We are in South Dakota

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Yes, we are still around! I know it has been awhile since I posted on Sunday, April 7th and that post did not even catch the blog up to that date then. Now well I have a lot of catching up to do...lol

Were to begin is the question? I have a lot of pictures and notes to fill in the time between the beginning of March and now. It has been a busy, whirlwind of a summer since we crossed the Mackinac Bridge on April 24th. There was a 1st Communion on April 28th, our daughter-in-law made two visits to the UP with our grandchildren, we made three visits downstate to our son and daughter-in-law's home. (One of the visits was to watch out son be Commissioned into the Naval Reserve) There were birthday celebrations and we attended a dance recital. We watched two different children's plays, attended three band concerts (one of which was a marching band) and a orchestra concert. Plus, we attended a couple of track meets and several soccer games. I even attended a middle school open house. In between Tom spent quite a bit of time helping our daughter get her house ready to be put up for sale. When I say it has been a whirlwind I think you get the idea. So there was no time to work on the blog but I did take time to read blogs to see what everyone was up to.  

After thinking about it I have decided to start with where we are presently which is the Red Barn RV Park in Tea, South Dakota. Why we are here will unfold below.

I did not take a lot of pictures of our drive here but I will take some more when we back track east, more on that in a future blog.

Crossing the Mississippi officially in the West for a few weeks.
We crossed by La Crosse, WI.

Just a few pictures as we left Wisconsin behind and crossed
into Minnesota. 

Leaving the Walmart in Albert Lea, MN I spotted this
restaurant. How cute is that name?

First stop in South Dakota the Valley Springs Welcome Center.

We made it to Tea, SD

We were on our way to South Dakota and all our grandchildren were starting a new school year.

So why September in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota area? As most of you know we are full time RVer's and as such if we want to bank and vote we need a legal permanent address. Sioux Falls, SD which is in Minnehaha County is where we chose to do this. We rent an address with a mail service here called, Your Best Address. When we made this decision we became residents of South Dakota and this is where we are registered to vote.  One of the things  that comes along with being registered to vote is the possibility of being called on to be available for Jury Duty and earlier this year I received such a notice.  I must say the Clerk of the Courts I spoke to was very understanding and accommodating. When I first received my notice I called in and we changed my month from April to October. Then when I had to call and change from October to September again very understanding. So that is why we are here. 

For the most part we have been enjoying our time here. I say for most part because we did have to have some work done on the motorhome's engine which involved spending a couple of nights in a hotel. The fun part about living fulltime in a motorhome when it needs to be inside a diesel shop for an extended time.  The good news the diesel shop, I-State Truck Centers, fixed the problem along with giving us a small discount.  

Over the years we have been very blessed/lucky to find business willing to help us out and get us back on the road quickly. This past month we had a issue with the front tire on the driver side of the motorhome. We were parked at the Walmart in Tomah, WI and Tom saw what looked like oil leaking out of that tire. After making a couple of calls we found a place, Allstate Peterbilt of Tomah, willing to look at. What he said on the phone was they could look at but they were booked up solid and would not be able to work on it. When we got there he looked at it and said I will send out the next mechanic that finishes what they are doing to fix it. It turns out it was the wheel hub leaking and the seal needed to be replaced. Yes, they charged us but not an unreasonable amount. We have been having trouble with our Jeep battery losing its charge when we are towing. When this happens we cannot disconnect it from the motorhome. Luckily we can still tow it. We stopped at Sturdevant's Auto Parts in Sioux Falls they could not help us but sent us to Tires, Tires, Tires. They put it on there charger and it charged right up and they could not see anything wrong with the battery itself. No charge. Then the Jeep needed to have the electrical system checked out and that was luckily under warranty. Tom was back there today we picked up something in one of the Jeep tires and it has a slow leak that needed to be fixed. He was there a couple of hours, same gentleman who helped us with the battery, after fixing the tire said because of your wait no charge. Yes, there are good people in this world and we have been lucky to come in contact with several of them over the years. 

St. Michael's Catholic Church.
Where we have been going to Mass while we are here.

Back in April of 2023 we came this way to get our Driver's License renewed and we spent several hours walking around and taking pictures at the Falls Park (this is that blog post). We were having a lot of trouble with our Jeep at the time and never went back to see it with the lights at night. It was on my list for this time.

We stopped earlier in the day.

Then we went back later in the evening.

We thought there would be spot lights directed at the water but
there are just the lights around the park. Still pretty at night.

Early morning breakfast at Rosie's. We turned the corner and 
both said, we have been here before. A tiny "hole in the wall"
the menu is on the napkin holder and the wall. Nothing fancy
but the food is and the coffee is not bad.

We  had  brunch downtown two different times.
Once at Josiah's Coffee House and another time at 
Phillips Avenue Diner. 

Both times when we ate downtown we took a walk on Phillips Street. Below are some of the pictures I took.

Fountain on Phillips Street.

Two of the utility boxes in Sioux Falls wrapped with 
vinyl art work.

Built in 1926: The State Theatre emerged as a cultural jewel in Sioux Falls, conceived to showcase the allure of silent films and the charm of vaudeville performances. Built by Henry Carlson Construction and operated by Moses Finkelstein and Isaac Ruben, the State Theatre was known for its Beaux Arts-inspired design and majestic architecture.

The Golden Age: The State Theatre became the premier destination for filmgoers throughout the 1930s and 40s. In 1956 it hosted the world premiere of THE LAST HUNT, starring Steward Granger, Russ Tamblyn and Venetia Stevenson.

The Unfortunate Closure: In 1990, amidst the changing landscape of Sioux Falls, the State Theatre faced solemn closure. Reasons for closure were cited as too many movie theaters and mechanical problems. Ironically, the last movie to show at the State was OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS. The Theatre was listed for sale for $150,000.

 

Reading about this theater's history there was a group determined to save this theater from the time it closed until it reopened in 2020. It is still an ongoing project and there are more renovations to be done.

In 2005, the Sioux Falls State Theatre Company, a 501c3 non-profit, was formed to save the building and restore it to its original grandeur.

Reopening: On December 11th, 2020, after nearly 30 years of being closed, the Sioux Falls StateTheatre opened to the public with a showing of WHITE CHRISTMAS.

SculptureWalk Sioux Falls is the largest annual exhibit of public sculptures in the world. Our mission is to bring art to the people, and our guiding principle is to be the highest quality, most professional, financially strong, artist friendly, year-round outdoor sculpture program in the United States.

Curated by a blind jury of local dignitaries and art enthusiasts, works are graciously loaned by the artists and installed in the spring throughout downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to be continuously displayed all year. The public votes for the “People’s Choice Award” from May through September, and the favorite sculpture is awarded a cash prize and special recognition. Also, industry experts select “Best of Show” awards, which honor works achieving the highest levels of artistic merit and creativity. The winning piece is purchased by the city of Sioux Falls to be put on permanent display.

Below are some of the sculptures we walked by on Phillips Street. 

When Tom planted these three Ocotillo cuttings back in February I really was not sure they would take. I had read two things that cuttings would grow in a pot and it does not hurt the Ocotillo to take cuttings. When they were planted the stems were filled with tiny green leaves which, as I figured, in no time all dried up and fell off. I had also read it could take several months for the cuttings to root. I have not dug them up as of yet to see if they have any roots. The surprise was last week when the one cutting sprouted leaves...:)

September 18, 2024

So this is a quick update as far as what we have been doing since we left the UP on

August 28th.

We are glad you stopped by!

If you have time to leave a comment we would enjoy hearing from you.

A Few Days in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

(Clicking on the pictures will open them larger in a new window.)

Tuesday Afternoon, April 25, 2023
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Thursday, April 27, 2023

Our first view of the falls at Falls Park in Sioux Falls, SD

Tuesday Afternoon: In the previous post I wrote about our short trip this morning to Tower Campground this is how we spent the afternoon.  As I mentioned in a previous post we made this trip to Sioux Falls, SD so we could both renew our Driver's License. As full time RVer's who use a mail service we needed to do so in person. Plus, we needed documentation  to prove our residency. After settling into our site we headed over to our mail service, Your Best Address, to pick up our mail and a copy of our contract with them. Our original contract was part of what the thieves who broke into our Jeep in Albuquerque took. We each needed two pieces of mail with our name and address on it and a copy of the contract. The woman had already given Tom two copies of our proof of spending the night at the campgrounds when he registered. After we made the stop at Your Best Address we headed over to Red Robin for a late lunch. There was a bonus, it ended up being near a TJ Maxx and Kohls so I did take a stroll through each just for fun and maybe a thing or two. 

Your Best Address

The entrance and lobby. 

Wednesday: We had no plans of leaving the Motorhome today. There was some cleaning we wanted to take care of and I had several batches of wash I wanted to get done. First we just relaxed and had our morning coffee. Tom did end up doing some running looking for an air hose that connects our breaking system in the Jeep to the Motorhome. It had come lose and dragged for a bit back in Sierra Vista so it needs to be taped right now to keep it connected. After several places with no luck he taped it back on. It ended up being a restful day for the most part.

Thursday: Today we had appointments at the DMV and that went smoothly and quickly about 30 minutes after we arrived we both walked out with our renewed license in hand. We both have only dealt with Michigan and South Dakota's DMV in our lifetime and hands down South Dakota wins for efficiency. 

We had talked about taking the time to visit the Falls Park when we were here this time and had decided if the Jeep was not acting up we would chance the extra miles, about eight all together, to do so. Since things were going okay with the Jeep our next stop was the Falls Park.

Falls Park, the city's name sake, is a public park in north central Sioux Falls, South Dakota, surrounding the city's waterfalls. The park includes a café, an observation tower, and the remains of an old mill. The park comprises over 128 acres just north of downtown, along the Big Sioux River. An average of 7,400 gallons of water fall 100 feet per second. There are many viewing platforms, including the five-story observation tower. Falls Park includes some of Sioux Falls' oldest buildings.

The Falls Park on the Big Sioux River

This is a lovely park and we enjoyed our walk through and around. A little warmer and less wind plus sunshine would have been nice but you cannot always have everything We are glad we took the time to visit this park and it would be worth, at the very least, a second visit. A gentleman I asked, said they do light it up at night and that would be nice to see.

These benches were scattered throughout the park
all donated in some loved ones memory.

A sheet of ice changed the course of the Big Sioux River
and created the area now known as Falls Park.

Two sided Historical Marker 
(text below)

DEDICATED IN 1995 BY THE MINNEHAHA COUNTY AND SOUTH DAKOTA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETIES, CITIBANK, MIDCONTINENT AND MARY CHILTON DAR FOUNDATIONS.

The Queen Bee Mill, a goliath among mills in early Dakota Territory, once stood tall and proud here on the bank of the Big Sioux River. A large quartzite deposit on the site was used to build an impressive seven-story flour mill.

The building of the mill was the result of the work of many people, led by R. F. Pettigrew of Sioux Falls. Pettigrew, one of the leading political and business figures of the city, secured money to construct the mill from a group of investors led by George I. Seney, a New York City banker. It has long been believed, though unproven, that Pettigrew tricked Seney into putting up the money. According to that legend, Pettigrew arranged for the construction of a dam upstream on the Big Sioux River, and as the men approached the river, on signal, the dam was broken. The resulting flow of water over the falls was sufficient to convince Seney that the mill should be built.

In August 1879, construction began on an 81-acre site that was purchased for $38,000. After two years of building and fitting, he Queen Bee was ready, at a cost of nearly half a million dollars. It was 104 feet tall, 80 feet wide, and 100 feet long. Water from the Big Sioux River was diverted into a large turbine which generated 800 horsepower. The Queen Bee Mill, known as "the most ambitious attempt ever made to use waterpower west of the Mississippi River," was capable of producing 1,200 barrels of flour daily. One hundred men worked within and around the mill complex.

(other side)

The very river which was to provide the source of power to operate the mill also threatened to destroy it before the first wheat was ground. On April 20, 1881, spying run - off from melted snow and ice overflowed the banks of the Big Sioux River, creating the worst flood in the recorded history of Sioux Falls. The mill took a pounding, but, as it was built of "a stone that is unsurpassed by any building material that existed in the world." It withstood the onslaught of the raging river with damage limited to mill offices.

The Queen Bee Bill began grinding Dakota spring wheat October 25, 1881. By early 1885, owing $97,000 to creditors, the mill was bankrupt. It failed because of insufficient waterpower, the scarcity of high grade wheat and the inability to pay dividends to its investors. The mill complex changed ownership several times, then shut down forever shortly after the end of World War I when it became a storage facility.

On January 30, 1956, the Queen died a fiery death. Portions of the walls of the mill, built of "a stone with which it is fitting that we should find heaven paved," remain to remind future generations of the economic struggles of the past.

Queen Bee Turbine House

Standing on one of several platforms as I took this
picture I could feel the mist coming off the water.

Part of the Text on above marker is below.

The building in front of you is the former Sioux Falls Light & Power hydroelectric plant. More recently, it was called the Northern States Power, or NSP, building. The plant began generating electricity for Sioux Falls in 1908.

This building now houses, The Falls Overlook Cafe
We went in and had lunch here. We each had a bowl of chili
and it was quite good on this windy cooler day.

In the upper right picture, if you look closely, you can see
there is a patio area. In warm weather it would be nice
 sitting out with a view of the falls.

The First Sculpture at Falls Park

Text Below

With a pioneer spirit Hazel O'Connor has continually led the way toward a better Sioux Falls. One of her many special concerns has been the Big Sioux River and the falls, the city's namesake. As a leader of the City Federation of Women's clubs, she urged the restoration of Falls Park and continues to be its greatest champion. As a charter member of the River Improvement Society (RISE), she has worked for the realization of today's Big Sioux River greenway. Her vision, perseverance, and dedication is an inspiration for her generation and for future generations to preserve the Quality of life in Sioux Falls.

"Without water there would be no river, more important,

 without water there will be no life." 

~Hazel O'Connor --1977

We are glad you stopped by!

If you have time to leave a comment we would enjoy hearing from you.