The Badlands ain't so bad!

June 13, 2012, we left Wall, South Dakota and backtracked east about 25 miles on I90 to exit 131, highway 240 which is the Badlands loop road.  We would drive through the Badlands, stopping to take pictures, and end up back at Wall, SD.  A short distance into the Badlands loop, we stopped at a 1910 Brown's family homestead to see how life was so close to the Badlands 102 years ago.

This part of the country is difficult to farm today with modern equipment.  One can only imagine what the Brown's went through to eek out a living 102 years ago.  The Brown's came to South Dakota and used a land grant to acquire 75 acres.  They had to pay a filing fee, but if they farmed the land for 5 years, they would receive a clear title from the government.  Many folks would not last in this environment, despite the opportunity for free land.  They either went home or died trying to make a go of it.  The summers are hot with less than a foot of sporadic rain per year.  It's a dry climate, so water is very important, and not plentiful.  The winters are cold and it's always windy here.

To get water, Mr. Brown dug a well by hand thirty feet deep!  This would be no easy task.  Here's a picture of the well in front of the visitors center.

Using the only materials available, the Brown's built a sod house.  They lived in the sod house for several years and then moved an existing house that was available and joined the two houses together.  The sod house is on the left.

Here's a shot inside the sod home.  Kitty looks right at home in the kitchen, doesn't she?

Here's Sean at the chicken house.  Don't step on the eggs!  Note the cactus on the roof.

Back then, even the women had to help with the plowing.

Here's Sean in the bedroom of the new section of the house.  Note the clock on the organ.  My grandmother had a clock just exactly like that one.

Oops, sorry Mr. Brown...or is that Mrs. Brown?  Can't tell for sure. Who ever that is, they've been in there too long.  Must be having problems.  I hope everything comes out OK.  Ha!

These prairie dogs were everywhere here just as they were back in 1910.

Well, enough with this homestead stuff, let's get on with the Badlands.  The Badlands were formed about 500,000 years ago.  They separate the high plains from the low plains and were formed by wind and rain erosion.  I'm not sure which side is the high plains and which side is the low plains.  Driving out there we were going up hill all the time.  But, driving back to Illinois we also drove up hill all the way.  It's up hill both ways!

There's not much wild life here, but the Badlands are home to coyotes, porcupines, bighorn sheep, bobcats, black-tailed prairie dogs, black footed ferrets, rattlesnakes, and the swift fox.  All we saw was the prairie dogs and a few birds.  It is estimated that the Badlands will be completely eroded within the next 500,000 years.  So, if you plan to see them, don't wait too long!

The dirt is mostly made up of volcanic ash and can be very slippery.  The hills and valleys actually change color as the sun changes directions each day.  Here's Sean and Kitty.  Don't get too close to the edge!  This dirt is very slippery!

There is about 160 square miles of land in the national park.

Think this place has ever seen a lawn mower?

Look at how the colors change in this shot.

We have lots more pictures of the Badlands.  If you would like to see more, let us know.  The next blog takes us to Custer, South Dakota in the Black Hills.  We will be staying in the same spot Custer did back in 1874 and we have some interesting history to share with you.  Stay tuned my friends!