Pierre South Dakota-Site of the first confrontation with the Indians

 

State Capitol

Lovely dome, marble stairs

The Terrazo Tile throughout the building was done by 60 Italian artisans.

Each one was given a special tile as 'his signature of the work he did"

It kept all of us busy finding the treasures!

This artwork was a pleasant surprise.

Lewis and Clark Encounter with Teton Sioux

(this was September- 5 months after they began the trip up the river)

There was a  confrontation with the Sioux over the amount of gifts that they expected as payment to continue up the river.

Lewis did not want to establish a toll for passage on the river 

but the Sioux felt that it was their river and they needed to pay.

Some of the warriors grabbed the mooring rope and would not let them leave.

Lewis felt like he was being blackmailed and did not want to give in.

Chief Black Buffalo grabbed the rope and ordered the warriors away and Lewis helped diffuse the situation by throwing them a few more carrots of tobacco

 (a carrot of tobacco equals tobacco leaves rolled into the shape and size of a carrot)

If a fight would have broken out the expedition being outnumbered 50 to 1

 would have ended the Corp of Discovery,

possibly ending the lives of Lewis and Clark.

Leaving the park, I Spy a tiny kitten

and get to hold one of the two kittens that are being fostered.

They are really tiny! 

( and have veery sharp nails)

Our travel update includes our progress

(day 12 of 45)

Tomorrow we will be in Bismark, the area that they will spend the winter amongst friendly Indian tribes but horrible weather (-45 degrees!)

Traveling West in South Dakota

 

Getting off the Interstate is a bit of "Memory Lane"

This sight was familiar to Lou's summer work farming with his uncles in Utah.

This one is a bit unusual - We had to wait for the house to pass us 😲

On August 25, 1804 Lewis, Clark, and several others walked 9 miles to see

Spirit Mound.

The legend says that there are "Deavels" with remarkable large heads and 18 inches high---that kill all persons who attempted to approach the hill.

They did see large herds of bison and elk.

It's not much of a hill/mound as far as we are used to, but it is a 

State Historic Prarie 

and

it is one of the documented places that they had come.

So, we felt that we just had to climb the 700 ft high mound. 

and get to the top!

Fortunately the weather was nice and when the expedition did it, the weather was awfully hot, and Lewis' dog Seaman had to be sent back to the river to cool off.

The Atka Lakota Museum

                   

Bright colors are the hallmark of their art.

The quilts are about $500.00

(some of our group do a lot of quilting and say they would never sell for that small amount of money)

The 8 point star design used in Sioux ceremonies symbolizing immortality.

The other distinctive feature is vivid colors.

This warrior show here is modeled after "Wind in the hair" in the movie Dances with Wolves.

White dots on his face are the number of his enemies.  Lines and tracks on his leggings indicate the number of horses captured in battle.

The horse wears decorated bridle, martingale, saddle blanket that signifies his honor and value.

     

How would. you like this saddle (circa 1800)??

The split in the middle is to protect the horses backbone.

What about the riders 'sit' bones?

But this is beautiful.

DIGNITY

The 50 foot sculpture of a graceful Native woman

wearing a quilt of 128 stainless steel blue diamond shapes 

designed to flutter in the wind.

The star quilt is a representation of respect, honor and admiration.

     

 

Ft Atkinson

Greetings to the Fort 

Fort Atkinson

The first army fort west of the Missouri River that was established to protect the fur trade and combat the influence of the British forces.

The location was recommended by Lewis and Clark.

Clark wrote that "The Situation of this place whch we call Council Bluff is a handsom ellevated Spot well Calculated for a fort to

Command the Countrey and river above the high water

and situated to trade with the natives"

A huge fort (200 yards square)

"situated well above the high water"

The Missouri River at this location would have been anywhere from

 3 to 10 miles wide and very shallow.

Today the river is 3 miles away.

1804

Today, this is a replica of the blacksmith shop.

The Powder Magazine is in the middle of the complex.

A huge setup to protect the fur trade.  

Too bad it only lasted 9 years.

(perhaps the fur trade had lost importance by then.

Both time lines had to deal with the 'bad guys'

Anywhere from Deserter to Salt Fish Thief to Whiskey Thief to falling asleep on guard duty.

Lewis and Clark were particularly rough on these crimes.

Often the punishment would be 100 "well laid on lashes"

and then have to continue on hauling (by hand) the keelboat upstream.

OUCH!

The Cat-O-Nine-Tails

looks particularly bad.

Inside the Visitor Center is a familiar looking large orange and white cat-

I have no idea if they populate this area of tall grass plains.

Only a few flowers are starting to bloom now.

I think this is a Prairie Rose. 

An inspiring afternoon in Omaha Nebraska -Visiting Boy's Town

 

In 1917 Father Flanagan founded a home for disadvantaged children.

Today it is a National Historic Monument .

Boys Town is one of the largest nonprofit, nonsectarian child and family care organizations in the country.

When Father Flanagan was assigned to a downtown Omaha church, this scene inspired him to devote his life to helping children that were unable to help themselves.

He especially focused on kids with:

• Loss of Family 
• Abuse
• Violence
• Loss of Spirituality
• Neglect

The focus has been to provide a home atmosphere for the children so that they learn 'life lessons' of how to live in a family because so many are street kids with no concept of 'normal' family life.

 Today's campus has nice brick homes with a Mom and Dad house parents who often have their own children.  Up to 8 kids per household with all the 'normal' family life - meals together, school, activities, and sports.

Training is strong on the work ethic and rewards for good behavior.

Todays campus has approximately 400 kids, 100 house parents  and beautiful homes.

"He ain't heavy, he's my brother"

In 1918, a young boy suffering from polio had to be regularly carried up and down the stairs at Boys Town. Father Flanagan asked one of the older boys if carrying the young boys was difficult. He responded, "He ain't heavy, Father. He's my brother." 

Nearly 75 years later, the motto is still the best description of what our boys and girls at Boys Town learn about the importance of caring for each other and having someone care about them.

The movie was filmed on location at Boy's Town.

The chapel holds 2 short Mass services around noon, and people from town come for part of their lunch hour.

The kids have chapel services 6 days a week.

It was a beautiful trip to an inspiring place that helps so many troubled or disadvantaged kids.

It was especially inspiring because our friend Tish Jeffers father attended 

Boys Town and gives full credit to them for his successful life.

Pony Express and Other Attractions

Pony Express National Museum

St. Joseph, Missouri

It operated from April 1860-October 1861 for only 18 months.

The riders changed horses at relay stations every 10-15 miles.

The route from St. Joseph to Sacramento took 10 days for 2000 miles.

The westward expansion needed faster communication between East and West

and the Pony Express became synonymous with the Old West.

The "Starting Gate" 

7:15 PM April 3, 1860

We enjoyed some beautiful sculptors by Ken Payne

 Delivering mail from the East Coast to the West:

• By train from the East Coast to Missouri (St. Jo) took 3 days, then 10 days to Sacramento.
• Steamship from New York, through the Panama to San Francisco took 4 weeks.
• Ships sailed around the Cape Horn to the West Coast took 3 months (minimum).
• Stagecoaches took 22 days to get from St. Louis to San Francisco.
• Pony Express took 10 days from Missouri to California.

    

L & C Interpretative Center

We were treated to a discussion by the builder of this model

Keelboat that was used by Lewis and Clark to carry tons of supplies up the Missouri River.

 

One of 2 smaller boats used by the expedition called a pirogue.

Not a sailboat, but the sail helped alot when conditions were right.

I just liked this model display.

She is so cute ( and reminds me of our Tail Gunner😀)

Missouri River Basin 

 and 

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center

The expedition is now heading into Indian Territory (Nebraska and the Dakotas) and have a great many meetings to try to obtain good favor and help as they go up the river.

We get to hear Bruce ( the boat builder) and 

Dave ( the Mountain Man) tell tales of the river and the people back in 1804.

We get a photo-op  to hear the gunshot of a 

Flintlock Kentucky Long Rifle.

and he offers to let Lou hold it

(the one shot has been fired already - lol) and No Lou has not been scalped!

and a Bobcat Headdress??

pretty wild.

or a purse like this??

Omaha Nebraska

Picnic Lunch at the Narrows Missouri Overlook Shelter

We have had lots of good views of trailing along with Lewis and Clark.

Hope you enjoy this with us!