Lumberjack Steam Train, Laona, Wisconsin

Situated in northeastern Wisconsin's Northwoods within miles of the state border with Michigan, this steam engine travels three miles one way from Laona, Wisconsin, to a historic lumber camp complex known as Camp Five. The ride takes from ten to fifteen minutes and is made four times a day from Monday to Saturday. The 1916 steam locomotive pulls behind it two passenger coach cars and three cupola style cabooses which can hold 18 passengers each. Once at the museum complex, the visitor should take at least two hours to explore before boarding the train to return to Laona. Besides the lumber camp museum, the family can enjoy a self-guided ecology walking tour along an old lumber road, the farm animals and barn, the blacksmith shop, and a 30-minute narrated motorized forest tour. For an additional amount of money, the visitor can take a 30-minute river wildlife and pontoon boat tour of the Rat River. In July and October 2008, the camp will hold a cowboy reenactment, and during the last two Saturdays of September and the first Saturday of October, the camp celebrates a fall festival. Camp Five was a logging camp back in the late 1890's. The Connor Lumber and Land Company started a farm on the museum site in 1914 to provide draft horses for the camps and home-grown food for the lumberjacks. This lumber camp farm was so unique that Camp Five was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can find out more by visiting the camp5museum.org website.

This video gives a tiny sample of the lumberjack steam train.

Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad, Spooner, Wisconsin

At one time Spooner, Wisconsin, had 22 passenger cars a day which went through town on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad tracks. Even though CNW closed its Spooner depot in 1992 (my father was the last clerk at the depot), within five years the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad purchased twenty miles of that abandoned track. The result is a scenic train ride passing through some wonderful Wisconsin countryside. The ride begins at the Spooner depot. Riders have their choice of either a 30 mile round trip lasting two and one half hours from Spooner to Springbrook or a 90 minute round trip from Spooner to Veazie Springs. The longer train ride crosses one trestle, the Bean Creek Bridge located between the communities of Springbrook and Earl. Other sights include glimpses of Green Lake and the Namekagon River. Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad operates two diesel locomotives and their rolling stock includes a first class 64 seat diner loungs, a 64 seat buffet lunch diner, a 56 seat diner with a full kitchen, and a car which serves as a snack bar and gift shop. By reserving in advance for additional money, an individual can ride in the cab with the engineer for half the trip. Regular train rides include the sightseeing excursions, Elegant Dinner, the Happy Hour (adults only), the Sunday Brunch, the Dinner Buffet, and the Pizza Trains. The Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad also celebrates special events some years with the Sweetheart Express, the Mother's Day and Father's Day Brunch, the Fall Color, and Great Pumpkin Trains. During Spooner Rodeo weekend in early July, there are train robbery reenactments and in 2008, the M.T. Pockets Gang will even meet the train and escort passengers to their campsite for a special Barbeque. The special events change each year. The WGNR also has the only still-operational wedding chapel car in the United States available for wedding ceremonies either held in a stationary position or moving, with a meal or without. If you are planning to be around the Spooner area and want to take a scenic train ride, consult the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad website at spoonertrainride.com.

Milwaukee Road 261, Minneapolis, Minnesota

In 1993, a determined group of rail fans saw their dreams fulfilled: the steam locomotive Milwaukee Road 261 once again rode the rails. Besides the steam engine, the 261 group maintains three 76 seat coaches, a “Skytop Lounge” car, and a 46 seat café/diner/ lounge car. In August 2008, this historic steam locomotive will take passengers on a one way trip from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This trip is normally done in June but flooding in 2008 prevented the train from operating as planned. While in Wisconsin during the month of August, the 261 will do a small number of shorter round trip excursions from Milwaukee to Sturtevant, the Wisconsin Dells, and New Lisbon. The return trip to Minneapolis will be toward the middle of August. In September, the 261 will do two short Minnesota excursions and one circle trip from Minneapolis to LaCrescent, crossing the Mississippi River to LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and traveling north to a crossing that will take it back across the river and to Minneapolis. The passenger on the 261 can choose from three ways to travel. Coach tickets are the cheapest and can not be reserved. You must purchase food and beverages. First class seats can not be reserved either but the price includes food and beverages. The premium seats must be reserved and are on either a historic tailcar or a Super Dome car. The price includes food and beverages. A $1000 donation that will go toward further restoration of the locomotive allows the visitor to ride for half a day in the locomotive cab. More information, including neat photos, ticket prices, and an excellent history of the Milwaukee Road 261 locomotive, can be found at 261.com.

This video shows the Milwaukee Road 261 on its way to LaCrescent and can be found, along with other footage, on You Tube.

Years ago three friends and I took a trip out to the Black Hills. It was at the end of a hot August. Before you reach the Black Hills from the East you have the option to stop off at an awesome sight called the Badlands. I would describe it but you would think I was talking about a meteor site or the moon or something. Just Google the Badlands and you will get the idea. I personally loved it.

Back to my story. After a an afternoon at the Badlands we got a camp site about half hour closer to the Black Hills. After we set up a couple tents the wind starting really cranking up some serious miles per hour. The sky began to look very ominous in addition to that. Whether it was a good or bad thing I don't know but we were under a big healthy tree.

This terrified one my friends. While we were eating he says "I hope this tree doesn't get blown over". Which is funny because I was certain the tree would hold up much longer than our tents. But he continued by saying "if this tree falls and kills me my parents will never speak to me again". He was serious too.

Okay now that was hilarious the way he said it, had you been there. But I was shocked that he wasn't concerned that the massive tree might kill all of us. I mean thanks alot for worrying about the entire group. But it was still funny to explain to him that if the tree kills him, it is safe to say that no one will be speaking to him.

Actually when the rain arrived, and arrived it did, the wind died down significantly. So we survived and the tree was as sturdy as ever the next morning. Next we headed off to the Black Hills. Well we showered and dressed the went. I mean not like we we're naked. You get the point.

It was beautiful to say the least. The weather was a postcard like that day. As was our custom we found ourself a nice campground. That day the high was about 89 degrees fahrenheit. What we didn't know was that in the Black Hills it can get rather cold at night. We went to sleep and it was already in the 40 degree area. That was about 10pm. Little did we know a severe cold front was passing thru. It was about 2 am and we all were freezing our butt off. It didn't help that we had cheap department store sleeping bags. We found ourselves heading to the car. Of course you would think to sleep in it. Well that is what I was going to do. My friends thought that was crazy. Which I am crazy but that is beside the point.

The one friend devised this ingenious plan. He took his suitcase in the tent and emptied all his clothes into his sleeping bag. For insulation was his theory. Then he placed his suitcase over him for good measure. He also suggested that the three of them use one tent. And the other two thought this was brilliant. Meanwhile I fired up the car and made it nice and toasty. Imagine the three stooges in a sleeping bag, turned into a laundry bag, making fun of me. "He's out there all uncomfortable in the car while we can stretch out here in our stuffed bag. What a moron".

The next day they actually made fun of me and told me the laughter they shared why I was "stuck" in the car. Let's just say I didn't lose any sleep over it.

The next day we did some more sight seeing around the Hills. Saw some animals in their natural habitat which was cool. At lunch that day we went to a local non-chain burger joint. I saw on the menu a list of specialty burgers. California burger, Hawaiin burger, Texan burger, and Buffalo burger. I thought to myself " I know what a Californian, Hawaiin, and a Texan burger is, but what is a Buffalo burger? Like hot wing sauce on it or something?"

So I go up to order and I ask "say what is on a Buffalo burger?" He rolls his eyes and says to me like I'm the dumbest man alive "duh Buffalo, whatever you want on it".

Okay so now I was confused. I re-track my thought process and go through the other selections and ask again with more annunciation. "No you don't understand my question, what automatically comes with a Buffalo burger? Something unique to Buffalo as in New York state?"

Now he is really tired of me. Thinking I'm being a jackass he says "look you're not funny. Do you want the burger with buffalo meat or not?"

Then the proverbial light bulb goes off in my cranium. Then right behind the epiphany I just had I became irate at him for thinking that I'm just supposed to know that Buffalo meant animal and not the city. Especailly in the context in which it was presented to me. So knowing that it was not legal to jump over the counter and ring his neck, I smile and say "well no wonder I didn't know what your buffalo burger was. There isn't any buffalo in North America. They are called Bison". (of course I was banking on the presumption that they didn't have buffalo meat shipped in from over seas) Then I order a Turkey Club sandwich out of principle.

Anyhow a good time was had by all and I often think about how I would like to return their again. Maybe some day. Oh and if any of you go there could you try the buffalo ,,,,,,, I mean bison burger and tell me how it was?

Native American tribes were the first inhabitants of what was to become South Dakota. In 1700 the Arikara and the Cheyenne were the major tribes living there. Then the Sioux migrated from the northwest and began to push the other tribes out. Over the next hundred years, the Sioux became the dominant tribe of the northern Great Plains. They lived in tepee villages and followed the moving herds of buffalo.

Era of Exploration

Two French Canadian brothers, François and Louis-Joseph La Vérendrye, were the first Europeans to reach South Dakota, in 1743. The area stayed under French control until 1803, when the French sold South Dakota to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. The next year, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark traveled up the Missouri River through South Dakota. They explored the new territory and reported on their discoveries.

Pioneers Move In

Not many white settlers lived in South Dakota until the 1850s, when they began moving into the rich farmland of the east. Because there weren't a lot of trees around, many settlers built homes called soddies with blocks of prairie grass and dirt. When the railroad reached the area in 1873, it became even easier for people to move there. Towns and villages sprang up al over the region. By 1889, South Dakota had enough people to become a state.

Red Cloud's War

The arrival of the settlers was not good news for the Sioux. Now they had to compete for land. When gold was discovered in Montana, the government began building a trail that cut through Sioux land. Red Cloud, the chief of the Oglala Sioux, led attacks on the soldiers who protected the trail builders. This was called Red Cloud's War. Red Cloud won and the government agreed to stop the trail's construction. They also promised that the Sioux could have the entire Black Hills region.

Black Hills Gold

The government did not keep its promise for very long. Miners flooded into the Black Hills when gold was discovered there in 1874. The army tried to keep the miners off of the Sioux lands at first, but this became too difficult. Then gold-mining towns, like Deadwood and Lead, were built.

The Sioux had to fight to keep the land they considered sacred. Sioux leaders, like Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, attacked the mining camps. They also defeated U.S. troops in the Battle of the Little Bighorn in Montana and other battles. Eventually, however, the Sioux were forced onto reservations (land set aside by the government for Native Americans to live on).

Wounded Knee

In 1890, the government was afraid that the Sioux would fight again, so they decided to arrest Sitting Bull in the hope of preventing a possible rebellion. But Sitting Bull was killed during the attempted arrest. The army soon captured Sitting Bull's followers and took them to Wounded Knee Creek. On the morning of December 29th, a shot was heard, and the soldiers opened fire on the captives. Twenty-five soldiers and close to 200 Sioux men, women, and children were killed in the tragic Wounded Knee Massacre.

The 20th Century

As in the past, South Dakota's weather played a big role in the state's history during the 20th century. Severe drought hit South Dakota farmers hard in 1910 and 1911, causing crops to fail and forcing many to leave the state for good. Even worse, during the 1930s, conditions were so dry that the Midwest earned the nickname the Dust Bowl. Huge dust storms blew away the topsoil needed to grow crops.

Many families lost everything. South Dakotans have also had to endure other kinds of severe weather. Flooding killed 238 residents of Rapid City in 1972, when heavy rain caused a dam to break. Droughts, flooding, blizzards, and tornadoes have all made their mark on South Dakota's history. By preparing for these natural disasters as best they can, the state's residents hope to reduce the damage that severe weather can bring.

Many other things other than weather had made their mark in South Dakota's history in the 20th century. Gutzon Borglum sculpts the Mount Rushmore National Monument from 1927 - 1941. In 1980 the U.S. Supreme Court awards more than $100 million to the Sioux Nation as payment for the U.S. government illegally taking the Black Hills.