Chamberlain, South Dakota

Chamberlain, South Dakota

Day 15, we are headed to Pierre, S.D., (pronounced pier), with a few stops along the way. Some of our group left early in order to have time to stop at the Tractor Museum. As tailgunners, we could not leave the campground until the last person left, so we had to head on up the road for the Lewis-Clark Information Center which had a gorgeous overlook of the river.

We made it to our second stop at the Akta Lakota Museum and St. Joseph Indian School just in time for the guided tour. It was very informative about the Lakota (Souix) Indians. We learned that their livelihood depended on the buffalo. They only killed what they needed and used every part of the buffalo. They used the stomach (and it didn’t leak) as a pot to boil their water to cook food and they used the bladder as their “water bag.” I am so glad I wasn’t a Lakota Indian. It took only 80 years for the white man to kill off the buffalo which the Indians depended so heavily on. I have no pictures of the museum as we were not allowed. There were many artifacts and reproductions throughout the museum and was well worth seeing.

We were allowed to take pictures in the Lady of Souix across the street. Oscar Howe’s Indian Christ was replicated into a tapestry, which is the focal point behind the alter.

Ron Zeilinger’s magnificent stained glass windows are the crown jewel of the chapel.

We found that the school is the same concept as Boys Town, except that it helps the Indian children. It is for children who are disadvantaged and behind several years in school. It is run by private funds and the children do not have to pay tuition. There are large duplex housing where a couple lives and houses 12 children. There are approximately 196 children enrolled this year. The grade school is on campus and the children in h.s. go to the local h.s.

Today was one of the prettiest drives ever. The weather was beautiful and the scenery was picturesque.

We arrived at our campground in Pierre, S.D. and it’s probably the most beautiful one we’ve been to thus far. We are right on a lake, which was really the Missouri River.

As a matter of fact when we arrived one of our guests was already taking a swim. We arrived in time to get ready to go to dinner. We had a wonderful steak dinner at the Cattleman’s Steak House with a breathtaking view of the Missouri River and S.D. Hills. I’ve never been out west (driving) so I can tell you the hills look just like the pictures you see. When we got back home, Marcia & I decided to take a walk. Look at these clouds.

and ended our day watching the sun go down. What a beautiful sunset.