If
you only do one thing while at the memorial,
take
a walk on the Presidential Trail.
Our other NPS visit in South
Dakota was to Mt. Rushmore, a National Memorial. Our recent college graduate
joined us for the visit with Kristal’s uncle, who lives near Hermosa. We hadn’t
visited the Memorial since 2000, when she was in the first grade. It was her
request to spend a couple of hours there.
Our recent college graduate
She and Daddy are now alumni of the same
university.
Mt. Rushmore is a day visit park. How much time you spend
there, depends on what you want to see and any programs you might be interested
in attending. Visiting the memorial itself is free. However, a private
corporation is in charge of the parking. The parking isn’t free.
History buffs probably know why the four presidents
depicted in the Memorial were selected for the honor. But for those not certain
about the chap with the glasses, he is Theodore Roosevelt. When the memorial
was first proposed, it really hadn’t been that many years since his presidency.
While we’re on the subject of the NPS, including TR in the conversation is
actually very appropriate. His terms in office occurred before the NPS was
created. But he did more than any president before or after to set aside land,
memorials and monuments which would eventually fall under the administration of
the NPS. (Another interesting fact not mentioned in the following articles: As
a boy, TR witnessed the funeral procession of President Lincoln when it passed
thru NYC.)
Learn a little bit more about Mt. Rushmore and Theodore
Roosevelt at the following links.
If you haven’t spent your entire day at Mt. Rushmore, or
your money at the gift and ice cream shops, pay a visit to Keystone. It’s an
old mining town on Hwy. 16 and just down the road from Mt. Rushmore. Depending
on the direction you take to the memorial, there is a good chance you’ll drive
thru it on your way. The majority of the town’s tourist shops are on the
boardwalk in the center of town, including the obligatory Black Hills Gold
jewelry stores, t-shirt/sweatshirt shops, old-timey photo studio, a Victorian
themed restaurant, and rowdy saloon (especially during the Sturgis Bike Rally).
The sugary treats are covered too. The salt water taffy and fudge shops are our
favorites.
This year, Kristal finally agreed to a photo shoot with
our daughter at Professor Samuel’s. There was a bit of disagreement about how
they were going to dress up, floozies or cowgirls. Mom wasn’t feeling the floozy
option. (She “believed” they were overdone.) But cowgirls got guns for props,
something that appealed to both.
Rattlesnake
Rae and Kactus Kris
We had hamburgers and onion rings at Grizzly Creek
Restaurant, picked up our bag of salt water taffy, and visited Black Hills
Glass Blowers for thank you gifts. (When neighbors and older daughters are
watching the home front for more than a month, you owe them an extra special
gift.) Neither Grizzly Creek, or the glass blowers’ shop are on the boardwalk,
but they aren’t difficult to find. Info on the various businesses and
attractions located in or near Keystone can be found on their Chamber of
Commerce website. Look under the “Plan Your Visit” menu.
This is the first year we brought our Airstream to the
Black Hills. We boon docked in the yard where Kristal’s uncle lives, which
isn’t an option for everyone. For our next post, we’ll provide some info,
including RV lodging, to consider before your visit to South Dakota in general
and the Black Hills in particular.
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