We drove by the famed Wall Drug along Hwy 90 on the way to Custer State Park. Chris, Norm and Mom were here in ‘93 during the Sturgis Bike Rally in August. 150,000 bikes and bikers gave it a whole different look than the calm place we saw today. It is definitely a tourist trap but one that can’t be missed. It goes on for an entire city block. They do still have a drug department! Dorothy and Ted Hustead moved to Wall back in 1931, after finding the small town feeling, a Catholic church they could go to every day and a drug store for sale. They gave themselves five years to try to make it. Just about ready to move on, Dorothy came up with a dynamite idea on a hot dry July day. Free ice water! They had plenty of both to offer to the hot and weary travelers. Get them in the store and they just might buy something. They put a few signs out designed after the Burma Shave signs coming into town and bingo, hot and frazzled people started streaming in. By the following summer they had expanded and had eight girls all dressed in checkered uniforms serving up ice water and more. The rest is history. It is still in the family and still expanding. We started seeing signs in Minnesota.
 |
| Wall Drug Not sure if I think this looks like fun. |
 |
| Mom bought a pair of cowboy boots at Wall Drug and just about wore them out! |
 |
| Ride'um Cowboy! |
Rapid City made a good lunch stop. They began a downtown renewal in 1999, and it worked. It is a very viable downtown today. We had lunch at a brewery that used to be a fire station. For miles before you get to town they are advertising the brewery with real antique fire trucks as part of their signage. It worked with us! The city just completed a lovely downtown park with a “splash” fountain. They also had a group of artists commit to a ten year project, and in 2000 The City of Presidents was born. The first four were completed the first year and today each President stands proudly in a near life size sculpture. The artist has the option of depicting the President during office or depicting his character. Obama will join the group when he leaves office. The detail and likeness is really quite amazing. We didn’t see all of them by any means, but sought out some of our favorites.
 |
| Rapid City - City of Presidents |
Custer State Park will be wonderful to explore. We made to the Game Lodge Campground just before a rain and hail storm came through dropping hail the size of marbles. The hail hitting the roof of the Manor made such a loud noise it caused Norm to have to put off his nap! Soon the sun was out again. It’s a lovely campground with our site backing up to a stream. It is just a ¼ mile from the Game Lodge where Faye and John will be staying.
 |
| Check out the hail! |
No comments:
Post a Comment