June 8, 2014. Custer State Park. Rapid City, South Dakota

Breakfast fit for a president!

Although the morning was a little on the rainy side, we thought breakfast at the State Game Lodge in Custer State Park sounded like a nice idea.  We took Hwy 16 through the Black Hills National Forest and were oohing and ahhing the whole way.  We even let out a little gasp upon meeting a small motorhome as we drove. What was he thinking??

We had just passed this tunnel when we met the motorhome.

The State Game Lodge was the summer White House of President Calvin Coolidge in 1927.  President Eisenhower also stayed there in June 1953.  

Our breakfast was great, however, I was greatly disappointed in the dining room.  It was not a part of the original building and was very different from what I had imagined.  I was able to see the original presidential dining room and even peeked into the suite of President Coolidge.

After breakfast we continued our drive through the park.  Some distant buffalo and a few donkeys were the only wildlife we saw within the park.

After leaving the park, we passed some bighorn sheep on the roadside just outside of Hill City and then saw another on the opposite side of the highway.  We were so excited!  We found a place to turn around and went back to get pics, but as we approached the second sheep, we discovered they were actually statues.  I can only imagine the people sitting inside their house laughing at us!  Oh well.

We spent two nights at Whispering Pines Campground on Hwy 385 between Rapid City and Deadwood.  It was a cute and peaceful little park.  When we met the owner, we discovered that he and his wife were from Idaho!

June 12, 2014. Montana State Capitol. Helena, Montana

We are doing what?

We barely got settled at Camp Three Forks in Three Forks, Montana and then jumped in the car for a little road trip to Helena to see another state capital.  While the setting was not as pretty and the interior was not as elegant as South Dakota's Capitol, it had some beautiful stained glass and many wonderful paintings.

Next visit, I would definitely want to see the Charles Russell exhibit at the state museum across the street!  Also, the original Governor's mansion is open for tours.

This was our campground, Camp Three Forks, and it was such a cute place.  They had a barn-evidently with horses somewhere, and chickens running around.  Just my kind of place!!

June 2, 2014 Nebraska City, Nebraska

Taking Another Look

We decided to spend our first night "on the road" at Victorian Acres, a cute campground in the southeast corner of Nebraska.  We stayed here about 15 years ago and had passed by many times on our way to and from Idaho, but never stopped again until now.  After getting settled I inquired about the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center just down the highway.  I was totally surprised when the owner suggested we go into Nebraska City- about a mile down the road.  "Is there actually a town there?", I not so brightly asked.  Well, were we surprised!!  

Missouri River Basin Lewis and Clark Visitor Center

We enjoyed our tour of this visitor center and learned more about Lewis and Clark's journey.  There is such an amazing amount of information out there and we learn a little more each time we visit these sites.  Did you know that Sacagawea died around the age of 25?

George at the helm- er, oar

Actual Size Replica of Lewis and Clark's Keelboat

We took a drive across the Iowa border to a state park, which I had wanted to stay at, but decided against because of the stormy weather. (Actually George decided against and it was a good call!)  Great view from overlook, but probably won't ever choose to camp there.  It was located in the Loess Hills, which are a geological formation found only along the Missouri River basin in this area and in China.  Who knew???

View from overlook at Waubonsie State Park, Iowa

We drove into Nebraska City (actually to get some groceries at Wal-Mart) and stumbled upon the Arbor Lodge State Historical Park.  

Arbor Lodge was the home of J. Sterling Morton, who was the founder of Arbor Day and Secretary of Agriculture under President Grover Cleveland.  When he and his young wife settled in Nebraska City around 1855, it was mostly plains and barren hills.  He decided that trees should be planted to make the area more attractive to other settlers and to serve as windbreaks.

His original four room house was remodeled and extended several times over the years. The last and grandest remodeling was in 1903 by his son Joy Morton, as in "Morton" salt.  The 52 room mansion served as a summer home for Joy and other family members before being turned over to the state of Nebraska.  ***The slogan on Morton salt, "When it rains it pours", refereed to the fact that this was the first salt that did not clump when stored for periods of time because of moisture.  Joy Morton and a partner discover an additive to make it free flowing.

J. Sterling Morton's Arbor Lodge

Hard to imagine this was ever "barren" land.

Unique Children's Furniture at the Lodge

At the Carriage House

Now I know where Tiffin got the name for their motorhome.

June 5, 2014 Pierre, South Dakota

We found this state park, situated along the Missouri River, and decided to stay a few days to check out the South Dakota State Capitol.  This was possibly the nicest campground that we have ever camped in, however, can't say much for the actual town.  Not sure how they talk the governor into staying around for his whole term.  We did notice as we toured the Capitol, that many only had a four year term.  Could there be a term limit or something else going on ?

Oahe Downstream Recreation Area

We were actually parked by the back flow area.  The Missouri is to the far right side of pic.  It was very relaxing to just drag our chairs out to the edge and do n-o-t-h-i-n-g!!!

Site #198 

Interior loop of campground 3

This whole area was devastated by a flood in 2011.  The good side of that is that much of the park was redone and the bathroom and showers were fabulous!  Almost made me want to walk over and take my shower there...almost.

We would liked to have taken a dam tour (thinking of you David McClintock), but we waited too late in the day.  It was all very strange looking to us.  We would liked to have had more info.

Intake for generation

Dam Power Plant

The lake, which was above the earthen dam, and the generating plant had no apparent connection- must have all been underground.

While camped at Oahe, we drove into Pierre (pronounced "peer") and walked around the Capitol.  It was a beautiful building with lots of marble and gorgeous oak woodwork built around 1910.

State Capitol of South Dakota  

This visit will allow us to mark one more state capitol off our list.  (We really should visit Arkansas' Capitol building one of these days!)

June 4, 2014 Sioux Falls, South Dakota

First day as South Dakotans!

Setting up residency in South Dakota was a piece of cake.  After we received our drivers licenses, we thought we ought to at least look around the city which we would now be calling "home".  The downtown reminded us a lot of Boise, which we really, really like.  When we came across a statue of a hog- well, we really did feel like we were home!  

 

Wooooooo Pig Soooie

George at Falls Park in Sioux Falls

June 7, 2014. Spearfish, South Dakota.

You never know what you might stumble upon....

D C Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery Museum

While looking for the Spearfish City Campground today, we came upon the DC Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, which was established in 1896.  While there we toured a replica of a "fish car", which was used to transport fish across the country from hatcheries on the east coast to rivers and streams on the west coast.  The first rail shipment was made around 1874 and continued for another 66 years.

Fish Car #3

Home of D C Booth and succeeding superintendents

We were also given a tour of the former home of the first superintendent by a volunteer from Texas.  It was a gorgeous home- I could definitely live there - or at least be a volunteer.  

Unfortunately, this hatchery along with several others is on a list of possible closures.  I am so glad that we happened upon it today and hope to have the opportunity to visit it again in the future!

More pics from Spearfish...

Spearfish City Campground