The Sunshine State: Touring the Heritage of South Dakota

( South Dakota, (as well as North Dakota) (1),named after the Indian tribes of Lakota and Nakota (Sioux), a state with magnificent scenery and breathtaking beauty, crystal clear waters and bright blue skies; its history and legendary characters filled with the American spirit.)

One may ask what is the American spirit? We travelledto South Dakota to find the answer! This question was posed by us to the South Dakota Office of Tourism ‘www.travelsd.com’ - their reply was to tour the state and we will find the answer. When we had an interesting tour of the State from the northern border of North Dakota and the south by Nebraska, to east by Iowa and Minnesota and the west by Wyoming and Montana the answer to our quest was answered..

As we drove by northeastern South Dakota we saw the mark left by the last ice age - the land ranges from flat to hilly and is dotted with swampland, marshes and forest rimmed glacial lakes. The Plains was an ideal vista of natural beauty mixed with the hand of man through farming. We trekked through State Parks with natural forests that exist side by side with two natural wildlife reserves where wild fowl wings into its marshes, and the reserve of natural grass where buffalo once roamed. Words cannot describe our delight at the beauutiful scenes created both by nature and man during our magnificent tour of South Dakota..

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You to too can have an interesting tour of South Dakota. But first you should visit - ‘South Dakota State Historical Society’, 900 Governors Dr., Pierre SD (57501- 2217) - telephone 605-773-3458 - fax 695-773-6041. You will be given a picture of modern day adventure that invites you to roam amoung the buffalo in the Custer State Park, to explored the moon-like surfaces of Badlands National Park. You will understand on how to capture the spirit with a visit tot Mount Rushmore National Memorial or a visit to the Falls of the Big Sioux River, even a kayak trip down the Missouri River. You will be inspired by them to explore Old West History and the American Indian Heritage of the state.