Daisy and I are in Vermillion, SD, for 2 nights, visiting cousins (cuzzins). Today we went to Elk Point, where these cousins are originally from (just down the road) and went to the city park (city is a term used loosely, population is about 1400). On August 22, 1804, the Corps of Discovery (also known as the Lewis and Clark Expredition) camped on this site and held the first recorded election West of the Mississippi. The Sergeant of the Corps, Floyd, had died recently and buried in what is now Sioux City, IA, and the Corps elected a new sergeant on this site. The man elected was Patrick Gass, who became the longest living member of the Corps; he lived to age 99. My uncle, Ole (Duane) Olsen, was pivotal in identifying this site and getting it on the official Lewis and Clark Trail. Here in the city park there is a memorial area that includes a bust of Gass, several informational plaques, and about 8 flags, each of which commemorates a period in Elk Point's history.
Two days later, Lewis and Clark explored inland from the river and located Spirit Mound, a site sacred to the Native Americans for centuries before. It is from this high point that they first saw buffalo. This site is being restored to the original prairie conditions and includes a really nice trail leading to the top. It was a perfect day today for the hike--low 70s, light cloud cover. Daisy really enjoyed it!
Tomorrow we head for Rapid City and the Black Hills. Along the way we'll see a couple more L&C sites and the Badlands of South Dakota. Should be a great day for driving!
It is well worth noting that Ole became quite an authority on the Lewis and Clark Expedition and its history in this part of South Dakota. This is an area that he loved dearly and had the deepest respect for. He was an amazing man!
ReplyDelete