp. After pitching camp we attempt to find out what there is in Hot Springs to see. We find that there is much and accordingly lay our plans for a big day. After breakfast the first thing we do is to cross the railroad track on foot looking for petrified moss and wood.
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APPENDIX I
APPENDIX I
The following are some of the more important peaks of the Black Hills. Large Horseshoe Curve, a long way around to get a short distance ahead...
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APPENDIX IV Fishing
APPENDIX IV Fishing
Originally there were no trout in the Black Hills. Now nearly every stream in the Hills is stocked with trout. The U. S. hatchery at Spearfish and the S. D. hatchery at Rapid City keep the streams well supplied. Approximately two million trout are thus put out each year. They are chiefly of four varieties: Loch Leven, Black spotted, Brook, and Rainbow. During our visit to the Hills we see fishermen practically in every part of every stream from the interior of the tourist camps to the headwaters
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APPENDIX V
APPENDIX V
Some of the more important streams of the Black Hills are: Eventually these empty into the Cheyenne River. Below these come the tributaries of the: A drive through the pines in the Black Hills (76) Rise Photo...
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APPENDIX VI Camps and Camping
APPENDIX VI Camps and Camping
The camps themselves have been taken up to some extent in the body of this book. In 1928 the camps in Rapid City and the northern cities far surpassed those of the southern towns. But the people all over the Hills, especially in the larger cities are fast awakening to the realization that good parks play a tremendous part in the development of their localities. Spearfish, Sturgis, Rapid City, and Deadwood were the first to realize the value of service to their visitors. They have doubtlessly rea
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APPENDIX VII NEWER DEVELOPMENTS
APPENDIX VII NEWER DEVELOPMENTS
Since the body of this book has been written several new developments have come up which should be mentioned. The United States Government has made an appropriation for the continuation of the carving on Rushmore Mountain. This work is going forward now at maximum speed. The form of the first figure is taking shape, and indications are that the work will go forward to rapid completion. When these figures are finished Rushmore will be one of the masterpieces of sculpturing of the world. At the pr
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APPENDIX VIII ROUTES
APPENDIX VIII ROUTES
Sometimes requests are made for lists of things to see on one or two days trips out of Rapid City. Following are four possible trips, calling for one or two days or even a week each: 1. First, the Rapid Canyon trip. See the School of Mines Museum at the Eastern entrance to the city. From there go through the city past the “Old Mill Tea Room.” Take the Cement plant road from the Bacon camp. After seeing the cement plant return, and turn south at Bacon Camp. Take the road to Municipal Camp. Go thr
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DISTANCE FROM DEADWOOD OF VARIOUS PLACES OF INTEREST
DISTANCE FROM DEADWOOD OF VARIOUS PLACES OF INTEREST
Copyright, 1929 By P. D. Peterson Price, $1.35...
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