Studies in Crap Motor Tours South Dakota, the Barren, Depressing “Shrine of Democracy”

Each Thursday, your Crap Archivist brings you the finest in forgotten and bewildering crap culled from area basements, thrift stores, estate sales and flea markets. I do this for one reason: Knowledge is power.

Assorted South Dakota Tourist Pamphlets

Date: 1941 — the mid 60’s

Discovered at: River Market Antique Mall

The Covers Promise: “Other families get to have fun. Why can’t we?”

Representative Quote: 

“REHABILITATION — Deep from Mother Earth Comes The Warm Mineral Waters Which Were First Discovered By The Indian And Are Now Used As A Medical Tool In Modern Application.” (Hot Springs Pamphlet, no date listed)

What’s most remarkable about this packet of leaflets and fliers celebrating Black Hills attractions like Wind Cave, Devil’s Tower and “Shrine of Democracy” Mount Rushmore isn’t the sheer number of them I picked up for three bucks. It’s that the pamphlets date over a period of almost thirty years, meaning whatever family collected these didn’t just venture to the Dakotas on occasion — they took trip after trip.

Nothing against South Dakota, of course — but can you imagine the misery of the kids motoring, year after year, toward fun like this?

Dads will love the old cars and engines. The kids – well, they’ll have to make do with the “Special Exhibits for Ladies and Children”:

“For your entertainment, we have a display of china, fancy clocks, beautiful steins, music boxes, antique gold umbrella collection, ancient hanging and ‘Gone With the Wind’ lamps, ladies’ finery and a collection of antique toys.”

What child doesn’t dream of the gold umbrellas of Rapid City?