Black Hills sights

I have finally found my neighborhood...

I love telling out-of-state friends that I'm driving to Deadwood for the day. It makes them think that I really am living in Wild West Dakota Territory, with pistols and Bowie knives in hand, or in teeth, every time I leave the house. The truth is more prosaic: Deadwood is one of the state's most important historic preservation centers, and the annual Deadwood Historic Preservation Symposium yesteday and today focused on the effect of natural disasters on the Black Hills region's history. Since I have been somberly remembering the Lubbock tornado of 40 years ago this past week, attending this symposium seemed (and was) particularly timely.

The Black Hills themselves apparently act as a bad weather magnet, focusing blizzards and rains on the area. I particularly liked the rather terse quote one speaker cited from a newspaper editor describing the latest disaster: "Anything can happen here; this is the Black Hills."

All that happened today, though, was a terrific symposium on disasters and local history--I am no more living on a creek up here than I am moving to a houseboat in the North Atlantic, I can tell you that--and a great excuse for a meandering drive back, camera at hand.

Elementary school and cannon, two things not normally found in such close proximity.

Sign, Center City

Church building, Center City

Honest Abe as a road sign

Motorcycle in tree. No, I have no idea why, or how. Or why.

Roadside car

I have also found Shirley's neighborhood.

Water wheel, Nemo Road

Giant chair art, Nemo Road

Barn, Nemo Road

Doty Center volunteer fire department building

Here's hoping everyone is having an equally splendid weekend. Stay out of creeks, off high ridges, and away from the windward slopes. And watch out for the livestock....