5/8/15 - On the Road in South Dakota

We left a wonderful campground in Spearfish, South Dakota which was near Mt. Rushmore & the Black Hills and headed East instead of going South as we had planned. Mt. Rushmore & the Badlands & Colorado were predicted to get12+ inches of SNOW. 

We decided to forego our trip to Nebraska & Kansas because they were having  tornados. We did not want to be like Dorothy & Toto from the Wizard of Oz so we got away from those states as quickly as we could. We kept saying that we were getting out of Dodge ASAP.  

We were traveling East & had to travel through Wall, SD.  In Wall there is a drug store called Wall Drug which is a tourist attraction.

It is a shopping mall consisting of a drug store, gift shop, resturants and various other stores. 

Unlike a traditional shopping mall, all the stores at Wall Drug operate under a single entity instead of being individually run stores.  It is a sprawling tourist attraction of international renown that takes in more than $10 million a year and draws some million annual visitors to a remote town. 

This store was purchased by Ted Hustead in 1931. Hustead was a pharmacist. He bought Wall Drug, located in a 231-person town in what he referred to as "the middle of nowhere," and strove to make a living. Business was very slow until his wife, Dorothy, got the idea to advertise free ice water to parched travelers heading to the newly opened Mount Rushmore monument 60 milestone the west. From that time on business was brisk. 

Billboards advertising the establishment can be seen for hundreds of miles throughout South Dakota & the neighboring states. 

By 1981 Wall Drug was claiming it was giving away 20,000 cups of water per day during the peak tourist season lasting from Memorial Day until LaborDay. 

I counted 55 signs in a space of 10-15 miles on Rt. 90. 

Sample of the signs along the highway. 

These are holding up the front of Wall Drug. 

In the back of one section of the store there was this gentleman who would speak if you put .50 in a mechine in front of him. He truly look like and sounded like a real man. 

In one section of this mall there are benches with ladies & men statues that you can sit & have your picture taken. 

Carp got a little fresh with this young lady by putting his hand on her leg. 

I liked this cowboy. He was so sweet. 

This store is a fun place to see. It is full of all sorts of things & it is a welcome break from being on the highway for miles. 

Enjoy!