The Black Hills
The Black Hills are a small and isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming,
Black Elk Peak, which rises to 7,244 feet, is the range's highest summit. The Black Hills encompass the Black Hills National Forest.
It gets its name “Black Hills” from the soil, rocks and dark color of the tree trunk of the Ponderosa Pines.
Native People
It was home to many Native America tribes including:
Cheyenne, Crow, Kiowa and Arapaho. Later on the Lakota
(also known as Sioux) settled the area.
Gold Rush
During the early 1870’s silver and gold was discovered.
Thousands of miners flooded the area.
Three large towns came of this: Deadwood, Central City and Lead. Railroads were quickly constructed to the previously remote area and the Black Hills were suddenly on the map.
Mt. Rushmore
Gutzon Borglum completed the sculpture in 1941.
The granite faces are 60 feet tall and include: President Washington, Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Lincoln.
This area was chosen for the monument because of the sparkling granite that artist used to carve the presidents and the natural beautity of the landscape. It is a must see for all American patriots.
The Black Hills National Forest
is massive and spans more than 1.25 million acres.
Distance From Home
Distance from St. Louis is 974 miles
Map of Black Hills
Map is courtesy of: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Black_Hills_of_South_Dakota_map.jpg
Map courtesy of: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/230035493456176123/
This part of Texas sat at the bottom of the ocean before the dinosaurs roamed. The mountains are actually a giant coral reef that was lifted by shifting tectonic plates, including the main attraction, El Capitan. There are coral fossils everywhere.