The eighth day of my cross-country Total Eclipse of the Sun
road trip was the second spent primarily in southwestern South Dakota. The previous day had been about the
Black Hills, and today it was the Badlands turn. This meant actually backtracking east for about 100 miles in
order to get to the eastern entrance of the Badlands National Park. Then drive west through the park with
frequent stops before heading to Wyoming with a possible visit to Devil's Tower
National Monument before arriving in Gillette for the night. Once again, my travelling companion and
I had prepared a picnic lunch. And
once again, our openness to serendipity got things started in an unplanned
way. As we left the interstate and
headed south toward the park, I happened to notice a little side attraction, a
private historical sight that offered a look at a restored Sod House. The teacher in me couldn't resist, and
I'm so glad that I didn't. For a
fee of $5, you got free reign of the farmstead and a 15-minute introductory
video along with the local color of some jaunty repartee with the proprietress
of the gift shop. It was worth
every dime and the time spent!
Just off the gift shop was a little room full of
site-specific artifacts and room for about 15 people to watch the video that
was in constant loop mode. It was
an easy and interesting way to learn all about the history of the little
farmstead and how it became an historic museum of sorts.
Before you get up to the sod house or to any of the many
accompanying artifacts and out buildings, you get to enjoy the antics of a
colony of
White-tailed Prairie Dogs,
Cynomys leucurus. They are not native to South Dakota at
all, and I forgot to ask the woman in the gift shop if she knew how they came
to call this homestead home.
The buggy sits out front. It's practically the most colorful thing on the whole homestead!
And then there's the Sod House--I started by entering the
newer half.
Then, I went into the original little 1909 hole in the
ground. Little House on the
Prairie this ain't! But it is
wonderful.
From the outside standing over the storm cellar and cool
pantry you can see the window in the hill. It was the only source for natural light into the bedroom.
And fear not--it sports a two-seater john.
And it's pretty comfortable--just ask this fellow! Yes, it's a manikin--but they must delight in the fact that upon first glance everyone assumes someone is attempting to use the out house!
The rest of the site is outfitted with various authentic
structures and artifacts and a good share of informational signage.
And livestock, too!
Chickens, goats and a pony live here with the prairie dogs.
Oh, I almost forgot the curious Barn Swallows.
A couple of parting images of the barn complex. Compared to the sod house...you can see how farming itself was the priority over personal comfort.
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