Name: Ellsworth Air Force Base
Brand: Mr. Joseph T. Page II
SKU: 9781467106948
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Ellsworth Air Force Base

9781467106948

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Rapid City Army Air Base was constructed in 1942 and used as a training location for B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber aircrews throughout the duration of World War II. After the war, the newly renamed Rapid City Air Force Base (AFB) led the nation’s strategic bombardment force, deploying B-29 Superfortresses to Britain during the Berlin Blockade and later flying the B-36 Peacemaker heavy bomber. In 1953, Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower renamed the base for Brig. Gen. Richard E. Ellsworth, who was killed during a mission over Burgoyne’s Cove, Newfoundland. From 1960 to 1994, Ellsworth AFB was a Strategic Air Command superbase containing two legs of the American Strategic Nuclear Triad—heavy bomber aircraft (B-52 Stratofortresses and B-1B Lancers) and land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (Titan and Minuteman). Today, the personnel at Ellsworth AFB continue to build upon the storied legacy of the South Dakota base, projecting American airpower around the world.

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South Dakota's Mathis Murders

9781467150750

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South Dakota’s Mathis Family Murders brought death and deception to the heartland.

It was perhaps the most infamous murder case in state history. Ladonna Mathis was shot twice in the head at point-blank range inside the family’s metal shed serving as their makeshift home. Two of her three children, ages 2 and 4, were also shot in the head. The brutality of the killings shocked the state and set off a frenzy of law enforcement activity. Despite its intensity, the investigation never found the murderer or the murder weapon. Though charged with the crime, the husband was acquitted, leaving the door open for endless speculation about what really occurred on that late summer morning of Sept. 8, 1981.

With renewed insight from those involved, veteran South Dakota journalist Noel Hamiel explores this cold case of murder and mystery that still haunts the Mount Rushmore state.

Cover image for South Dakota's Mathis Murders, isbn: 9781467150750

Capturing the Younger Brothers Gang in the Northern Plains

9781467152365

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Capturing the Younger Brothers Gang in the Northern Plains: The Untold Story of Heroic Teen Asle Sorbel is a historic tale of vigilante valor

Near sleepy Hanska slough, September 21, 1876, Norwegian teen Asle Sorbel made a daring “Paul Revere ride" into Madelia, Minnesota. His efforts, and those of the Madelia Magnificent Seven, led to the capture of the Younger Brothers of the Jesse James-Younger Gang. The gang’s botched Northfield bank raid and infamous Madelia Shoot Out were well reported. But, Alse’s story was lost to history. Friends of the outlaws planned reprisals. Alse changed his name, his persona and his location. He kept his mount shut. In 1883, he quietly reestablished himself in Dakota Territory. As years passed, he became the premier horse doctor in the Webster, South Dakota area, all the while haunted by vigilant fear.

Author Arley K. Fadness uncovers the lost secrets and remarkable life of valiant Asle Oscar Sobel.

Cover image for Capturing the Younger Brothers Gang in the Northern Plains, isbn: 9781467152365

Deadwood

9780738539799

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Think about the most romantically notorious Wild West town you ever heard of, and most likely Deadwood would head the list. Deadwood has more than its share of legends, heroes, and brigands who traveled through or made their homes here: Wild Bill and Calamity Jane to be sure, but also Buffalo Bill, Wyatt Earp, Captain Jack Crawford (the "Poet Scout"), California Joe, Seth Bullock, Poker Alice, and many more. No other frontier town--not Dodge City, Tombstone, Abilene, or Cripple Creek--could claim them all. Deadwood is the champion, and was the happening place in the late 1870s. This legacy lives on today as casino gambling--perhaps ironically but fittingly--financed the preservation of historic downtown Deadwood begining in 1989, an area that is now designated a National Historic Landmark.

Mt. Rushmore and Keystone

9780738539614

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In the heart of a geological upthrust, four presidents, memorialized in granite, gaze across the rugged country of South Dakota's Black Hills. At the foot of the mountain lies Keystone, a small community indelibly linked to the carving of Mount Rushmore. In 1876, prospectors swarmed into the central Black Hills in search of gold. While they did find it, these early miners also found other minerals, such as tin and feldspar. By the turn of the 20th century, Keystone was well-known for its mineral riches, but also for the boom and bust cycles that often accompany mining. The town's future was guaranteed in 1925, however, when Gutzon Borglum, a noted sculptor, arrived to secure a location for a monument to American democracy. Borglum drew heavily on the skills of Keystone miners, putting them to work on a mountain that would soon portray the images of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt. In this book, readers will find vintage photographs--many never before published--that, along with engaging narrative, tell the story of Keystone and the carving of Mount Rushmore.

1972 Black Hills Flood, The

9781467161206

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Over 50 years have passed since the Black Hills flood swept through western South Dakota in 1972, leaving tragedy in its wake. This book explores the extent of the damage through images that highlight Rapid City, Keystone, and the surrounding Black Hills. Dignitaries, including Sen. George McGovern, visited the Black Hills in the aftermath; these visitors, along with the actions taken for recovery, make an appearance in the story. Today, the Black Hills are a tourist destination, with Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Crazy Horse Memorial, and Custer State Park being the most well-known attractions. /Corey Christianson has spent years researching the 1972 Black Hills flood. She was a part of the 50th commemoration of the flood, for which she, along with a team of talented individuals, created an award-winning exhibit about the flood and the recovery of the Black Hills. The images in this book are from the Rapid City Public Library, US Air Force, Keystone Area Historical Society, and other organizations that strive to remember, honor, and commemorate the flood. /

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The Ku Klux Klan in South Dakota

9781467154246

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A startling rise and retreat

In the 1920s, a reborn Ku Klux Klan slithered into South Dakota. Bold at times, the group intimidated citizens in every county. KKK anti-Catholicism sentiment resulted in the murder of Father Arthur Belknap of Lead. Idealized Gutzon Borglum, sculptor of Mount Rushmore, operated as a white supremacist and KKK leader. In 1925, animosity between the KKK and Fort Meade soldiers came to a clash one night in Sturgis. The clatter of two borrowed .30 caliber Browning cooled machine guns split the air over the heads of a Klan gathering across the valley. Author Arley Fadness follows the Klan’s trail throughout the Rushmore state.

Cover image for The Ku Klux Klan in South Dakota, isbn: 9781467154246

Forgotten Sioux Falls

9780738594187

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The falls of the Big Sioux River were formed 14,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age, as melting ice eroded a channel down to the bedrock, revealing an abundance of Sioux quartzite. The power and beauty of the falls have attracted people to the area ever since, while Sioux quartzite has been used to construct many of the area's buildings. Incorporated as a city in 1856, Sioux Falls has steadily grown from a population of 17 at the time of establishment to 153,888 as of the 2010 census. As a natural part of that growth, change dictates that the old and worn out should make way for the new and shiny. Lest these things be forever forgotten, this book strives to point out what has been lost, what has been saved, and what can be found if one knows where to look.

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Custer State Park

9780738534053

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Custer State Park is one of the largest and most beautiful state parks in the nation. From towering granite spires and pine-draped mountains to trout streams and remote savanna, the park offers scenic wonders and recreational opportunities seldom matched on the Northern Great Plains. First established as a state forest in 1912, today the park is home to one of the largest bison herds in the country, as well as other rare flora and fauna. Prior to settlement, the Black Hills were Lakota territory. After gold was discovered along French Creek in 1874, the government waged war on the Lakota, forcing them onto reservations, and settlers rushed to the region. Photos and narrative in this book provide an intriguing overview of the park's rich natural and social history. Whether the subject is Cathedral Spires or Sylvan Lake, General George Custer or Black Elk, Custer State Park will engage those who value history and the last few unspoiled places left in the country.

The Civilian Conservation Corps

9780738532646

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The Civilian Conservation Corps was established on March 31, 1933 by President Franklin Roosevelt as part of his efforts to pull the country out of the Great Depression. The program lasted until July 2 1942, successfully creating work for a half-million unemployed young men across the nation. They were housed, fed, clothed, and taught trade skills while working in forests, parks, and range lands. Paid one dollar a day, each man was required to send home $25 a month; the program provided work for young men as well as support to thousands of families. South Dakota was home to more than 50 camps over the nine-year time span with projects in areas ranging from constructing bridges and buildings in state parks, thinning trees in national forests to mining rock, crushing it into gravel, and graveling roads. Although this volume is set in South Dakota, the photos are representative of camps and men from all over the nation who served in the CCCs.

Sioux Falls

9780738541488

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After 150 years, Sioux Falls continues to attract many people to the area. It was the beauty and power of the falls of the Big Sioux River that attracted early pioneers from other states in 1856 when the first town site, Sioux Falls, was organized in the Dakota Territory. Run out by Native American uprisings, these early settlers soon fled the area and did not return until 1865 when the government stepped in for protection and established Fort Dakota, a military reservation. From that early village to a city with a population of 141,000 in 2006, Sioux Falls continues to be one of the best places to live and a beautiful place to visit.

Cover image for Sioux Falls, isbn: 9780738541488

Bull Trains to Deadwood

9781467144223

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Pandemonium wafted up out of Deadwood Gulch whenever bellowing, muddy oxen teams led wagons rattling into town. For a decade, thousands of bull trains hauled all that miners, settlers and ne'er-do-wells needed to survive in that isolated prairie oasis. The bulls, thousands of them in mile-long, meandering trains, had last known civilization in Fort Pierre, two hundred miles to the east. After weeks on the harsh prairie of the Sioux, the exhausted convoys appeared out of the prairie dust, each team of twenty or more oxen pulling sturdy, white-bonneted wagons filled with provisions. Author Chuck Cecil restores the glory of the near-forgotten yet indispensable symbols of the West that made life possible on the frontier's western fringe.

Wind Cave National Park

9780738523064

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Wind Cave is one of the longest and most complex caves in the world. Complete with more than 100 miles of surveyed cavern passageways below ground and 28,295 acres of diverse ecology above, Wind Cave National Park is an American treasure with an impressive history. The first recorded discovery of Wind Cave occurred in 1881 when brothers Jesse and Tom Bingham followed the sounds of the whistling wind and came upon the cave. In 1903, the cave and surrounding area became Wind Cave National Park, the seventh national park in the nation and the first created with a cave as its focal point. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) established a camp near the park headquarters. The CCC built roads and buildings, landscaped and made improvements to better accommodate tours inside the cave.

Pine Ridge Reservation

9780738533575

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Established as the Pine Ridge Agency in southwestern South Dakota between Nebraska and the Black Hills in 1878, Pine Ridge became a reservation in 1889. The second-largest reservation in the country, comprised of almost 2 million acres, it is home to 38,000 residents, almost 18,000 of whom are enrolled members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. The history of the Pine Ridge Reservation is laden with both an awe-inspiring cultural heritage and the tragic effects of forced settlement on the reservation.

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Fort Meade

9781467128018

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The gold rush of 1876 brought many miners to the Black Hills. After the defeat of Lt. Col. George Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn in June 1876, miners, concerned about attacks from the Lakota, requested protection from the US Army. However, it was not until 1878 that a military fort, Fort Meade, was established in the area for the protection of the settlers in the Black Hills. Fort Meade is located near Bear Butte and present-day Sturgis, South Dakota. From the home of the 7th Cavalry to hosting Civilian Conservation Corps camp during the Depression to housing German prisoners of war during World War II, Fort Meade kept the peace on the Northern Great Plains for 66 years. Fort Meade then transitioned into a Veterans Administration hospital and a regional training institute for the South Dakota National Guard.

Deadwood's Mount Moriah Cemetery

9781467126441

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Nestled on a mountainous plateau overlooking Deadwood's downtown core district is one of the premier historic cemeteries in Black Hills: Mount Moriah Cemetery. Established in 1878, this cemetery contains some of North America's most recognized Western legends, including James Butler Wild Bill Hickok, Martha Calamity Jane Canary, Seth Bullock, John Potato Creek Johnny Perrett, and Henry Weston Preacher Smith. They represent a small portion of the more than 3,600 people buried in Mount Moriah whose memories have been carved, chiseled, and etched into the monuments within this cemetery. Deadwood's Mount Moriah Cemetery is a combination of historic and contemporary photographs chronicling the history of the cemetery and the stories of the individuals—both colorful and illustrious—who helped carve Deadwood into the annals of the American West.

Haunted Deadwood

9781609493257

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The Wild West may be tamed, but Deadwood's notorious past has not relinquished its hold on its corner of the Badlands or its place in popular imagination. And no wonder. If Wild Bill Hickok found its streets a little too rough, it should come as no surprise that the gamblers, gunslingers and general mischief-makers who put down roots at Deadwood's saloons and brothels did so in a ferocious and unforgettable manner. Mark Shadley and Josh Wennes prospect for ghostly activity as industriously as the town's former inhabitants dug for gold--and strike it just as rich. Greet Calamity Jane, Al Swearingen and a host of other characters as ready-made for haunting as they ever were for television.

Huron

9781467161732

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In 1879, Marvin Hughitt, president of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, looked across the James River at a vast prairie. He envisioned a town that would become a division headquarters for the fast-growing railroad system as it extended west. With that, the town of Huron, South Dakota, was born and immediately attracted new arrivals. These hardy pioneers braved the unknown to settle in the area, acquire land, and earn a living. They built the first churches, schools, and businesses, creating a vibrant and dynamic community. Huron’s central location, its industrious citizens, and the influence of the railroad established the town as an important transportation hub, a contender for the state capital, a location for higher education, and the home of the state fair. This book features historical photographs of the individuals who transformed this region from a prairie into a thriving and influential community during the first half of the 20th century.

Jennifer Littlefield is the reference librarian at the Huron Public Library. She has a passion for researching local history and has written several articles for South Dakota History. Louise Van Poll is the executive director of the Dakotaland Museum, which includes three historic sites. She is also a freelance journalist and educator, with a passion for history, teaching, and writing.

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De Smet

9781467113557

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Hordes of pioneers moved west at a time when Dakota Territory was still unsettled. When the railroad came to town, this land of opportunity soon became a small town called De Smet. Through the years, muddy streets and wooden shacks were replaced with brick and mortar, and the little town grew into a county seat. The hallmark of De Smet comes from the pen of Laura Ingalls Wilder, when she wrote five of her Little House books set in the community. Ensuing years saw the demolition of several of De Smet's heritage buildings, but others remain today, and the validity of these structures bring untold numbers to view them. Long-standing traditions, such as Old Settler's Day, have remained within the borders of the community and are still an exciting part of the town's history.

South Dakota Railroads

9780738532943

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The arrival of the railroad in South Dakota is directly responsible for the population boom and town development the state experienced in the early 1900s. Enticed by the promise of opportunity, many immigrants and East Coast residents hopped on the train and headed west, many settling in South Dakota. Railroads opened the doorway and made the West what it has become. Using over 200 images, authors Mike Wiese and Tom Hayes take the reader on a historic tour of the depots, trains, and wrecks that defined South Dakota railroading in the early part of the 20th century. Drawing on their immense collections of images and postcards, they tell a story of railroad development and local history in South Dakota.

Sturgis, South Dakota 1878-1960

9780738531717

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Sturgis, named for Col. Samuel Sturgis of the U.S. Seventh Calvary, was established in 1878 as a "no holds barred" supply center for Fort Meade. Laid out by Jeremiah Wilcox, an in-law of Colonel Sturgis, Sturgis had an ample representation of saloons and gambling dens. In fact, Sturgis became known as "Scooptown," because of the regularity with which these establishments "scooped" the pay from Fort Meade soldiers' pockets. Now home to a thriving and active community, Sturgis has changed over the years but remains a colorful and fascinating area rich in history and character.

In 1938, motorcycle enthusiast J.C. "Pappy" Hoel got a few friends together for a weekend of friendly competition, picnicking, and a tour of the Black Hills. Today, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is known worldwide.

Black Hills Gold Rush Towns

9780738577494

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Paha Sapa, the Black Hills, sacred land of the Lakota Indians, had long been the destination for prospectors. In 1874, Gen. George Armstrong Custer conducted an expedition into the Black Hills confirming rumors of gold. The findings of the expedition were widely publicized and the gold rush began. Unable to stem the tide of prospectors seeking their fortunes, the federal government opened Black Hills Native American land to settlement in 1877. During the rush, from 1874 to 1879, unknown numbers of mines were worked and more than 400 mining camps and towns sprang up in the gulches overnight. When the mines played out, most of the settlements died. Black Hills Gold Rush Towns looks at the mining towns that once flourished.

Rapid City

9780738541402

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With the opening of the Black Hills region of South Dakota due to the discovery of gold in 1874, the business-savvy founders of Rapid City, in 1876, saw the potential of this area as a focus for urban development. It was nestled within the beauty of the Black Hills, rich in natural resources, adjacent to a viable water source and in line with major trade routes. Thus, a thriving commercial district evolved, the architecture of which reflects the distinctive periods of a community's growth from a frontier hay camp town to a regional metropolitan center. The built environment of Rapid City embodies and exemplifies the skill of local craftsman in interpreting the prevailing stylistic trends, the utilization of local materials, and other cultural influences. All of these elements provide Rapid City with an identifiable character and sense of place that is, clearly and uniquely, South Dakota.

Cover image for Rapid City, isbn: 9780738541402

Cheyenne River Sioux, South Dakota

9780738523187

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The Sioux constitute a diverse group of tribes who claimed and controlled almost a quarter of the continental U.S. from the late 1700s to the 1860s. The name Sioux was coined by French traders and was taken from the Anishinabe word Nadoweisiw-eg, meaning little snake or enemy. The rival Chippewa (Ojibway/Anishinabe) tribe used this term to describe the group. The Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, a central part of the Great Sioux Reservation, is home to four bands of the Western Lakota Sioux prominently featured in this book: the Minnicoujou, Itazipco, Siha Sapa, and Oohenumpa.

On This Day in South Dakota History

9781467119351

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South Dakota is quietly nestled in the grasslands and Black Hills, but its history is far less hidden. One day at a time, author Brad Tennant presents intriguing, event-driven anecdotes of state history. On July 17, 1925, the state American Legion passed a resolution to initiate American Legion baseball. On April 29, 1930, Congress passed an act honoring the deceased chiefs of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and the valiant men who made the supreme sacrifice in service in World War I. Celebrate an entire year of history in the Mount Rushmore State or enjoy it one day at a time.

Cover image for On This Day in South Dakota History, isbn: 9781467119351

Badlands National Park

9780738532264

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The South Dakota Badlands seldom fails to stir a sense of wonder to those who encounter its surreal landscape for the first time. From a distance, the eroded formations look like the ruins of an alabaster city, but upon closer inspection, the sculptured terrain appears rough and rugged. Within these pages of historic photographs, the remarkable story of the Badlands unfolds. After the process of geological changes, Indians came to the Badlands on seasonal hunting trips. In the mid 1800s, fur traders, fossil hunters, and freight haulers passed through to places more hospitable. Cattlemen and homesteaders arrived in the 1890s, intent on staying, but most gave up and left. To preserve its grandeur, Congressman Peter Norbeck and his associate Ben Millard worked for many years to set aside thousands of acres of the unyielding land for a national monument in 1939. The Badlands became a national park in 1978.

Rosebud Sioux

9780738534473

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The Sicangu (burnt thighs) received their name when some of the Lakota peoples' legs were burned in a great prairie fire. The French later named them Brule, and two large groups of the band would be settled on two reservations, Rosebud and Lower Brule in South Dakota. Author Donovin Sprague examines the history of the Rosebud Sioux through a collection of photographs and personal family interviews.

Standing Rock Sioux

9780738532424

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There is a rock of incredible legend and history that stands before the Standing Rock Agency. Years ago a Dakota man took a second wife, thereby bruising the ego of his first. As camp was breaking up and the tribe was moving on, the first wife pouted and refused to move. She stayed behind with her baby. The tribe moved on and the husband repented, sending his brothers to collect her. They returned to camp to find that she and her child had turned to stone. From that point on, the stone was thought holy and was moved with the tribe, always given a place of honor at the center of camp. Now resting upon a brick pedestal, from this stone the agency derives its name.

Gregory and Charles Mix Counties

9780738533223

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In 1804, Lewis and Clark navigated the Missouri River by keelboat, exploring the river border between the two future counties of Gregory and Charles Mix. Their discovery and exploration of the territory acquired in the Louisiana Purchase unleashed the movement west and its subsequent settlement. The area, first described in exploration journals as rich in vegetation and wildlife, remains a scenic wonder.

Since Lewis and Clark's exploration, the area has had its share of interesting history. Using over 200 historic photographs, Gregory and Charles Mix Counties awakens the area's past and highlights some of its most unique attributes.

Badlands, Gateways, and Ghost Towns

9781467128360

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Before the early 1900s, the northern edge of the eroded White River Badlands was virtually impenetrable except for the precarious horseback trails that reached the plain below. The Badlands Wall is an escarpment that separates the upper prairie from the lower prairie for 60 miles. In 1907, the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad pushed west from Chamberlain and reached the lower plains of the Badlands. Small towns sprang up to provide water for the steam engines and trade centers for the cattlemen and homesteaders moving into the area. These towns flourished for a time, but when they were no longer needed, they disappeared or became ghost towns. Meanwhile, settlers clamored for roads from the north into the interior. When the Badlands became accessible, tourists traveled to see them. Two towns, Kadoka and Wall, accommodated the tourists and became promoters as the gateways to the Badlands.

Cover image for Badlands, Gateways, and Ghost Towns, isbn: 9781467128360

Watertown and Codington County, South Dakota

9780738519746

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The picturesque, gently rolling hills of northeastern South Dakota were formed by glaciers 20,000 years ago. A French cartographer first mapped the area in 1838, calling it Coteau des Prairies,-French for 'Hills of the Prairies.' On these hills sits Codington County, which got its name from the Reverend G.S. Codington, a traveling preacher based in Watertown. On August 7, 1878, Kampeska was named the first county seat. At the same time, railroad lines were extended from Minnesota into South Dakota, leading to a great influx of population known as the Great Dakota Boom. The rails only went as far as the Big Sioux River, which was east of Kampeska, so by the end of the year, the entire town up and moved to meet the railroad. With its new location came a new name: Watertown. An influx of German and Norwegian settlers in the early 1900s brought Codington County close to its current population of over 25,000.

Watertown and Codington County, South Dakota

Black Hills National Forest

9780738583709

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Once vital to fire prevention and detection, most of the Black Hills National Forest historic lookout towers now serve primarily as hiking destinations. The first crude lookout structures were built at Custer Peak and Harney Peak in 1911. Since that time, more than 20 towers have been constructed in the area. The first lookout towers were built of wood, most replaced by steel or stone. The Civilian Conservation Corps was instrumental in constructing fire towers during the 1930s and 1940s. One of the most famous and architecturally and aesthetically valued towers is the Harney Peak Fire Lookout--situated on the highest point east of the Rocky Mountains. Harney Peak is among a number of Black Hills towers listed on the National Historic Lookout Register. Over 200 vintage images tell the story of not only the historic fire towers but those who manned them. Perched atop high peaks in remote locations, fire lookout personnel spent countless hours scanning the forest, pinpointing dangers, often experiencing the powerful wrath of lightning strong enough to jolt them off their lightning stools.

WNAX 570 Radio

9780738540191

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Life on the northern plains was lonely in the early 20th century. Farmers and ranchers went for weeks without hearing any voices other than those of their families. Then, in 1922, Al Madson, proprietor of a Yankton radio parts shop, made a radio transmitter. He formed a broadcasting company, and on November 25, 1922, WNAX broadcast its first program. People of the northern plains now had a daily "visitor." Gurney Seed and Nursery Company owned the station for its first 16 years, adding distinctive innovations to its programming. In its constant commitment to agriculture, the station has influenced the history of the five-state area it covers. Lawrence Welk got his start there. Wynn Speece, known as the Neighbor Lady, still broadcasts daily after starting at WNAX in 1941.

Aberdeen

9780738598963

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The Industrial Revolution, along with free land, created fierce competition among American railroad companies to connect the country with a web of track. Goods, as well as people, needed to be transported. The railroads would create towns, then profit from the sale of the land and transporting of people and goods. The plan worked brilliantly, as there were no other means of transportation--or roads--to these new communities. Aberdeen, platted in 1881, was known as an "end of line" stop for several years. During this time, the town boomed into a city. Main Street sprawled southward, and wooden boomtown businesses were quickly replaced with elaborate brick buildings, some six stories tall. Examples of Aberdeen's eclectic style of architecture, spanning nearly 60 years, can be found within Images of America: Aberdeen. Many of these treasures still exist today; others, along with their lost stories, are forever preserved here.

Yankton, South Dakota in Vintage Postcards

9780738532332

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Imagine, spread before you, every postcard you ever sent or received. Not only do you see whatever is pictured, but also those who sent and received each card. Signatures, addresses, and even dates recall these friends and loved ones. And the messages themselves, both written and understood, recall the who, what, and where that were significant to us at another time. At so many levels, picture postcards connect us to who we were, and are.

This book is a gathering of the postcards of an entire community. Every image within these pages carries a part of the fascinating story of "our town"-Yankton, South Dakota-and the people who have made her what she is.

Yankton, South Dakota in Vintage Postcards

Custer County

9780738534381

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Custer County, South Dakota, is trees and prairies, Black Hills and buffalo, small towns and friendly people, mining and logging, farming and ranching, history and memories. It is the home of the Crazy Horse Monument. Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park, where the Civilian Conservation Corps left many legacies, are here as well. But the individuals who did the everyday work are the ones who truly made a difference. These are the people who are celebrated within these pages, which contain over 220 vintage photographs, mostly from private collections. The only thing missing is the aroma of sawmills in operation that used to permeate Custer City. As the Custer Chamber of Commerce says, "You should see the Hills from here."

South Dakota in Vintage Postcards:

9780738518770

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Postcards provide an easy way to go back in time to the early days of South Dakota, to see what the place looked like, to catch a glimpse of how people saw themselves, to begin to understand what has changed and what remains constant. This is the first book to focus entirely on historical postcards from South Dakota, including images from more than 50 counties and 100 different communities.

The book also explores how postcard images helped create and perpetuate myths about the "Wild West," and how South Dakotans accepted and adapted those myths. Included are scenes of farming, ranching, industry, and small-town life from the early-1900s. While postcards pictured busy streets, town festivals, and new civic improvements, they also captured periodic disasters-natural and man made. Postcards show the development of important tourist sites from their earliest years, including the Black Hills, Badlands, Corn Palace and Mount Rushmore. Residents and tourists alike will enjoy seeing South Dakota before interstates and billboards took over.

Lakota Sioux Missions, South Dakota

9780738533933

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President U.S. Grant's national Peace Policy of 1869 set in motion the South Dakota Missionary movement. The peace plan assigned one religious denomination to each Indian Reservation to 'Christianize and civilize' the Indian. When religious groups protested the government's policy of exclusion, the limitations of the policy were lifted in 1881. Soon thereafter, many denominations were allowed to establish missions where they wanted. Soon missions, churches, and schools of many different Christian affiliations dotted the reservations, often within a few miles of one another. In Lakota Sioux Missions, over two hundred historical photographs illustrate the story of the mission era, its intended policy of assimilation, the resistance to change, and eventual compromise.

Fall River County and Hot Springs

9780738551876

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Fall River County has a history built around water. Early industries, such as the Refinite Mineral Processing Plant at Ardmore, were built to enhance the water; other businesses--bathhouses in Hot Springs and Edgemont, the Michael J. Fitzmaurice Veterans Home (originally named the Soldiers Home), and the VA Black Hills Medical Center (known by longtime residents as the Battle Mountain Sanitarium) in Hot Springs--were established here because naturally warm water and the moderate climate enhanced their missions. Back in the day, small towns had flour mills, creameries, and ice companies, and the towns flourished with each industrial boom. Out in the county, on the government-run experimental farm, crops were tested and people attended agricultural classes and meetings. Oil wells were drilled, sandstone was quarried, and farmers and ranchers worked the land and the cattle. Through the years, county residents have been warm and welcoming, much like the water.

Rapid City

9780738551845

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Rapid City, "the Summer Playground of America," was founded in 1876 by gold seekers, fueled by a rush to the Black Hills following Gen. George Custer's 1874 expedition. When the railroad arrived a decade later, cattlemen replaced prospectors, and Rapid City remained a hub of activity. By the end of World War I, the popularity of the automobile and newly constructed roads helped to shape area tourism. Mount Rushmore, 23 miles distant, was under construction in 1927, and the new Hotel Alex Johnson was completed in 1928. Together they were natural draws, complementing the pine-scented beauty surrounding Rapid City and making the city the center of western hospitality. As World War II ended, the traveling public again sought out Rapid City and its surrounding attractions as its destination for that memorable vacation out West. Today not much has changed. The Hotel Alex Johnson continues to be a landmark headquarters for tour operators, and Mount Rushmore remains a premier visitor site. And now Rapid City is further enhanced by the City of Presidents project, a work in progress in its historic downtown district.

Black Hills Gold Rush Towns

9781467113977

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Rising out of the prairie, the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming had long been rumored to have promising quantities of gold. Sacred to the Lakota, the Black Hills was part of the land reserved for them in the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868. However, the tide of prospectors seeking their fortune in the Black Hills was difficult to stem. Members of the 1874 Custer expedition, lead by Gen. George Armstrong Custer, found gold. In 1875, scientists Henry Newton and Walter Jenney conducted an expedition and confirmed the rumors. By 1876, the trickle of prospectors and settlers coming to the Black Hills was a flood. The US government realized that keeping the interlopers out was impossible, and in 1877 the Black Hills was officially opened to settlement. In this sequel to their Black Hills Gold Rush Towns book, the authors expand their coverage of Black Hills towns during the gold-rush era.

Mitchell's Corn Palace

9780738532578

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The world's only Corn Palace began as "The Corn Belt Exposition" in 1892, a promotional enterprise established to showcase the rich agricultural region of the James Valley. The exposition became a popular annual event, and an icon of the American prairie. The Corn Palace has occupied three different buildings since 1892. Adorned each autumn with corn, grains, and native grasses in decorative patterns and themes, the Corn Palace has hosted famous entertainers, politicians, and community events. Now well into its second century and going strong, the Corn Palace has become a symbol of South Dakota. Mitchell's Corn Palace tells the unique story of the palace through a collection of over 200 fascinating vintage images, chronicling this unique piece of Americana.

Cascades of the Big Sioux River

9781467170055

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There are no unsacred places; there are only sacred places and desecrated places. - Wendell Berry

This is the story of a dramatic landscape in an improbable location. Since the last continental glacier receded, the rollicking falls of the Big Sioux River were exposed as a geographical anomaly. Early inhabitants of the Northern Plains were amazed that a stair-stepping series of waterfalls existed in the midst of vast, rolling prairie. Today’s visitors marvel that this rugged, dynamic setting survives in the heart of thriving, bustling Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Environmental author Peter Carrels recounts the human activities and inclinations that first disfigured and then later rescued this distinct, unexpected landmark known today as Falls Park.

Cover image for Cascades of the Big Sioux River, isbn: 9781467170055

Ghosts and Legends of Northeast South Dakota

9781467156684

$21.99 $16.49 Save 25%

Ghouls of the Glacial Lakes and Prairie Region

Buried in the annals of the region are torrid tales, disasters and the unexplained. At historic Fort Sisseton, the old hanging tree and a phantom buffalo soldier are just a few of its spectral stories. Partygoers from over a century ago still linger at Aberdeen’s Easton Castle. De Smet’s historic Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead attracts thousands of visitors annually, many unaware of its familial spirts. Locals in Watertown still debate whether the apparition at the Goss Opera House is that of a traveling performer named Annie or murder victim Maud Alexander, who was set on fire by her own son. Victims of a 1940 train wreck between Milbank and Marvin seemingly never left the scene of the accident. And Captain Luff of The Muskegon disaster can be seen mourning on the banks of Big Stone Lake. Author Deborah Cuyle chronicles the area’s most fascinating and perplexing lore.

Cover image for Ghosts and Legends of Northeast South Dakota, isbn: 9781467156684

Jewel Cave National Monument

9780738561981

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Buried under layers of limestone and sandstone hundreds of feet thick, Jewel Cave is more ancient than South Dakota's Black Hills, which adorn the landscape above. The cave lay undiscovered until 1900, when two brothers, miners and part-time cowboys, felt a strong wind coming from a small hole in the ground at the base of a cliff. When they enlarged the opening, they found passages filled with the glittering calcite crystals that give the cave its name. Although its discoverers marveled at the cave's natural beauty, few believed the find to be significant. Even after Pres. Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed Jewel Cave a national monument in 1908, the government was unwilling to fund development. Americans then took up motoring, roads improved, and tourists flocked to the once remote Black Hills. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps created facilities to accommodate the influx. Yet it was not until an adventurous couple from the East received permission to explore and map the cave that its true importance was realized. They and fellow cavers who accompanied them or followed in their footsteps discovered a massive multilayered labyrinth. Jewel Cave now is the second-longest cave in the world, and the exploration continues.

Brookings

9780738577760

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Located on the Coteau des Prairies, the community initially named Medary began drawing settlers in the 1850s. Driven away in 1858 by an American Indian uprising, settlers began returning in 1869, and by 1879 Brookings had become a permanent settlement. This was followed two years later with the establishment of a land-grant institution, then called South Dakota State Agricultural College and now South Dakota State University (SDSU). Over 130 years after their founding, the city of Brookings and SDSU, now a Division I university, continue to attract people from around the world and reaffirm their places as prominent South Dakota landmarks. Explore Brookings through a rich variety of images, many of which are being published here for the first time. These photographs trace the growth of both Brookings and SDSU and highlight the crucial relationship that they share.

Spink County

9780738593524

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The area that now encompasses Spink County was virgin prairie grassland 140 years ago, inhabited by Native American Sioux who survived by hunting the millions of roaming buffalo. The land was surveyed a few years after the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876 in accordance with the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Homestead Act of 1862. Within 25 years, the land was completely covered with farms, ranches, and towns and connected to the rest of the United States by a grid of railroads. Thanks to the then new science of photography, the amazing transformation of vast, treeless, sparsely populated prairie into a completely settled agricultural community is recorded here in wonderful and fascinating detail. Spink County is the pictorial record of an amazing historical movement.

Historic Vermillion and Clay County

9780738520278

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From its earliest settlement in the Vermillion River Valley, Vermillion and Clay County has long been a coveted region in the Dakota Territory. Once inhabited by Omaha and Ponca tribes, the area was later home to the Dakota Indians. After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, President Thomas Jefferson sent the Lewis and Clark expedition to the area to survey the territory. In August of 1804, Lewis and Clark stood atop Spirit Mound and surveyed the beautiful landscape we know now as Clay County.

Throughout the years, Native Americans, pioneers, frontiersman, farmers, and merchants have made Clay County home. Historic Vermillion and Clay County captures the history, development, and changing landscape of the area in almost 200 vintage images.

Remembering Rapid City

9780738520094

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Rapid City-"The Summer Playground of America"-was founded in 1876 by gold seekers, fueled by a rush to the Black Hills following the Custer Expedition of 1874. Merchants supplying the miners and military units patrolling the region were the ones who ultimately prospered, however. When the railroad arrived a decade later, cattlemen replaced the prospectors, and Rapid City remained a hub of activity. By the end of World War I, the popularity of the automobile and newly constructed roads helped to shape area tourism. Mount Rushmore, 23 miles distant, was under construction in 1927, and the new Alex Johnson Hotel was completed in 1928. Together, they were natural draws to complement the pine-scented beauty surrounding Rapid City, making it the center of Western hospitality. On June 9, 1972, a flood roared through the heart of the community, taking 238 lives. By the end of the decade, many new civic improvements began to change the face of Rapid City again. With this growth, Rapid City retains its early charm as the "gate city" of the Black Hills.

Pierre and Fort Pierre

9780738539690

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From prairie to river's edge, the Pierre and Fort Pierre area resounds with historical adventure. Visited in 1743 by French explorers-the Verendrye brothers-and by Lewis and Clark in 1804, Fort Pierre was established as a significant fur trading post in 1817 and served briefly as a military fort in 1855. The decaying port settlement was revived during the Black Hills gold rush of 1875, outfitting bull trains. For over a decade, it bustled with freighting activity and stagecoach travel on the Fort Pierre-Deadwood gold trail. When the Chicago, Northwestern Railroad reached the Missouri River in 1880, Fort Pierre's sister city, Pierre, emerged as an important river town. During the days of the open range, Fort Pierre served as a holding place for the millions of cattle to be ferried across the Missouri to the trains at Pierre. In 1889, Pierre was named capital of the state and became the political heart of South Dakota. When nearby reservations opened for settlement, the cattle range began to fill with settlers, changing the scene once again. In these pages, a pictorial history unfolds, the drama of men and women who lived out their dreams near the Missouri.

Fall River County and Hot Springs

9780738519999

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The unsung heroes of Fall River County made the area what it is. They were the men at the lumberyard, the pioneers, homesteaders, cowboys, farmers, homemakers, teachers, quarry workers, service station mechanics, blacksmiths, firemen, and the builders of Angostura Dam. Fall River County and Hot Springs: Views from the Past 1881-1955 showcases these everyday people. Each person played a role in the success of the county, from the children whose chores helped to ensure a family's survival to the visionaries who built irrigation ditches.

Sandstone quarries and buildings, sod houses and mansions, cattle and cowboys, work and play, and other images of daily lives are featured within these pages. Using over 200 vintage images and accompanying captions, author Peggy Sanders brings to life the rich history of the area and the incredible residents who made it all possible.

Deadwood Murder & Mayhem

9781467158404

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Malice, Menace and Mendacity

The cast of characters coloring the Black Hills’ raucous past has inspired memorable Hollywood productions. Al Swearengen, “Wild Bill” Hickok and Calamity Jane have become celebrities, but many of the most malevolent moments did not produce household names. One of the more bizarre and unsolved murders was the Chinatown killing of a beautiful and rich woman named Di Lee. In 1894, Lakota Sioux warrior Chief Two Sticks was hanged for his band’s involvement in the brutal slayings of several cowboys and a few policemen at the Isaac Humphrey Ranch. Swearengen’s Gem Theater often played host to violence involving prostitutes, performers and patrons. Soiled dove Kitty Clyde was the victim of her spurned lover Charles Wilson, while “Banjo Dick” murdered his lover’s ex-husband in supposed self-defense. Author Deborah Cuyle combed local archives to tell the unvarnished accounts of Deadwood’s most daring and dastardly denizens.

Cover image for Deadwood Murder & Mayhem, isbn: 9781467158404

Aberdeen in Vintage Postcards

9780738523088

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Plotted and planned as a crossroads town along the developing Milwaukee Railroad, Aberdeen, South Dakota was first settled in 1881. With the arrival of the railroad in 1882, Aberdeen flourished. It earned the nickname of Hub City, serving as a railroad junction and agricultural center. Aberdeen's ability to adapt to a changing economy has led to steady growth and has made it the third largest city in the state.

Using more than 200 images, authors Tom Hayes and Mike Wiese take the reader on a historic tour of Aberdeen. Drawing on their immense postcard collection, they tell the story of this tight-knit community and the incredible people who are an integral part of its history.

Belle Fourche

9780738561523

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Belle Fourche is located on the northern edge of the Black Hills in western South Dakota. It is a small town that serves as a hub for ranchers over a three-state area. Belle Fourche was founded in the late 1800s by Seth Bullock, famous from his days as sheriff in Deadwood. Bullock offered free right-of-way to the railroad when nearby Minnesela was demanding too much money. Early Belle Fourche was very much a cowboy town, even becoming the largest shipping point for cattle. Today Belle Fourche sits at the intersection of three major highways and, since 1959, is the geographic center of the nation.

Ziebach County

9780738577838

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South Dakota's north-central Ziebach County, established in 1911, is named for Frank M. Ziebach. The majority of the county lies within the boundaries of the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation; small areas also lie within the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. As the railroad penetrated the area, small towns sprang up. Dupree, the largest town in Ziebach County, was selected as the county seat. Founded in 1910, the town of Dupree celebrates its 100-year centennial with the publication of this history. The Ziebach County Historical Society is dedicated to preserving the history of the area's people, places, and events. A collection of nearly 200 photographs provides a glimpse into the past, along with modern development. Ziebach communities included Armstrong, Bridger, Chase, Cherry Creek, Dupree, Glad Valley, Iron Lightning, Redelm, Red Scaffold, Takini, and Thunder Butte.

Around Chamberlain

9780738593852

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Tucked among the hills on the banks of the Missouri River, Chamberlain has long been a stopping-off point for travelers. The Sioux found rich hunting, and Lewis and Clark discovered a comfortable place to rest on American Island. Chamberlain became a landing for steamboats, which carried cargo and provided transportation to the new western lands. The railroad reached the town in 1880, and by 1890 the settlement offered 200 businesses. The Chamberlain area evolved from the rough and wooly days of cowboy cattle drives across the pontoon bridge to the leisurely ferry excursions to American Island for picnics and ball games. Even today, as travelers from the east come over the rise and descend toward the Missouri River on Interstate 90, they must be thinking the same as travelers of long ago--this is where the West begins.

Prohibition in South Dakota

9781467137126

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South Dakota has always had an intermittent relationship with prohibition. Constantly changing legislation kept citizens, saloonkeepers, bootleggers and other scofflaws on tenterhooks, wondering what might come next. The scandalous indiscretions of the lethal Verne Miller and the contributions of "agents of change" like Senators Norbeck and Senn kept ne'er-do-wells on edge. In 1927, the double murder of prohibition officers near Redfield dominated headlines. From the Black Hills stills of Bert Miller to the Sioux Falls moonshine outfit buried under Lon Vaught's chicken house, uncork these oft-overlooked and tumultuous eighteen years in state history. In the first book of its kind, award-winning journalist Chuck Cecil delivers the boisterous details of an intoxicating era.

Calvin Coolidge in the Black Hills

9781467119313

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On August 2, 1927, President Calvin Coolidge shocked the nation by announcing he would not seek reelection. The declaration came from the Black Hills of South Dakota, where Coolidge was vacationing to escape the oppressive Washington summer and to win over politically rebellious farmers. He passed his time at rodeos, fishing, meeting Native American dignitaries and kick-starting the stagnant carving of Mount Rushmore. But scandal was never far away as Coolidge dismissed a Secret Service man in a fit of anger. Was it this internal conflict that led Coolidge to make his famous announcement or the magic of the Black Hills? Veteran South Dakota journalist Seth Tupper chronicles Coolidge's Black Hills adventure and explores the lasting legacy of the presidential summer on the region.

Cover image for Calvin Coolidge in the Black Hills, isbn: 9781467119313

The Ghostly Tales of Northeast South Dakota

9781467197915

$12.99 $9.74 Save 25%

Do ghosts lurk at the historic Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead?

Welcome to spooky Northeast South Dakota!

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.

Did you know that a ghostly Lady in White haunts Fort Sisseton Historic State Park? Or that at South Dakota State University, a music-loving spirit sometimes plays the pipe organ? Can you believe a terrifying, Bigfoot-like beast stalks the citizens of Little Eagle?

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Northeast South Dakota forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!

Adapted from Ghosts and Legends of Northeast South Dakota by Deborah Cuyle

Cover image for The Ghostly Tales of Northeast South Dakota, isbn: 9781467197915

Spearfish National Fish Hatchery

9781467110082

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In 1892, US Fish Commission scientist Barton Warren Evermann was on assignment to South Dakota from Washington, DC. His charge: survey fisheries and locate a site for a federal hatchery. The foray took him to the Black Hills and springs of Ames Canyon that poured into Spearfish Creek. The site was ideal. By 1899, Spearfish National Fish Hatchery started raising trout for the Black Hills and points beyond, and its effects on fishing were profound. In time, the mission changed, and so did the hatchery's name. Today's D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery and Archives—named to honor the hatchery's first superintendent—is a treasure trove of information related to fisheries conservation. The facility's historic and commanding hatchery building is iconic in the community and a one-of-a-kind museum.

Cover image for Spearfish National Fish Hatchery, isbn: 9781467110082

Walworth County

9781467110297

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Walworth County is unique in South Dakota. There are few places in the United States that can boast of the heritage of the land and people like this county. As early as 1823, hunters, trappers, and later Gen. William Ashley came up the Missouri River with the intent to establish a post. By 1869, some of the Sioux tribes signed a treaty with the US government, giving up a defined land district that included what became Walworth County.

Cover image for Walworth County, isbn: 9781467110297

Black Hills and Badlands in Vintage Postcards

9780738519647

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As soon as postcards appeared for sale in the early 1900s, Black Hills residents and visitors began sending them to friends and family across the country. The images and messages on these cards now form a historical record of the towns, mines, ranches, and people that made up the Black Hills and Badlands region. The postcard images chosen for this book show the development of the Black Hills and Badlands from the gold rush to modern times. Long-time residents will enjoy seeing what familiar places looked like in bygone days, while newcomers can learn how today's tourist attractions developed over time, including the Hot Springs mineral baths, Wind Cave, Custer State Park, Badlands National Park, Mount Rushmore, and Crazy Horse Mountain Memorial.

Black Hills and Badlands in Vintage Postcards

Spearfish

9780738541426

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Rimmed by Crow Peak and Lookout and Spearfish Mountains, like jewels in a crown, Spearfish, the Queen City, reigns over an area of scenic beauty. Originating from the Black Hills gold rush era, Spearfish has prospered from the days of the open range, its rich agricultural valley, the surrounding mining communities, and eventually tourism. Over 200 vintage photographs document its historical past. Scenic Spearfish Canyon and the Black Hills Passion Play attract thousands of tourists annually. Spearfish is the home of Black Hills State University, which began as a normal school and now has an enrollment of 3,900 students. The diverse appeal of this Northern Hills town has been its greatest asset.

South Dakota's Cowboy Governor Tom Berry

9781467119412

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As South Dakotans endured the Great Depression and developing Dust Bowl in 1932, they elected a cowboy as their governor. Tom Berry rode in the great, iconic 1902 cattle roundup ordered by President Theodore Roosevelt. He established the successful Double X ranch next to the Badlands. Big voiced and tireless, Berry commanded the attention of all, including President Franklin Roosevelt, who broke protocol and called him Tom or Cowboy in White House meetings. Berry faced bitter political rivalries and weather that threatened to blow South Dakotans off their land, but he is remembered for his humorous wit throughout. Author Paul S. Higbee traces the history of South Dakota and its iconic governor.

Cover image for South Dakota's Cowboy Governor Tom Berry, isbn: 9781467119412

South Dakota Wine

9781625858436

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A young commercial wine industry notwithstanding, winemaking traditions run deep in the Mount Rushmore State. Sodbusting pioneers like Anna Pesä and Jon Vojta defied South Dakota's harsh terrain and paved the way for Prairie Berry Winery. University biologists, including Dr. Ronald Peterson, cultivated the unique grapes needed for the climate, like the Valiant, Marquette, Brianna and Frontenac grapes. Despite subzero winters and torrid summers, strawberries, buffaloberries and rhubarb have grown on both sides of the Missouri River. Since the 1996 Farm Winery Bill passed, the state welcomed thirty vintners, including Strawbale Winery, Wilde Prairie Winery and Belle Joli' Winery. Denise DePaolo and Kara Sweet explore the heritage behind winemaking from the harvests of the prairie.

Black Elk Peak

9781625858702

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The history of Black Elk Peak—previously known as Hinhan Kaga and, more recently, as Harney Peak—remained segmented and scattered throughout the shadows of antiquity, until now. The natural landmark's namesake, Black Elk, experienced his great vision here, solidifying his status as a Sioux holy man. Obstructed by the insurmountable granite, General Custer and his horse nearly summited during the 1874 expedition. On that granite, sculptor Gutzon Borglum made the decision to carve a grand monument into the face of nearby Mount Rushmore. Prior to serving as the first Pine Ridge Reservation Indian agent and then mayor of Rapid City, Valentine McGillycuddy documented his ascent to the peak in 1875, where his ashes would come to rest. Author Bradley Saum chronicles the unique and untold stories that are intrinsically linked to the highest point in the Black Hills.

Cover image for Black Elk Peak, isbn: 9781625858702

Jewish Pioneers of the Black Hills Gold Rush

9780738577814

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The very name Deadwood conjures up vivid Wild West images: saloons with swinging doors, brazen dance-hall girls, buckskin-clad Calamity Jane roaming the streets with her erstwhile paramour, Wild Bill Hickok. The setting is the lawless Dakota Territory of 1876 at the start of the Black Hills gold rush, a stampede for the golden pay dirt. One would hardly expect to find a Jewish pioneer grocer named Jacob Goldberg in this scene, yet Deadwood's story is incomplete without Goldberg. And Goldberg's story is incomplete without either Calamity Jane or Wild Bill. Not just Goldberg, but Finkelstein (also known as Franklin), Stern (also known as Star), Jacobs, Schwarzwald, Colman, Hattenbach, and many other Jews joined the throngs. The Jews provided much more than overalls, chamberpots, and the chambers in which to put them. They also became the mayors, legislators, and civic leaders who helped bring sense and stability to this unruly expanse.

Jewish Pioneers of the Black Hills Gold Rush

South Dakota Air National Guard's 114th Fighter Wing

9781467107297

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

The South Dakota Air National Guard's 114th Fighter Wing's history began during World War II with the 356th Fighter Group. It became a post-World War II Air Guard unit, initially flying the North American F-51D Mustang removed from storage as the active duty Air Force began transitioning to turbojet fighters. It was slowly upgraded to turbojet aircraft, first with the T-33 trainer to assist pilots into to the F-94 Starfighter. One of the most dramatic upgrades was with the F-89D Norhtrop Scorpion, which had onboard radar for all-weather interception, and the F-89J, armed with the nuclear warhead Genie rockets to shoot down Russian bombers. Its first supersonic fighter was the Convair F-102A Delta Dagger, a delta-wing fighter. The wing continued to transition through various turbojet fighters to the current General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon from 1992 to the present. The unit is fully integrated into the US Air Force's aerial defense of the United States and the Global War on Terrorism.

Black Hills Passion Play

9780738552354

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In 1932, Josef Meier, a native of Luenen, Germany, brought a small company of actors to the United States to tour with a passion play. It was performed in German, destined for a limited engagement in German theaters, churches, and German-speaking communities. Political and economic conditions in Germany were already deteriorating during this time, and Meier determined to remain in America, to found a permanent home for the play. He translated the play into English, hiring American actors to replace the German-speaking cast. As he booked tours across the United States, Meier continued to seek a suitable permanent outdoor location for his production, mentioning his quest to the public in interviews across the nation. En route to the West Coast, Meier presented the Passion Play in Sioux Falls, the only town of size within South Dakota at that time. A group of businessmen from the Black Hills attended and asked Meier to examine possible sites in their area. He chose a spectacular natural location in Spearfish, and in 1939, an amphitheater was constructed and became the home of the renamed Black Hills Passion Play of America.

Sioux Falls

9781467126908

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The 1950s and 1960s were a time of historic growth, when over 20,000 new residents chose to make Sioux Falls their home. In 1981, Citibank came to Sioux Falls, bringing many more people to the city. Since the start of the 21st century, health care has been the job sector employing the most people in Sioux Falls, creating jobs and bringing many new medical specialties to the area. New entertainment, restaurants, parks, and shopping have improved the quality of life for locals. As the population has increased, Sioux Falls has proven it can keep up with demand.

Dell Rapids

9780738593760

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Formed by settlers in search of a new future in the early 1870s, what is now known as Dell Rapids has had its share of historical significance through the years. From the 1888 Valentine's Day fire that devastated the town's Main Street to the 1934 bank robbery perpetrated by the FBI's "Public Enemy No. 1" Maurice Denning, Dells has not been free from disaster. But resting on the pillars of faith, family, and community, the town has thrived, boasting original structures, thriving quarries, and annual traditions that have stood through time. Bolstered by innovators such as Titus Unger, whose minnow bucket is the top-selling one in the United States, and Charlotte Elliott, who is known for her work in bacteriology in corn crops, the city has its share of notable residents. From the early pioneers struggling to eke out a living and work the land to the ever-growing modern population, Dell Rapids has lived up to its name as "The Little City with Big Attractions."

W.L. Dow

9781626191525

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Wallace L. Dow's enduring legacy is visible throughout Sioux Falls and across South Dakota. His distinctive structures, whether civic buildings or private residences, are beholden to no single architectural style. A New Hampshire native, Dow was brought to the Dakota Territory in the 1880s by Governor Nehemiah Ordway. Dow quickly established himself as the preeminent architect of the Dakota prairie, designing iconic structures like Sioux Falls Courthouse and the penitentiary, as well as many beautiful private residences. Using local Sioux quartzite, Dow's buildings gave the emerging Dakota Territory an identity. Yet the architect himself remains something of a mystery. Join author and Dow documentarian Jennifer Dumke as she uncovers Dow's story, recounting the life and work of a true Sioux Falls original who left his mark statewide.

Cover image for W.L. Dow, isbn: 9781626191525

Lucky to Live in South Dakota

9780738528083

$16.99 $12.74 Save 25%

What do you get when you cross a read-aloud storybook with a write-in memory book? Magic moments between kids and adults! The Lucky to Live in South Dakota book is the perfect tool to jump-start meaningful conversations between generations. Read-aloud rhymes set up interesting topics. Then write-in prompts invite children to record their own views to create a personal Mount Rushmore State keepsake. The real gift lies in the interactive nature of the book as it offers the perfect opportunity for adults to share their own stories and wisdom about such issues as friendship, community, team spirit, and other topics that help develop a child's social and emotional skills. Customized South Dakota content—from favorite local cuisine (chislic) to interesting attractions (Mount Rushmore)—provides an even more personalized experience.

Cover image for Lucky to Live in South Dakota, isbn: 9780738528083

Clark County

9780738540269

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Clark County was created in 1873 by an act of territorial legislature. It was named for Newton Clark, a territorial legislator. On June 27, 1878, the first white settlers arrived in Clark County. Settlers continued migrating to Clark County, and by 1880, there were enough settlers to petition for organization. On May 23, 1881, Clark County became an official county. The first courthouse was built in 1888 in Clark. Besides Clark, the following towns were soon formed: Bradley, Carpenter, Crocker, Elrod, Garden City, Melham, Naples, Raymond, Vienna, and Willow Lake. Clark County, located in northeast South Dakota in the Glacial Lakes and Prairie Region, is home to some 4,500 residents.

South Dakota's First Century of Flight

9780738584256

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The first aircraft heavier than air took to the skies in South Dakota in 1911. Since that time, pilots, mechanics, and dreamers have used aviation in innovative ways to shrink the large distances between the prairies and the mountains of the state. The start of the U.S. Space Program began at the Stratobowl in the 1930s and evolved into today's modern hot air balloons. People have used aircraft, not only for transportation, but also for controlling varmints, from grasshoppers to coyotes. Firefighters routinely use aircraft to put out forest fires, and many a tourist has seen Mount Rushmore from a helicopter. South Dakota has also served the military since World War II with the major bombers of the U.S. Air Force's arsenal. Perhaps best of all, South Dakotans enjoy flying for pure enjoyment.