Retracing Our Past Through Travel - Day Five

     Today we traveled to the furthest point of our journey; South Dakota. South Dakota is best known for the Corn Palace, Wall Drug, The Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Buffalo, Deadwood, Leed, sawdust on the floor bars and much more. Beginning tomorrow, we are starting our long trip back home.
     The day began with...FOOD! Eggs, sausages, biscuits and sausage gravy to name a few items.

Breakfast

     Next was our drive to Sioux Falls, SD. When I graduated from college in Ohio, I interviewed with a company to install and repair their computers. The manager I talked with told me they had an opening in Sioux Falls, SD. I told him my grandma's farm was 50 miles from there. He said "You're hired!" I guess they had trouble getting anyone to move there. I lived there almost three years and learned how to fly at the Joe Falls airport. Are there any falls in Sioux Falls? You bet and it's shown below.

Sioux Falls

Me in front of the falls

My Sister and I at the Falls

     Next we decided to take in a few museums. First on the agenda was the Old Courthouse Museum. Construction began on the first Minnehaha County Courthouse in 1889.   The building is a product of local architect Wallace L. Dow, who designed many local buildings including the South Dakota State Penitentiary, the All Saints School, and the Thomas B. McMartin home (now the Pettigrew Home and Museum).  The building is constructed of native Sioux Quartzite stone, a popular local building material of the late 19th century.  When completed in 1893, Dow claimed the structure would be the “largest courthouse between Chicago and Denver.”

      Interior courthouse features include slate stairs, granite pillars, stained glass windows, and tiled fireplaces.  Perhaps one of the most striking features of the building is the 16 large murals on the walls of the hallways painted between 1915 and 1917.  Painted by Norwegian immigrant Ole Running, the murals detail early life in Dakota, natural features, and images of his home in Norway.  Running was paid $500 for his work on the walls of the building. 

Old Courthouse

     Inside the museum was an interesting thing. There was a tornado long ago in the area and it lifted a steel bridge and pieces of the steel went flying. One ended up penetrating the tree shown below.

Steel From Bridge Flung Into A Tree

     Also there was a chair made of horns...strange!

     On the second floor was the courtroom. The room has been cleared out and you can now rent it for gatherings. The third floor consisted of the balcony with chairs where people could observe court proceedings.

Court Room Floor

   The ceiling was really cool too and it's shown below.

Court Room Ceiling

     Next was a visit to the Pettigrew Home and Museum. Senator Pettigrew served two terms in Washington and was best known for his protests involving the changing from the gold standard to a combined gold and silver standard.

Pettigrew Home and Museum

     Tomorrow we begin our journey home but along the way, we will be visiting with a cousin and her family and we will be enjoying good food, conversation, fireworks and more food.