This morning we set out for Badlands National Park. We were totally unprepared for the surprising views we came upon after driving across South Dakota for a while. It was an alien landscape. With its crater-like walls and deep cuts in the prairie, it looked like we might imagine the surface of Mars. The Lakota people knew the place as "mako sica" and early French trappers called the area "les mauvaises terres a traverser". Both mean "bad lands". We kept imagining peoples' reactions as they tried to figure a way to navigate their wagons across the peaks and gullies that constitute the Badlands. To us, safely on a road in a car, it was stunning. There are color bands in the peaks and valleys, caused by mineral deposits. The park visitor center had some very interesting displays, especially the fossils of extinct animals that once ranged the area. The Badlands contains nearly 60 species of grass and hundreds of species of wildflowers, all of which adapted to the high winds, long dry spells and frequent fires of the area.
Reluctantly, we left the park and drove to Wall, a town on the edge of Badlands, made famous by Wall Drug. In 1931 the owners of the drug store had the idea of drumming up business by putting up signs on the highway- "Free Ice Water"- to attract hot and thirsty travelers. Today they serve about 20,000 people a day in their place which has expanded to a whole "mall" of a typical western town. After lunch there we headed out to the Crazy Horse Memorial.
One surprising thing about the huge sculpture of Crazy Horse was that the sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski, was originally from Boston! He was invited to come to the Black Hills of South Dakota by Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear, to carve a mountain. Lakota leader Crazy Horse was the chosen subject for the memorial because of his spirit. Work began in 1948 and continues today by Korczak's family and dedicated staff. No state or federal funds are used in the work. Admission fees and donations fund it. The memorial foundation is dedicated to protecting and preserving the culture, tradition and living heritage of North American Indians. The face is finished and currently, work is being done on Crazy Horse's hand and the mane of his horse- AMAZING.
Finally we made our way to our hotel in Custer State Park.