Far from the sea: Dewey, South Dakota

Whether or not there was a veteran of the Spanish-American War living in southwest Custer County in the early 1900s, we don’t know. But there was someone with enough regard for Admiral of the Navy George Dewey to name a town after the military hero.

Fifth generation resident JoAnn Boggs shared that and other stories about Dewey, South Dakota this week (11/3/09) during the November meeting of the Spearfish Area Historical Society at the Senior Citizens Center. Boggs and her husband ranch near the Custer County hamlet – and they also run a saw mill and pellet plant.

Boggs’ interest in genealogy helped her uncover the fascinating story of Dewey, which is nestled along the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks close to the Wyoming border in Custer County. It’s about 40 miles west of Custer on the flatland just west of Elk Mountain.

“Go to the edge of the earth, turn around and go back a quarter of a mile, and you’re there!” says Boggs, quoting another resident of Dewey.

Boggs says her ancestors arrived in the county in 1878 at about the same time that the S & G Ranch was formed there by the Union Cattle Company out of Laramie, Wyoming. It was one of five major ranches in the region, according to Boggs, and once ran as many as 10,000 head of cattle. But the blizzard of 1888 forced the ranch into receivership, ending up in the hands of Goshen Irrigation, which – says Boggs – was a part of the Union Cattle Company!

Thanks to the availability of water in the area, the Burlington & Missouri Railroad chose to build a station and stockyard at the S & G in 1889. Boggs says the facility was important to the area, and it rivaled Belle Fourche as a livestock shipping center for a time.

While there was a post office for a short period in 1899, it was moved to Edgemont until about five years later when mail service returned to the community, and the name Dewey was chosen for the post office. By 1908, the railroad station also changed its name to Dewey.

Boggs recounted the creative ways that some couples would file for homesteads before getting married, thus providing them with larger property holdings after marriage. It also gave rise to a home being built on skids, allowing it to be moved back and forth from one property to the other, thus assisting the homesteaders to “prove up” their land as required by the government.

While there were never many buildings in Dewey, it did have a general store, post office, and school. Hard times and lightning have seen the demise of several buildings, though one of the older homes still stands in the community. JoAnn Boggs has agreed to share some of her photographs with us, and we'll post them to our history gallery when we receive them.

Ranching remains important to the region, and Dewey still feels the rumble of some 60 to 70 coal trains per day passing through – but never stopping – at the old town.

Bentonite was once important to the region, but no more. Boggs says uranium exploration has spurred new activity in the area.

The Spearfish Area Historical Society expressed appreciation that Ms. Boggs would make the 115 mile trek to Spearfish for the program, which sparked many questions from the audience. As always, there were treats and good conversation following the presentation.

The next meeting will feature Leo Orme sharing photos and stories about the Barns of Lawrence County. Mark your calendar for 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, December 1st!

Eagles nest in Black Hills

After walks in rain and fog earlier this summer, hikers on the final Black Hills National Forest Moon Walk for 2009 enjoyed perfect weather! Nearly 160 people turned out for the short trek to the north shore of Deerfield Reservoir west of Hill City last Saturday (9/5/09) to learn about bald eagles. That may not be a record number of hikers, but it certainly exceeds numbers we’ve seen this year.

It’s a testament to a wonderful program sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service. While the Forest Service gets thumped alongside its head for a variety of decisions it has made across the country, they surely deserve a pat on the back for their Moon Walk program.

Of course, the monthly hikes – scheduled around full moons during the summer months – give USFS personnel a chance to mend political fences and increase public understanding about the terrific resource available to citizens in this region: the Black Hills National Forest. They’ve been doing the walks for 14 years, according to Amy Ballard, who’s been coordinating the events since their inception,

Our guide for the September outing was Lou Conroy, a native South Dakotan who grew up at Pine Ridge and later earned a degree in Biology from Black Hills State University in Spearfish. A wildlife biologist out of the Mystic District office, Conroy also has a Master’s degree from Colorado State University in Fort Collins and has been with the Forest Service for some 12 years.

The real stars of this Moon Walk were bald eagles. Alas, they were in absentia, but that didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of Conroy or the throng of hikers who eagerly listened to the story about bald eagles and the discovery of their nesting at Deerfield Reservoir – believed to be a first in the Black Hills.

Perched in the trees along the north edge of Deerfield Reservoir is a nest that Conroy and his cohorts say is the first nesting site for bald eagles in the Black Hills. While it’s fairly common to see bald eagles wintering in this region, it’s a first to find them nesting and raising their young here.

Conroy says the Deerfield Reservoir nest was started in 2007, but then abandoned for some unknown reason. The bald eagles came back in 2008 and were successful in raising at least one eaglet that flew from the nest. Observers were anxious to see similar results this spring.

“Everything was on schedule this year, but by the second week in May they were gone,” said Conroy, who believes that April and May storms may have caused a problem in the nest. Whatever the reason, the nest was again abandoned, but hopes are high that the eagles will return and begin the nesting process again this winter.

You’ll find more information and photographs of the “Bald Eagles” Moon Walk to Deerfield Reservoir in our Moon Walk Gallery.

A tip of the hat to Amy Ballard and the many other Forest Service specialists who contributed to another great year of Moon Walks across the Black Hills National Forest.

We’re already anxious to see the schedule for next year – perhaps visiting some new locations and re-visiting other favorites for 2010.

Partners saving Meeker Ranch

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The weather simply wasn't cooperating.

Early evening rain and lightning nearly caused cancellation of the August Moon Walk to the historic Meeker Ranch homestead near Custer on Saturday (8/8/09). But Mother Nature relented, and about 100 people weathered the storm to enjoy another terrific educational hike sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service.

At first, the weather was sunny and mild, followed by clouds, rain, and then – the bane of all hikers – lightning! They tell us that only lightning will force cancellation of a Moon Walk. Fortunately, the small storm pushed rapidly through the hills east of Custer, and by 7:15, skies were clearing. It turned out to be a delightful evening for a hike – even with a few pesky mosquitoes nipping at our necks.

This place has been the catalyst for some interesting partnerships.

Five years ago this month – August 2004 – the Meeker Creek Habitat Conservation Project celebrated a partnership between the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Ina Davis family. The goal was to conserve the 278-acre parcel of land known as Meeker Ranch.

But it wasn’t until 2008 that the ranch captured more widespread attention. That’s when well-known Black Hills artist Jon Crane (left) helped elevate it into public consciousness. Crane’s advocacy in getting the Forest Service to alter plans to either burn down or tear down buildings on the scenic ranch had all the elements of a good news story. Bernie Hunhoff wrote one such story for the March/April 2008 edition of South Dakota Magazine.

Crane, like most of us, was apparently mesmerized by the beauty of the ranch, and enlisted others – including the media – to get the government to reconsider its initial plan to get rid of buildings on the ranch. The Forest Service was confronted with a myriad of safety and liability issues; retaining the buildings and fixing them up would be costly.

One senses that the road to the current “partnership” between the U.S. Forest Service and the Black Hills Historic Preservation Trust – which Crane helped organize – was probably full of potholes and detours. Nonetheless, there now seems to be a united effort to preserve and restore the Meeker Ranch property, including volunteers and private contributions.

As one meanders down the road to the open meadow that is home to the Meeker Ranch, it’s easy to see how Jon Crane, and all of us, could fall in love with this place. Crane has also dedicated a portion of his Meeker Ranch artwork sales to help with restoration.

On this particular cool August evening, Forest Service archaeologist Matt Padilla (left) was our Moon Walk guide, providing not only a good overview of Meeker Ranch history – but sharing a few early photographs of the ranch and its founder, Frank Cunningham Meeker.

Born in Ohio, Meeker made his way west in the late 1870s and worked on cattle drives from Texas to the northern Plains. Padilla says the young Meeker also worked as a Pony Express rider before pursuing a ranch of his own in the Black Hills. After working on a ranch south of Custer, he homesteaded on the current ranch site in 1882. They called it “Willow Creek.”

Ownership passed from the Meeker family to the Davis family in 1952. Some 52 years later, in 2004, the property was purchased by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, which subsequently sold it to the U.S. Forest Service. All have seemingly agreed to the Davis’ intent that the land not be developed. Less certain was how to deal with the buildings.

Perhaps the oldest building on the surviving ranch site is the Meeker home, built in 1887. Several additions have been built over the years, but no one has lived in the structure for more than 50 years. There’s a cool cabin about a half mile southwest of the main house, and it’s there that the Davis family – Dave and Ina – chose to live in the 1950s.

Each of the buildings on the Meeker Ranch has its own story – and this Moon Walk stirred up considerable interest in the venerable ranch. The huge turnout for the August event (including U.S. Forest Service District Ranger Craig Bobzien and his wife) is a testament to its popularity.

Our Moon Walk Gallery offers several photos and a bit more information. More importantly, perhaps it’ll stir your curiosity and put you on the road to Custer to explore the remarkable Meeker Ranch.

Black Hills caves still open!

Hundreds of caves in the eastern United States have been closed in an effort to control a fungus that has killed more than a half-million bats. It seems that a mysterious fungus – dubbed “white nose syndrome” has taken a heavy toll among the flying mammals.

Fortunately, caves throughout the Black Hills National Forest remain open to the public.

Perhaps we dozed during a network newscast – or maybe this wildlife threat just couldn’t compete with the death of Michael Jackson and media obsession with all things Palin. In any event, it wasn’t until our participation in the latest Black Hills Forest Service Moon Walk (7/11/09) to Ice Cave that we learned about this mysterious fungus that is wreaking havoc on bats across much of the country.

Bats seem to have gotten an undeserved reputation over the years. Perhaps it’s all Count Dracula’s fault – those many scary stories and movies about “vampire bats.” The fact of the matter is that bats are in important part of the eco-system, particularly as predators of insects. On this Moon Walk, we learned that Black Hills caves provide critical roosting habitat for bats. A bat may consume as many as one thousand mosquitoes per day. Now that’s a public service! While we didn’t see any bats in Ice Cave – and Wind Cave reportedly has very few bats – Jewel Cave is said to be home to thousands of bats at different times of the year.

In addition to bats, a wide variety of other animals find refuge in caves, including badgers, porcupines, bushy-tailed woodrats and salamanders, among others.

Learning about bats – and their favorite habitat, caves – was a real bonus treat for the 150 or so people who braved the gravel Forest Service roads west of Custer to reach a parking lot near Gillette Canyon and hike up to Ice Cave. We've included several photos in this Moon Walk Gallery.

Every time we go on these walks, we think it’s better than the last. Fact is, each gathering offers special insight into the remarkable diversity of the Black Hills and helps rekindle our interest in the magnificent outdoor environment we enjoy in this region of the country.

This time, coordinator Amy Ballard introduced us to Brad Phillips, a Forest Service wildlife biologist who grew up and went to school in California, but who has found a home and lots of interests in the Black Hills.

Phillips led our group to Ice Cave, which we found is one of lots of caves with such a name. Since it’s mid-summer, we weren’t able to gaze upon any huge ice columns climbing from the floor to the roof of the cave – but we did find ice glazed on the floor of the roomy cave.

Well, I say “roomy,” since it’s a darn sight larger than Blue Rock cave in the hills just south of Chadron, Nebraska where we grew up. But it’s miniscule when compared to the likes of Jewel Cave or Wind Cave, two roomy caverns nestled in the southern part of the Hills. Both of these treasures are considered among the most special caves in the world. There are reportedly more than 100 caves carved out of the limestone formations throughout the Black Hills.

It was an eye-opener to learn that learn that Jewel cave is the second longest cave in the world. My guess at just how long the cave is fell woefully short. I think it was something like “a mile.” National Park Service officials say the cave – located west of Custer just off U.S. Highway 16 – is more than 146 miles long!

What’s NOT surprising is that these Moon Walks are so popular. We find them invigorating and informative. Already, we’re looking forward to the August 8th jaunt to the Meeker Ranch Homestead near of Custer. Get the full Moon Walk schedule and more information by going to the U.S. Forest Service Black Hills website. Mark your calendar and join us!

Fun on a foggy flume trail

Hiking in the Black Hills is always fun – and especially when you’re able to learn something about the rich mining heritage of the region.

With a bit of reluctant anticipation, we bundled up and took off Saturday afternoon (6/6/09) for the Upper Spring Creek trail head about 30 minutes driving time southwest of Rapid City. I say “reluctant,” since the weather page of the Rapid City Journal had earlier predicted high temperatures in the 80s, but Mother Nature was delivering a decidedly cooler reception. I think the folks at the Journal got their forecasts mixed up. As we arrived at the trail head for the second in the 2009 Moon Walk series hosted by the U.S. Forest Service, there was a very light mist and the threat of rain. The temperature was in the low 40s.

After an enjoyable but wet trek last month to Camp Bob Marshall near Custer, we were beginning to think the Moon Walk series is haunted by nasty weather. Not to worry, however, since mere rain won’t cancel a scheduled Moon Walk – only lightning. Nonetheless, we were more than just a bit wary as we wound our way along Sheridan Lake Road and it kept getting foggier and foggier. This seemed to be a bad omen.

Bad omen or not, about 100 people showed up at the trail head. They would not be disappointed.

After a brief introduction by USFS Recreation Forester Amy Ballard, we started our hike across a narrow Spring Creek bridge and began a short but mildly steep climb up toward the old Rockerville Flume Trail.

Our guide was Colorado native Michael Salisbury, an archaelogist and historian based at the Mystic Ranger Station on the Black Hills National Forest. By the time we reached the flume trail, the hillsides were almost surreal, wrapped in a glowing fog that emitted a low-key but even light across the gulches.

Then Ranger Salisbury gave us a breather as he told the story of the Rockerville Flume.

So, just what is a flume? Why was it important to gold miners? And why – more than a century later – was this curious group of people traipsing around in the fog along an old flume trail?

A few answers – along with some “foggy photos” -- are included in our June 2009 Moon Walk Gallery. Our thanks to the Minnilusa Historical Association for allowing us to use some of the few remaining photographs of the flume.

After you browse through the notes and photos in the album, mark your calendar for the next Moon Walk at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 11th. It's the Underground Wildnerness at Ice Cave near Custer. You'll get an update about the diseases that are taking a big toll on bats, and you'll learn about the limestone formations that create caves in the Hills.

And maybe you'll see that full moon!

Moon Walks...no lunar landers needed

What’s a Moon Walk?

A fellow ham radio operator asked me that question last Saturday (5/9/09) as Karen and I were on our way to a lake near Custer for just such an event. What I’ve written below is a general summary of my response to that question.

When we arrived in the Black Hills a few years ago, I read about these curious 'Moon Walks" in local newspapers. Sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service and the Black Hills Parks and Forest Association, the walks are organized to allow folks who have an interest in the Hills – and who have the mobility to participate in short hikes – a terrific opportunity to visit many locales throughout the Black Hills.

Want to know more about the rich history of mining in the Hills? Curious about fire lookout towers? Interested in gaining a wealth of knowledge about elk, bald eagles, and mountain lions? How about getting better acquainted with the western lore of the region? These are among the many topics that have been covered – or will be covered – in the Moon Walks. Or, perhaps you’re simply interested in soaking up some of the beauty that lures people to this majestic region. Whatever tickles your fancy, you’ll likely enjoy these short forays into the hills.

Amy Ballard, Recreation Forester with the U.S. Forest Service, seems to be a prime instigator of these hikes – always scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on spring and summer Saturdays adjacent to a full moon. They generally last about 1-2 hours. The Forest Service suggests that participants dress for “unexpected weather and cooler nighttime temperatures,” which seems invariably to occur! They don’t cancel the events due to rain – but they’ll call it off if there’s lightning in the vicinity.

About 90 folks, on average, show up for most Moon Walks, so we’ve learned to go a bit early to get a convenient parking place. Forest Service officials say that more than 10,000 people have partcipated in the walks since they began back in 1996.

For 2009, we hope to participate in most, if not all, of the Moon Walks, and we’ll share a few pictures and notes about each of our outings. We start with the May 9th trek to Camp Bob Marshall, just a few miles east of Custer. Thousands of young South Dakotans have enjoyed this marvelous facility, which was constructed in 1938-1940 by the Civilian Conservation Corps as a youth camp. Our Moon Walk Gallery our “virtual” visit to Camp Bob Marshall and to learn more about the Civilian Conservation Corps.

On June 6th, hikers will walk part of the Rockerville Flume below Sheridan Lake and learn about the 20-mile flume and its role in regional mining. On July 11th, it’s off to the southern Hills to learn about the Underground Wilderness. Then it’s back to the Custer area on August 8th to learn about early homesteaders and continuing efforts to provide elk habitat on the old Meeker Ranch Homestead. The final outing of the season will be September 5th for a walk near Deerfield Reservoir west of Hill City to gain some insight – and perhaps a peek – and Bald Eagles.

You'll find more information at the U.S. Forest Service web site. We hope to see you on the trail!

Prohibition in South Dakota

One long-time Spearfish resident remembered when the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was a big deal in the region, and she – along with lots of other high school students of the 1950s – signed pledges not to consume alcohol.

That was one of many reminiscences shared with the audience last Tuesday (5/7/09) at the May meeting of the Spearfish Area Historical Society – spurred by another delightful program from Linfred Schuttler, this time on the topic of Prohibition in South Dakota and its lingering legacy.

Some 75 attendees convened in the Spearfish Senior Citizens Center for the session, which was the final regularly scheduled meeting for 2009.

Schuttler noted that the first prohibition (or temperance) law in Dakota Territory was passed in October of 1889, but the law lacked any enforcement provisions. When the first South Dakota legislature met in 1890, they passed an enforcement bill that had enough bite to cause the closing of two saloons in Spearfish – but none in Deadwood!

Eventually, "package stores" gained favor, offering booze by the bottle -- if not by the drink. However, the Attorney-General cited them as "nuisances" and ordered them closed. Some continued to operate under a drugstore license, offering spirits for "medicinal purposes." The Queen City Mail observed that many folks had stocked up on the banned spirits and would likely not feel the impact of prohibition "for several weeks." Soon, municipalities were taxing package stores to generate revenue, causing something of a furor in the community, since such stores were presumably operating illegally in the first place.

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Since Wyoming had no temperance laws, Schuttler said that the border town of Beulah, Wyoming, “came to the aid of suffering South Dakotans...and became a perpetual oasis for thirsty Dakotans.” Its citizens have continued to make similar treks over the ensuing years, seeking everything from Coors beer and colored oleomargarine to gasoline and – most recently – cigarettes.

In the wild 1880s, “Saloons in Deadwood hardly even made a pretense to close saloons after temperance laws were passed,” said Schuttler. It was the kind of unbridled raucous behavior that came to be associated with Deadwood over the years.

Even the legendary Carrie Nation couldn’t quell South Dakota’s appetite for alcohol, despite visits to South Dakota, including two to Spearfish.

You’ll find more information about Schuttler’s talk, along with details about the election of officers for the Spearfish Area Historical Society, by going to our History Photo Gallery.

While the society now takes a few months vacation from regularly-scheduled meetings, there's a special opportunity for members to tour the newly-refurbished railroad roundhouse in Lead later this month. The tours will be conducted at noon, 1:00 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 16th especially for members of the Spearfish Area Historical Society.

This opportunity is similar to one offered last October by Wayne Paananen to members of the Lawrence County Historical Society. That was a terrific tour, but we understand that much more work has been done to the old Lead Roundhouse, which served the Black Hills and Fort Pierre Railroad for many years. It promises to be a vibrant new historic attraction in the northern Black Hills, so this will be a rare opportunity for SAHS members to get their own sneak preview!