Tuesday, 4 June
The Journey from Wilson Island State Recreation Area to Sioux Falls
After we returned, we hooked up the camper and headed to Sioux Falls. Since we used very little water, we decided not to dump our gray and black water tanks so they could slosh around and possibly clean them more.
We drove through a small storm about an hour into our drive, but as we approached Sioux Falls, a much bigger storm loomed ahead. After checking the weather radar, we decided to pull over at the next exit and let the storm pass. We parked in a large lot and relaxed in the camper while having lunch. No sooner had we entered the camper than the storm hit, and we were thankful we weren’t driving in it. After waiting about an hour, the main storm passed, and we finished the last 40 minutes of the drive.
Big Sioux State Recreation Area
Big Sioux State Recreation Area lies on the banks of South Dakota’s Big Sioux River and is a short distance from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This park offers 35 camping sites in two separate camping areas. All sites have electrical and water services, and a dozen sites with sewers were also available. Sites are primarily gravel pads, with a few having concrete. All sites have fire rings with grill grates and nice picnic tables. There was a swimming beach and kayaks available for rent.
We reserved site 29E, which is an electric-only site. We dumped our gray and black water tanks at the dump station and filled our fresh water before driving to our site. It was still sprinkling, but not too bad.
Obscure Brewery
Our site was gravel, long, and level. After the camper was set up, we drove to Walmart to pick up some supplies and then to Obscure Brewery, the closest brewery to the campground. The brewery was small, with only about a dozen tables in the bar, and they overlooked the production area. They had over a dozen different beers on tap. We got a flight of beers containing a Kolsch, a lager, an amber ale, and a blueberry sour. We also ordered a pizza. None of the beers were outstanding, but the thin-crust pizza was good.
Afterward, we returned to the camper and relaxed for the evening.
Wednesday, 5 June
Falls Park
Our first stop was Falls Park in Sioux Falls, less than half an hour from the campground.
Falls Park is a 128-acre public park in north central Sioux Falls that surrounds the city’s waterfalls. The park included a cafe, an observation tower, and the remains of an old mill. Some construction was taking place at the upper end of the falls, but it did not detract too much from the beauty of the cascades flowing over the red quartzite boulders. It was a well-maintained park with a nice sidewalk and viewing platforms around the falls. We could step off the sidewalk and onto the boulders surrounding the falls at several points to get closer to the water. Several signs warned people that they could not swim in the water. While walking around the rocks, Lisa was attacked by a bird that must have had a nest nearby.
After walking around the Falls and the ruins of the old mill, we went up into the observation tower to get a different perspective before leaving.
Philips Avenue and Sculpture Walk
We then drove down Phillips Avenue, which was full of cafes and small shops. For about ten blocks, there were 80+ sculptures along the street. The street was not crowded, so we could drive slowly and enjoy them. We also saw that the signal boxes were painted with crazy art patterns.
The Cathedral of St. Joseph
We next drove to the Cathedral of St Joseph. Along the way, we passed through the “Cathedral Hill Historic District,” with over 100 homes built before 1900. Previously known as Nob Hill, these homes once belonged to prominent pioneers, politicians, and businessmen in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Cathedral of St Joseph was the centerpiece of the district. This large European-style cathedral, built between 1915 and 1919, served the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls, encompassing the eastern half of South Dakota. We stopped and walked around inside and found it grand and beautiful.
Old Courthouse Museum
We then drove to the Old Courthouse Museum. At the turn of the 20th century,
The courthouse, which was the seat of county government from 1890 to 1962, is one of the oldest buildings in Sioux Falls. The Romanesque-style courthouse was made of red quartzite and was very ornate on the outside. The building was now primarily used as event space, so most rooms were empty. A few exhibits were in the hallway, such as the American flag and some city history.
Sioux Falls was notorious for its liberal divorce laws, and this courthouse hosted sensational public divorce trials. We did not find any information about the divorce trials in any exhibits. When I asked a docent about it, he said that they often rotate displays and didn’t have anything about the divorces currently on display.
Shoto-Teien Japanese Garden
It was past noon, so we decided to head over to Terrace Park and the Shoto-Teien Japanese Garden for lunch. Though rain was not in the forecast, the skies were overcast, and it looked like it would rain at any minute. We were also under a high wind advisory but decided to eat lunch on a picnic table just outside the Japanese Garden overlooking Covell Lake anyway.
After surviving the wind, we walked through the small but pretty Japanese Garden.
Pettigrew Home & Museum
We then drove to the Pettigrew Home in the Cathedral Historic District. This was the 1889 Queen Anne-style home of South Dakota’s first senator, Richard Pettigrew. The local Historical Society now manages it, offering free tours every half hour.
While we waited for the tour to begin, we browsed a small museum of artifacts Pettigrew collected during his world travels. We learned that the two-story museum was an addition to the home specifically built to display the various collections. It was also possible that Mrs. Pettigrew wanted them out of the main house so that it could be an example of an early “man cave.” Having such collections was a symbol of wealth and prestige among Victorian families. The museum contained a few stuffed animal heads, Indian artifacts, and various small items from his travels.
We were the only people on the tour, and the docent took us through the various rooms of the main house. He shared stories and pointed out the unique items, such as the central fireplace with a stained-glass window on the backside facing the street that would light up whenever the fireplace was lit. It was a lovely house with fancy wallpaper, woodwork, and various innovations for the time. He also shared the biography of how Pettigrew made his fortune and his role in the city’s development.
USS South Dakota Battleship Memorial
We then drove to the USS South Dakota Battleship Memorial, established in 1969, commemorating one of the most decorated battleships in service during World War II. A concrete outline of the top deck of the battleship surrounded the small museum building. Outside were salvaged pieces, including a 16-inch gun, a propellor, and an anchor. There is also a replica simulated gun turret. Inside were three rooms filled with artifacts from and about the battleship. It was an impressive display of items.
Mr Bendo
We then drove over to Mr. Bendo, a muffler man who arrived in November 1965. He was named for his muffler shop’s Huth Tube Bender, which could bend a single metal tube into a twisty exhaust pipe. Mr. Bendo moved to Brake and Exhaust in 2018.
After a quick picture from across the street, we drove to Good Earth State Park.
Good Earth State Park
Established in 2013, the Good Earth State Park is located along the Big Sioux River and is home to the Blood Run National Historic Landmark, established in 1970. The river, abundant wildlife, fertile flood plains, availability of pipestone (catlinite), and protection from winds made the area an important gathering place for seasonal ceremonies and a significant trading center for many tribal peoples from 1300 – 1700 A.D. “Blood Run” was the name given to a nearby creek by European explorers for the reddish color that iron gives its water.
We walked through the visitor center, where a few displays highlighted the area’s significance. Then, we walked along the very nice walking trail outside for about 30 minutes. There were no displays and very few signs along the trail, so you just had to imagine what it was like to be among thousands of Indians in a very large settlement.
Tri-state Monument
We then drove to the tri-state monument about 30 minutes away that marked the intersection where the states of Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota meet. A small concrete post was in the middle of a small fenced area off to the side of the road and behind a guard rail at an intersection in the middle of nowhere. Since there are 62 recognized tri-state areas where three states meet, this location was insignificant, and the marker reflected that. There were weather-worn engravings that we believe marked the direction of each state. After taking some pictures, we headed back toward Sioux Falls.
Candy Cloud Factory
We then decided to stop at the Candy Cloud Factory in Sioux Falls for a “magical taco.” This “taco” consisted of a cotton candy shell with scoops of ice cream inside. I discovered this treat during my research for this trip, and we had to try it.
We got to pick two flavors of cotton candy and two flavors of ice cream. The final result was a cotton candy dish with ice cream placed on top. I thought it would be too sweet, but it was pretty good.
Afterward, we headed back to the campground for the evening.
Thursday, 6 June
McHardy Park
A short distance up the road, we stopped at a 50-foot observation tower in McHardy Park built by the National Guard in 1983. I climbed to the top of the tower and got a beautiful view of …. Nothing. On one side, some trees had outgrown the tower’s height; on the other, I could see an auto repair shop and a post office. A small historical marker at its base gave the history of the city of Brandon. A small Veterans Memorial was nearby.
Palisades State Park
We continued north to Palisades State Park, where we found the park in the process of getting all its dirt roads paved. It was still easy to maneuver around the construction equipment and drive around the park. The major attraction within the park is the large Sioux quartzite formations varying from shelves several feet above the water to 50-foot vertical cliffs on both banks of Split Rock Creek. We stopped at several scenic lookouts and walked across a pedestrian bridge, giving us great views of the cliffs and the rushing water.
Split Rock Park
We then headed farther north to Split Rock State Park, along Split Rock Creek, and further upstream. It’s a city park maintained by Garretson. Some small quartzite rock formations along the river and a 10-foot high overflow dam were made by WPA workers in 1934. It was a small park with primitive camping spots and a boat launch on either side of the dam. There was also an old bathhouse made of locally hand-mined quartzite that had been turned into a small store selling a few sweatshirts and local crafts. We walked around the park and enjoyed the sound of the rushing water over the dam.
Afterward, we headed to Devil’s Gulch Park, just a few blocks away.
Devil’s Gulch Park
Devil’s Gulch Park is another park maintained by the city of Garrison. It encompasses a natural quartzite canyon known as Devil’s Gulch, the legendary site of one of outlaw Jesse James’s greatest escapes.
As the story goes, after a bank robbery in Northfield, Minnesota bank, in 1876, James was chased by a posse into the wilderness, where he encountered the natural 18-foot wide chasm. With nowhere left to run, he jumped the gap on his horse, leaving the baffled posse on the other side of the canyon. Many scholars have tried to verify the story or even the physical possibility of such a jump, but the feat remains a legend. The story was so pervasive that today, a pedestrian bridge spans the gap so visitors can see the 60-foot drop to the creek below.
A large sign before the bridge showed a map of a short trail with 10 landmarks that gave different views of the gulch. Though steep, Lisa could walk the rocky steps and slopes that took us down to the creek and the top of the red quartzite cliffs. Multiple trails were created by wandering feet throughout the area, so it was difficult to find the “official” trail, but it also allowed us to find the best path for our abilities. A second bridge allowed us to get close to a small waterfall at the beginning of the gulch. There was a small building on site, but it was closed.
The Three Maidens – Pipestone National Monument
We then continued north to Pipestone National Monument. We stopped for lunch near the park’s entrance at a covered picnic area near three large granite boulders known as the Three Maidens. Several indigenous traditions considered these boulders the caretakers or guardians of the pipestone quarries. Many American Indians leave offerings at the Three Maidens when they visit the quarries.
Scientists believe the boulders were carried here (likely as one large boulder) from further north by a glacier and left behind when the ice melted. Rocks like this are called ‘erratics.’
The covered picnic shelter was part of the City’s Hiawatha Pageant Park, which bordered Pipestone Monument grounds. It was welcome protection from the high winds we were experiencing. After lunch, we wandered around the Three Maidens and the nearby pond before heading into the Monument.
Pipestone National Monument
American Indians have come to this area for over 3,000 years to quarry a soft stone they use to make ceremonial pipes (hence the name ‘pipestone’). The pipe is sacred to many American Indians who use it for prayer, important rites, and to conduct both civil and religious ceremonies. The area was a neutral zone where different groups united in peace. Several legends tell of the origin of the distinctive red color. In Dakota Sioux tradition, the Great Spirit sent a flood to cleanse the earth, and the red pipestone (inya sa) remains as the ancestors’ blood.
Geologically, pipestone is a claystone (argillite). Its scientific name is Catlinite (named after George Catlin). The red color results from the oxidation of trace amounts of iron (hematite). The formation of pipestone began over 1.5 billion years ago when clay was deposited on top of sand and then quickly buried under more quartz sand. Heat and pressure changed the sand into quartzite and the clay into pipestone, which is why the softer pipestone is sandwiched between the harder rock layers of the Sioux Quartzite formation. Though pipestone can be found in a few other locations around the United States, this site is the best-known Native American quarry.
The 301-acre Pipestone National Monument consists of a visitor center, museum, orientation film, exhibits, gift shop, pipestone carving demonstrations by American Indians, a ¾ mile walking trail along Pipestone Creek, Winnewissa Falls, and the tall grass prairie. The designation of this area as a national monument instead of reservation land owned and controlled by the Native Indians was a compromise that is still contentious. Visitors are restricted to the paved path through the park and to the waterfall to respect the sacred space.
The quarry pits can only be hand-quarried by individuals of federally recognized tribes who have obtained permits. The application is free. There is a 10-year waiting list for annual quarry permits but no waiting list for the monthly or day/weekly pit. All modern-day quarrying must be done using hand tools.
When we arrived, we first watched the 22-minute film that did a good job at providing us a good understanding of the cultural and spiritual significance of the site. We then walked around the visitor center and watched the pipestone carving demonstrations. The asphalt path started from the visitor center and took us through prairie wild grass and other plants to some quarries, where we saw piles of quartzite rubble piled outside the pits. The path then took us to the Winnewissa waterfall. Colorful prayer ties and flags were hung from several trees alongside the trails.
West Nidaros Church
After we left the Monument, we headed west toward Porter Sculpture Park. As we drove through the countryside, trying not to get blown over by the high winds and dust storms, we stopped briefly at the West Nidaros Church near Crooks, South Dakota.
Two small buildings were located in the corner of the parking lot of the 1912 Evangelical Lutheran Church built by pioneers from Trondheim, Norway. One was The Little Nidaros Church, a replica of the Old Nidaros Church, which was built in 1878 and is now located in Renner. Art Moe spent $9,000 and 5,300 hours on the project over 15 years. The completed miniature, built on a scale of 4 inches to the foot and measuring 12 by 18 feet, seats about 20 persons.
The building next to it was the Oyen-Person Log Cabin. This 12-½ by 14-foot cabin was built in 1880-1881. During the Dakota Boom, this tiny cabin provided sleeping space for newly arrived Norwegian immigrants and their families. As many as 15 people could sleep in the tiny cabin’s loft and lower level.
Porter Sculpture Park
Along I-90, at Exit 374 to Montrose, there is a field off to the side of the highway with over 50 fanciful junk art statues, including a 40-foot-high horse and 60-foot-high bullhead. After about a half-mile winding drive down dirt roads, we stopped at a parking area with a large shed in the middle. The inside of the shed was covered with magazine covers and newspaper articles that featured stories about the park. There were also several awards. A woman who identified as the artist’s sister told us that the artist would be back shortly but told us briefly about the park and sold us admission tickets for $10 each to allow us to walk around the park. We enjoyed walking around the quirky sculptures. He also had some of his (bad) poetry on signs mixed in among the sculptures.
Afterward, we met the artist at the shed and asked him about the meaning or inspiration for some of the sculptures. He was very friendly and loved talking about work.
After leaving the park, we returned to the camper for the evening.