U.S. Highway 281
the North South counter part to Route 66 East West
From the International Peace Garden spanning the border between Canada and the United States, from North Dakota's Turtle Mountains all the way south to the International Bridges across the Rio Grande River that join Texas and Mexico - U.S. 281 offers a plethora of sightseeing opportunities. Many of which are in Our own back door.
The highway serves as a route for tourists and commercial highway travelers. It also links military bases in the center of the North American continent.
Vacationers can enjoy pheasant hunting, fishing, long summer days in North and South Dakota and Canada and lingering twilight and cool nights in the Great Northern Country.
U.S. 281 is dedicated to all of the deceased veteran's of all wars. The highway serves as the only highway in the nation dedicated to such a cause.
The American Legion Memorial Highway recognition was started in each state and was approved by the Legion and the state legislatures. The route is recognized nationally as the most direct route across the United States from border to border.
FREDERICK
The town of Frederick is located less than a dozen miles from the South
Dakota-North Dakota border. Frederick was founded in the early 1880s and
is linked to John C. Simmons. Simmons was active in the town's banking
business from 1886 to 1906.
In Frederick today, he is remembered through Simmons Park. An archway
which was built in 1932, welcomes visitors to the park. The wings are
inlaid with stone and each has what appear to be petrified turtle shell.
Frederick's Jail was built in 1916. In 1925, two auto thieves served time
there.
ABERDEEN
Located within the 25-acre Melgaard Park with shaded sites available.
Sixteen campsites with electricity, tenting area, restrooms, hot showers, and a
public phone. Campers can also enjoy the playground, tennis courts,
volleyball, horseshoe courts and picnic facilities. There is a municipal
swimming pool located within five blocks of the campground.
Wylie Park is open from mid-April through mid-October and there is no admission charge. The park features a medieval castle surrounded by a moat and guarded by armored knights. Inside the park, vacationers can enjoy Storybook Land, Land of Oz, a carousel, petting zoo, paddleboats, canoeing, camping, Wylie Thunder Road, Water World and minigolf.
Storybook Land and Land of Oz feature favorite scenes from all types of nursery rhymes. Land of Oz features all the characters from the Wizard of OZs, written by past - Aberdeen resident, L. Frank Baum. Story book Land and Land of Oz are open daily.
The campground features a shower/restroom building and 72 campsites.
Monday through Friday Water World features a 30' high and 300'long waterslide
DACOTAH PRAIRIE MUSEUM
Grade school students can dip candles, churn butter or spin, weave and launder
clothes with a washboard and lye, providing and educational experience for
all. The Wildlife Gallery features exhibits on prairie and early settler
lives, the railroad and Native American life. The Lamont Gallery is also
located within the museum. The art gallery (Lamont) features art from
local and regional artists. Hatterscheidt Wildlife Gallery, also located
at the Dacotah Prairie Museum, contains over 55 mounted animals from North
America, Africa and Asia.
SAND LAKE NATIONAL REFUGE
Over 269 different types of birds have been sighted in the refuge. The
refuge is open from early April to late October.
RICHMOND LAKE
Three different units of the park offer different recreational
opportunities. The south unit features 24 modern campsites, picnicking,
hiking, and a swimming beach. The east unit offers a 2 - lane boat
launch. Finally, the forest drive unit features picnicking, horse trails,
snowmobile and crossing, country ski trails. Richmond Lake is located just
10 miles northwest of Aberdeen off Highway 12.
Mina Lake
The horseshoe-shaped lake offers areas of calm waters and acres of trees that
make any camping or picnicking spot perfect for the family. This park also
offers canoeing, swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, 36 modern campsites,
electrical outlets and a three-bedroom cabin available for rent. The lake
is located 11 miles west of Aberdeen off Highway 12.
ABERDEEN EVENTS
Arts in the Park is held annually in June at Melgaard Park. There is no
admission charge
DACOTAH STAMPEDE RODEO
The Stampede Rodeo is a PRCA event held in August in conjunction with the Brown
County Fair.
BROWN COUNTY FAIR
The county fair features exhibits, carnival rides and is the largest single
county fair in the state of South Dakota. The fair is held in August each
year.
EASTON'S CASTLE
Easton's Castle was built around 1889. It is a replica of the Jacobean
style of architecture, which was popular in England in the 1830's.
LAND OF OZ/DAKOTA HERITAGE FESTIVAL
This year marks the 4th annual festival for the Land of Oz. Look for an
arts fair, book and memorabilia vendors and unique food booths. The
mission of the festival is to increase the awareness of the historic and
literary artistic connections between L. Frank Baum and the Aberdeen area during
the time in which he resided there. Baum lived in Aberdeen from 1888 to
1891. The festival takes place on July 29 and 30.
Frederick's Jail
The jail was built in 1916. In 1925, two
auto thieves served time here.
Redfield
Abbie Gardner Memorial
A memorial stands to honor Abbie Gardner. Gardner was
delivered to rescuers on May 20, 1897, after 83 days of captivity by the Sioux
Indians. She was captured following the Spring Creek Massacre in Iowa.
Council Rock Memorial
Council Rock served as the Native
American capitol of the Dakota Sioux tribes. Using a black obviate rock
surrounded by a circle of stones, members of each band sat with their feet
extended towards the rock to settle affairs of the Sioux nation. The site
had religious importance and was maintained as a sanctuary from war and
strife. Nearly 3,000 gathered here annually to attend a trade fair.
Fisher Grove State Park
The natural woods, wildlife, an 1880 country school and
the James River are all located within this park. Other special features
include canoeing, boating, fishing, hiking trails, cross-country ski trails, 28
modern campsites and electrical outlets. The park is located 7 miles east
of Redfield off US 212, adjacent to the beautiful 9-hole Fisher Grove Country
Club Golf Course.
Spink County Museum
The museum offers WWI and WWII military uniforms,
firearms and mess kits, Native American artifacts and a Hindersman
collection. The Hindersman collection is the largest collection of
butterflies, insects, birds, eggs and other natural artifacts in South
Dakota. The museum is open from June 1 to September 1. Hours are
Wednesday through Sunday from 1pm to 5pm.
Hav-a-Rest Park/Campground
Located on the banks of Lake Redfield, Hav-a-Rest
offers free camping for up to three days at a time. Camping pads,
electrical outlets, running water, a boat ramp and a playground are all
available for use. The campground is located on the west side of Redfield
on US 212.
Tulare
The Buffalo Cafe
The Township Hall was built in 1923 and was
used as a gathering place for dances, boxing, sports and other events. In
1985, the city of Tulare paid $600.00 for it and proceeded to move the building
into the heart of town. They called it the Buffalo Cafe. The town of
Tulare jloined together to start a cafe that would serve quality meat at a
reasonable price to visitors, locals and seniors.
Rock of Ages (Tulare Boulder)
The rock of ages sits on a bluff above Turtle River at
Wolf Creek. It stands 4 feet tall, 99 inches around and bears markings on
it that are untranslatable. The rock was once a religious symbol that
overlooked a Native American burial ground. A landowner moved the rock in
order to plant crops and by doing this, desecrated it. The granite boulder
was spewed up by a glacier in a past ice age. Due to the fact that the
rock was moved, it is not eligible to be placed on the National Register of
Historic Places. The rock symbolized Thunderbird, a major Dakota deity.
Legend has it that the deity landed on the rock and left the untranslatable
message.
Hitchcock
Hitchcock Museum
The museum, located on Main Street, will be open on
Sundays beginning May 28. Hours will be from 12:00 noon to 4:00.
Appointments can also be made by calling 1-605-266-2769.
You will be able to find a plethora of historical
documents, as well as some Gene Autry memorabilia.
Other interesting items include an antique megaphone,
copies of the Clark Pilot Review and scrapbooks of Hitchcock in the 1930's.
Wessington Springs
Shakespear's Garden
In Wessington Springs, visitors are invited to enjoy
the flower beds and lily pond located within Shakespeare's Garden.
Students and community members started building the garden in 1927.
Visitors drive north on Dakota Avenue. Turn west
at sixth street and travel three blocks and go south for one block. The
garden is open during the daylight hours.
Anne Hathaway Cottage
The cottage is listed in the National Register of
Historical Places. It is a partial replica of the original in
Stratford-on-Avon, England. The cottage boasts the only thatch roof in the
state of South Dakota. The cottage is open from I p.m. to 5 p.m. in the
summer.
Springs Opera House
The opera house was added to the National Historical
Building Refistry in 1977. The Dunham Historical Society took on the task
of restoring the building in 1994. The approximate cost of renovation is
between $15,000 and $17,000. The house is expected to be open to the
public soon.
The Gazebo and Garden
Located in Wessington Springs, the Gazebo and Garden is
a well-kept secret that stands nestled in the heart of town. The store
offers a large selection of gifts for all occasions, as well as antiques and
collectibles.
In 1996, a garden room and a permanent greenhouse were
added to house seasonal plants, seeds and bulbs. There is also a fishpond
for guests to ponder over. The Gazebo and Garden is located on Dakota
Avenue and is open Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm.
Pioneer Museum
The museum is open yearround on Thursdays, from
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. It offers an
excellent vintage clothing collection, a country doctor's office and family
genealogy files.
A country schoolhouse and a rural repair shop which
features hundreds of handmade tools are also located in the museum.
Please make appointments for viewing. Ph
605-539-1852 or 605-539-1620.
Springs Carnegie Library
This Carnegie Library was the last of 25 financed
by steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. It was built in 1917 at a cost of
$7,000.
The formal opening was held on February 1, 1918.
The building has been in continuous use as a library ever since.
Woonsocket
Lake Prior
The site of the city's annual water festival, Lake
Prior offers swimming, playgrounds, fishing and camping. A pair of white
swans currently makes the lake their home.
Twin Lakes
This beautiful recreational area offers boating,
swimming, camping, drinking water, toilets and adequate shelter from the hear of
the day
Fantasy Revenge
Whether you're having a stressful day or want to get in
some target practice, Fantasy Revenge Paintball Park is the place for you.
The park, located on 223rd Street, offers a mixture of activities such as
one-on-one, capture the flag, total elimination and terminator.
This is an activity that all the family will
enjoy. All safety and camouflage gear is provided, while there is a small
fee for the paintball guns and paintballs.
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