Jon and I are staying in a South Dakota State Park outside of Belle Fourche located on a reservoir. Belle Fourche is French and translated it means Beautiful Fork. The town is located at the Fork of the Redwater and the Belle Fourche Rivers.
Belle Fourche's claim to fame is that it is the Geographical Center of the United States. After the addition of Hawaii in 1959, the Center of the Nation was moved to a location approximately 20 miles North of Belle Fourche. It is on private land, and the owner did not want a monument on the property, so a monument was placed next to the Visitors Center in Belle Fourche.
The monument is located in a park setting next to the Belle Fourche River. Along with the monument, there is a courtyard, picnic area and avenue of state flags. In an article that I read about the monument, the director of the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce was quoted as saying, "It is more than a destination or mark on the map. It marks the Heart of America where life is uncomplicated, people are friendly and a true sense of community rings true." The monument was completed and dedicated in the summer of 2009, and in 2012 the visitor center estimates that approximately 20,000 visitors have visited the monument.
Belle Fourche was also the destination of a cattle drive in John Wayne's movie "The Cowboys". Jon has this movie, and he showed it to me since we arrived here. I actually really enjoyed it. The railroad that came through this area in the late 1800's is what started the town. Cattle from the all over the West were shipped by railcar back East from the Belle Fourche area.
This week Jon and I spent some time in Sturgis. The famous or at least infamous weeklong motorcycle rally for 2013 will take place starting August 3rd. Jon and I planned on going one day to see the bikes, but we will be leaving the area the day the rally starts. I received a call this morning from the Superintendent of Curt Gowdy State Park. He asked me if Jon and I would be interested in a volunteer camp host position in one of the campgrounds located within the state park. I said yes, so on August 3rd we are going back to Wyoming until the end of September.
I was going to show Sturgis "before" the rally pictures and "during" the rally pictures, but since I will not be there, I will show you the before pictures today.
I have learned that every town in the west has something unique about its history and Sturgis is no different.
Sturgis was named after Colonel Sturgis who was the commander of the Fort Meade Cavalry Base located just about 14 miles west of Deadwood. There was widespread interest to develop a town closer to the post. With a 20 dollar gold piece from the Colonel, the town of Sturgis was started with an 80 acre tract of land 1 mile west of the post.
Colonel Sturgis was the commander of the Seventh U.S. Cavalry. Fortunately for the Colonel and unfortunately for the rest of the regiment, Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer was in charge of the cavalry when they all perished at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
Ft. Meade
Fort Meade is full of history. I mentioned Col. Sturgis and Lt. Col. Custer, and now I am going to tell you the most fascinating thing that I have learned in years. Okay - well, I have to digress slightly. On the Fourth of July, Jon and I were in Sundance WY. Jon made a campfire and we sat outside to watch fireworks. I chose that evening to look up information on America and the history of our country. It seemed like an appropriate time. Well, I learned the Star Spangled Banner was actually written during the war of 1812 and not during the revolutionary war like I had always assumed. OK - I am finished digressing, now back to Fort Meade.
I want to quote directly from an article that I read: On July 4th, 1892, on the parade grounds of Fort Meade the final number that the regimental band played was the Star Spangled Banner. As the first few notes rang out and echoed in the forest of the nearby Black Hills, everyone snapped to attention. The footnote printed on the concert program stated "During the playing of "The Star Spangled Banner' all persons within hearing distance are required to rise and all men not under arms will remove their hats". The order came from Colonel Caleb H. Carlton, commanding officer of the Eighth Cavalry who was also the post commander from February 16 to December 12 of 1895. Carlton credited his wife with suggesting that he try to establish "The Star Spangled Banner" as the national air since America had no anthem while other nations did. Colonel Carlton had another purpose - to enforce respect for our national flag by having everyone rise and remove their hats when the colors passed by them. The New York Times reported that the Colonel of the Eighth Cavalry was trying to establish a National Anthem. This attracted attention around the nation. By the time of the Spanish American War, the music had become familiar enough to be considered an unofficial national anthem. The headline of the New York Times of March 3, 1930 read "The Star Spangled Banner" is voted National Anthem by Congress.
On a side note: The author of the"Star Spangled Banner", Francis Scott Key, a lawyer and author from Baltimore, Maryland, had been taken prisoner on a British ship during during the nighttime bombardment of the British Siege of Fort McHenry on September 13 and 14, 1814. He composed the poem upon witnessing the embattled American flag still flying the following morning.
Ft. Meade Cemetery
The cemetery at Ft. Meade is the only Cavalry cemetery that is still in the original location. All others have been relocated over the years.
Well, that is all for now.
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