Joie de Vivre Magazine: Travel and Vacation: South Dakota is a Great Place for Vacation

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Travel and Vacation: South Dakota is a Great Place for Vacation

It’s easy to find articles trying to entice people to relocate to North Dakota. Like this one published by Livability: 8 Reasons to Move to North Dakota. You get no argument from me PRO or CON. North Dakota might be the best state in the USA to live in. But I think that South Dakota is a great place to VACATION!! Specifically, Black Hills, South Dakota.

For personal reasons, I no longer travel. But if I did, this state would have a spot on my bucket list. Even though I have never been to either of the Dakotas, I believe I can provide some convincing arguments that might persuade someone who was planning a vacation to visit Black Hills.

Sacred Ground for the Native Americans

The Black Hills, called “Paha Sapa” by the Native Americans, is considered sacred ground to many tribes across the country. The Lakota Nation believes all life comes from “Paha Sapa”, and they fought fiercely to protect it during the Indian Wars of the 1800s. One of the most sacred places is Bear Butte in the northern Black Hills. This formation of magma never erupted and looks like a giant sleeping bear. Now a state park, Bear Butte is still used as a place of worship for more than 60 Native American tribes. More than 62,000 Native Americans currently live in South Dakota.

“South Dakota Travel Guide – Wikitravel.” Free Worldwide Travel Guides – Wikitravel.Web. 04 Apr. 2011.

History of Black Hills

1874 Gold was found in the Black Hills (part of the “Great Sioux-Reservation” in South Dakota). The government planned a separation from the reservation and an immediate relocation of the inhabitants of this area. This led to the Indian Wars.

1876 Little Big Horn: a battle between Indian armed forces (under Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull) and the 7th U.S. cavalry regiment (under Colonel Custer). It was the last and most striking military success for the American Indians.

“American Indians Today/History of the American Indians from the 19th Century to the 21st – Wikibooks, Open Books for an Open World.” Wikibooks. Web. 04 Apr. 2011.

Famous Tourist Attraction: Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore is one of the United States’ most famous attractions for both U.S. citizens and foreigners. This epic sculpture features the faces of four exalted American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. South Dakota’s Black Hills provide the backdrop for Mount Rushmore, the world’s greatest mountain carving. These 60-foot high faces, 500 feet up, look out over a setting of pine, spruce, birch, and aspen in the clear western air.

“Mount Rushmore – Shrine Of Democracy – South Dakota Tourism.” South Dakota Tourism – Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse, Badlands NationalPark, Deadwood, Black Hills. Web. 04 Apr. 2011.