OUR FIRST BUSINESS AND ADVENTURES IN SOUTH DAKOTA

 WHEN I OPERATED AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL BUSINESS IN SOUTH DAKOTA AND NEBRASKA.   MY HUSBAND AND I LIVED IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS FOR 3 YEARS.  WE ALSO WORKED AND LIVED IN A WINNEBAGO.  IN RAPID CITY WE HAD QUITE A GOOD GARDEN.  THE SOIL WAS GREAT.  I REMEMBER SEVERAL NIGHTS THAT THE WIND BLEW SO MUCH THAT WE HID UNDER TABLES IN CASE THERE WAS A HURRICANE!  THE WINDS WERE INCREDIBLE IN THE PLAINS.  WE LIVED IN HOT SPRINGS, AND RAPID CITY.  HOT SPRINGS WAS A REAL FUN TOWN.  AND WHEN IT WAS JUST PLAIN FREEZING  THERE WAS A WIND CHILL AND I WORE A SKI OUTFIT TO KEEP WARM.

AS THEY HAD REINTRODUCED  AND BREEDED BUFFALO ON RANCHOS, WE BOUGHT SOME OF THIS MEAT.  IT WAS QUITE EXPENSIVE BUT WAS VERY GOOD TO EAT.  IT TASTED A LITTLE WILDER THAN CHICKEN.  WE HAD NO BBQ.  IT DIDN'T RAIN THERE AS MUCH AS IN SONOMA COUNTY AND THE HOUSES WERE VERY MUCH LESS.  THIS WAS COMPARED TO ARIZONA.

WE OF COURSE VISITED THE GRANITE CRAZY HORSE MOUNTAIN THAT WAS BEING CHISELED BY A FAMILY. CRAZY HORSE WAS A LAKOTA WAR LEADER IN 1840 TO 1877.  HE FOUGT AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT TO HAVE THE NATIVES OWN SOME OF THEIR LAND .  AND WAY OF LIFE.  HE WAS KILLED BY TROOPS IN 1977. WHILE RESISTING IMPRISONMENT. 

MOUNT RUSHMORE MATIONAL MONUMENT IS CARVED ON THE FACE THE GRANITE FACE OF A LARGE MOUNTAIN NEAR KEYSTONE.  DANISH-AMERICANGUTZON- BORGLUM MADE SOME 60 FOOT SCULPTURES OF THE PRESIDENTS WASHINGTONM LINCOLN, JEFFERSON AND ROOSEVELT.  HISTORIAN DIANE ROBINSON HAD AN IDEA OF CARVING THESE FOLKS TO PROMOTE TOURISM.  BORGLUM GOT FEDERAL FUNDING TO BEGIN CARVING.  IT TOOK 12 YEARS AND HE DIED IN 1941.  THREE MILLION PEOPLE VISIT THIS SITE ANNUALLY.  THE SIOUX CALL IT 6 GRANDFATHERS,  SOME OF THE ROCK WAS UNSUITABLE AND THEY DYNAMITED IT!  BY 1933 THEY BUILT A TRAM TO REACH THE HEADS,   HIS SON CONTINUED THE PROJECT.  THE PROJECT COST OVER 1 BILLION DOLLARS TO MAKE.  NO ONE DIED  DURING THIS WORK.   SINCE THE U.S. TOOK THIS ROCK FROM THE LAKOTA SIOUX  IT IS STILL CONTROVERSIAL.

WE PLAYED INDOOR VOLLEYBALL WITH LIVE ACTIONS.  THEY WERE HELD EVERY WEEK.  WE GOT CONTRACTS WITH THE FOREST SERVICE, VARIOUS OIL AND GAS COMPANIES.  WE ALSO SURVEYED FOR SITES WIT INDIVIDUALS WHO WANTED TO MINE GOLD.   WE HAD AN EXCAVATION WITH ONE COMPANY.  WE ALSO DID SURVEYS WITH OTHER ARCHAEOLOGICAL COMPANIES.

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