Gathering at the Stratobowl once again, the U.S. Army Corps and National Geographic Society were preparing for a second Explorer expedition. It would be the first of two that were scheduled to occur during the summer of 1935; one set for July, the other for August. In the February issueRead More →
On June 27, 1934, one hundred and twenty members of the Forth Calvary, from Fort Meade, gathered at the Stratobowl in the Black Hills National Forest. There they would witness the beginning of the space age, and the first of more than a dozen balloons that would be sent towardsRead More →
In September of 2011, a strange map arrived at the Library of Congress. It had been donated by Don Homuth, a former North Dakota state senator. Getting to Homuth, it had passed through the hands of John Hildreth, an eighth-grade teacher, who had received it from his grandfather, a formerRead More →
When I first moved to Sturgis, the name Scooptown was often tossed around. It has become a part of the city’s heritage. Businesses use the name proudly, as do local sports teams. Often it is said that the reason for this is because Sturgis began its life as Scooptown. HistoryRead More →
On August 17, 1880, companies A, D, H and K of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, compromised of black soldiers who would be remembered as buffalo soldiers, marched into Fort Meade. It was a welcomed relocation, as the fort was well planned, and the buildings were relatively new, with the post havingRead More →
A transformation was beginning in the gold boom town of Leadville, Colorado. Not only was the town itself beginning to pick up once again as lode gold was discovered in the region in 1868, but a young woman was beginning her own journey into becoming a legendary figure. That womanRead More →
At 78 years of age, Poker Alice Tubbs was faced with a decision; undergo a risky operation on her gall bladder that could improve her health, or do nothing, and have her health continue to deteriorate. A gambling woman, she chose to take a risk. With the start ofRead More →
In the tiny town of Sudbury, in the county of Devonshire in England, a girl would be born to Irish immigrants. Born as Alice Ivers, she would be known throughout the world as Poker Alice. Or at least that is how the story often goes. As with much of theRead More →
The blowing mail was ominous. It was clear that a tragedy had occurred, and soon that would be confirmed through the lifeless body of a young pony mail carrier. His death most likely came swiftly, with multiple bullet wounds to the head. He would later be scalped; his gun andRead More →
Remembering the Town of Runkle More than a century ago, tiny towns dotted the Black Hills. Gold had been discovered and thousands would descend on the area looking to strike it rich. Mining camps would grow into full fledged towns, creating an ever growing need for efficient transportation for bothRead More →