South Dakota Vacation Guide 2011 - (Page 133)

black hills, badlands & lakes region Cowboys and much more in Belle Fourche beautiT fully situated town of Belle Fourche (pronounced ‘Bell Foosh’) touts its status as the Center of the Nation. A granite monument in a pleasant riverside park behind the Center of the Nation Visitor Center marks the town’s proximity to the geographic center of the nation’s 50 states. But historically the community can be described as the Center of Cowboy Country. For this is where the great cattle herds of the oday, the Northern Plains were gathered and shipped east back in the heyday of the open range. That wild and free era drew to a close with the last big cattle roundup in the West, which occurred in Belle Fourche in 1902. The fencing of the open range changed the nature of cattle ranching, but it did not diminish its importance to the area. The town remains a supply center for vast livestock ranges in the surrounding tri-state area. As you mingle with local shoppers along the downtown streets or join the crowds at a local rodeo, remember – the cowboys are real and the area’s rural Western culture is vibrant. That culture is on full display in all its American glory during the Black Hills Roundup, one of the nation’s premier rodeo events, held annually over the Fourth of July weekend at the Belle Fourche rodeo grounds. The grounds host numerous rodeos throughout the summer – from Belle Jackpot rodeo series, to high school competition, and on to regional and national PRCA events. Some of the sport’s most renowned champions hale from these parts – bull rider Jesse Bail, steer wrestlers Birch Negaard and Ivan Tiegan, and bareback bronc riders Larry Sandvick, Marvin Garrett and Mark Garrett. You can visit the Garrett brothers as you stroll downtown Belle Fourche. Statues of each, bucking high on a rank bronc, stand on opposite corners. The artist is Tony Chytka, a native South Dakotan, rancher and former rodeo bull riding champ himself. Belle Fourche boasts other statues by Chytka – the town’s mighty proud of its cowboy heritage. A visit to the Tri-State Museum, located at 415 Fifth Avenue in the same facility as the visitor center, gives you a great overview of that heritage. After viewing the exhibits and browsing through the gift shop, go out back to the deck and down to the park where the 21-footdiameter compass rose, including an offi cial 12-inch bronze marker from the Geodetic Survey, commemorates Belle Fourche as the Center of the Nation. ■ 133 http://www.bellefourchechamber.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of South Dakota Vacation Guide 2011

South Dakota Vacation Guide 2011
Contents
Overview
Getting Here, Getting Around
Information Centers
State Facts
Tourism Regions
Places of Interest
Public Campgrounds and Recreation Areas
Vacation Ideas
Southeast Region: A slice of South Dakota charm
Glacial Lakes & Prairies Region: Stories from the frontier
Great Lakes Region: Land of the mighty Missouri
Black Hills, Badlands & Lakes Region: Enchanting mountain getaway
Black Hills map
Index

South Dakota Vacation Guide 2011

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