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| Lake Thompson Recreation Area ~ part of the South Dakota State Park system. Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about Lakes Henry and Thompson when they were two lakes back in the late 19th century. |
South Dakota is one of the prettiest states
in the union.
and other rivers, and even with bigger cities dotting the countryside, there is always a sense of
“the prairie…”
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| All along the highways of Nebraska and South Dakota, cities and towns have markers and often memorials to entice travelers and locals to stop by and visit. We stopped at several memorials welcoming us into towns. |
With its haunting beauty, the prairie whispers in its daily winds for one to come take a walk,
go for a bike ride,
this land’s time machine to the state’s earlier, wild days
as a expansion territory…
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| Crossing the Missouri River |
In 1803, Jefferson commissioned the Corps of Discovery, and named U.S. Army Captain Meriwether Lewis its leader, who in turn selected William Clark as second in command. ~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition
Lewis and Clark along with their team of men, began surveying South Dakota territory in the summer of 1804
reaching Sioux City, Iowa, in August.
One of their party, Sgt. Charles Floyd, Jr. became ill with what was probably peritonitis due to an inflamed and ruptured appendix and died there along the banks of the Big Sioux River,
a tributary of the Missouri River.
Mr. Clark wrote of Sgt. Floyd:
. . Serj. Floyd died with a great deal of composure. Before his death he said to me, “I am going away. I want you to write me a letter.” We buried him on the top of the bluff ½ mile below a small river to which we gave his name. He was buried with the Honors of War much lamented. A seeder {cedar} post with the (I) Name Sergt. C. Floyd died here 20th of August 1804 was fixed at his grave. This man at alltimes gave us proofs of his firmness and determined resolution to doe service to his countrey and honor to himself . . .
I wrote about North Sioux City in a post last month
describing how within a 10 minute drive you can be in three different states ~ Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota.
One of our countries tri-state areas!
🙂
There are several memorials in the area and the
Sgt. Floyd Monument a commanding obelisk 100′ tall,
is there on the north bluff overlooking the Big Sioux River,
a tributary of the Missouri River.
The monument and surrounding park of 25 acres is lovely and
quite peaceful, a fitting last resting place for Sgt. Floyd.
***Click on the monument name above to visit the
National Park website to learn more about
Sgt. Floyd and the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery.
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| Driving along the prairies along Interstate 90 |
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| Thunderheads piling up in the East ~ signs of a rainstorm but luckily Not a tornado! |
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| Four men in the mist ~ Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln |
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| Amazing views from anywhere within Mt. Rushmore park! |
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| Another view of Lake Thompson, South Dakota |
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| One of the placards on the walking tour at Mt. Rushmore National Park |
This summer our whole family including grandparents
our son to his bride~to~be.
and prairies but if you have any requests for places to visit,
Happy summer travels,
