For the generation that saw it born, Mount Rushmore was the symbol of American optimism after the triumph of WWI. For many who grew up in the 1950s and ’60s, it became a symbol of the family road trip. And for American Indians of any generation, it’s a complicated symbol of broken treaties and loss.
For those who like bikes, there’s no place like Sturgis, a small town (population 6,442) that annually hosts the biggest motorcycle rally in America. Historians trace the event back to 1936, when Clarence ‘Pappy’ Hoel established an Indian motorcycle franchise in town and founded the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club. Two years later, the club held the first Black Hills Motor Classic, with nine participants and a small audience.
Laura Ingalls was born in Wisconsin and lived in Kansas, but the quiet town of De Smet, South Dakota, can rightfully claim its place as the center piece of her life story. It was here that her family finally settled in 1879, here that she became a teacher at the age of 15, here that …
Laura Ingalls Wilder Country De Smet, South Dakota Read More »
The most famous national landmarks blend our colorful history with beautiful or quirky aesthetics. 1. Built over the course of 36 years, the Washington Monument sits on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The obelisk is the tallest structure in town. 2. Between 1892 and 1954, New York City’s Ellis Island processed more …
