Some of the most rewarding experiences in life can happen in the blink of an eye. In that moment of surprise, things change; and for those stuck in a rut, change can be good. Here’s what I mean. Life can get so busy that we’re oblivious to the rich encounters and opportunities around us. We run from one activity to another and one responsibility to the next, believing all the while we’re in control and aware of what’s important. After all, we have things to do, places to go, and tasks to accomplish. Certainly, there’s nothing wrong with hard work and focus but, sometimes, it’s important to slow down and allow life to catch up with us. The process, as you’ll see, can be extremely gratifying.
During a recent trip to South Dakota, my wife was intent on reliving an experience from twenty-five years ago. Back then, we had taken a trip with our young girls to Deadwood and Mount Rushmore, managing to squeeze in a visit to the Pioneer Village in Minden, Nebraska as well as a stop at Hansen Wheel and Wagon Shop near Mitchell, South Dakota. As we traveled west along I-90, we did what any reasonable tourists would do, we stopped at Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota. Even then, it was an experience to remember. With plenty for the kids and us adults to find intriguing, it was a great rest stop.
This narrow hallway at Wall Drug is packed with ranch and chuck wagon images from well over a century ago.
This time, I wasn’t all that excited about the stop. After all, I’d already been there and done that! However, Tonya wanted to see how much had changed and relive some of those earlier times. We got there just after they opened and began wandering through the shops. As we browsed the souvenirs, we spied a donut shop we couldn’t pass up. My wife was equally intent on getting a 5-cent coffee and free ice water. These were some of the original draws to Wall Drug when it became a destination stop back in the 1930s. Their success story is intriguing and you can read about it at https://www.walldrug.com/about-us.
Today, the place draws more than two million visitors each year and is billed as “America's Favorite Roadside Attraction.” If you’ve been there, you know it’s not a stretch to talk about its popularity. More than a giant souvenir shop, Wall Drug touts 76,000-square-feet of free attractions. Among the must-see experiences is a Western Art Gallery Restaurant with seating for over five hundred. Between buildings, there’s a back lot full of photo ops for small and ‘big’ kids, alike. A stagecoach, train, covered wagon, bucking horse, coin-operated wagon rides, and giant jackalope all beckon folks to climb aboard and capture a memory.
Behind the lot, a motorized T-Rex with heart-pounding sound effects will definitely get your attention. It was here that I was stopped. As we mingled amongst the shops and countless historic photos on the huge walls, I happened upon a narrow hallway that appeared to lead to nowhere. Conspicuously labeled as the “Old Fashioned Photo Gallery,” I wondered if this was here a quarter century ago when we last visited? If so, I clearly missed it. Briefly glancing down the hall, I saw something. Then, I saw another and another and another. It was incredible! There were literally dozens upon dozens of period chuck wagon photos from the legendary XIT ranch. For a writer, historian, and western vehicle enthusiast, this was like finding gold. While my wife drifted in and out of the different shops, I slipped back to another time; completely immersed in the history frozen in the old ranch photos.
What had started as a begrudging stop to humor my spouse had become one of the biggest highlights of the vacation for me! There in that hallway was a massive study on the subject of chuck wagons. The enlarged photos were clear examples of how a couple of XIT chuck wagons were designed. Note the box brakes on the photos. These are reminiscent of wagons from an even earlier period. Per photo documentation at Wall Drug, these images were taken by Evelyn Cameron in 1906.The location was between Miles City and Glendive, Montana. The photos offer a unique insight into ranch chuck wagons without guesswork as to what was and wasn’t done.
All period chuck wagon photos in this post are courtesy of Wall Drug. For a closer look at the extensive collection, visit Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota. You'll have a great time!
The entire experience was a surprise and, from the instant I saw such a large part of the West hanging in the hall, I was thrilled that Tonya had insisted we stop. See what I mean? While life happens continually, the fullness of it can happen when we least expect it– even when we’re dragging our feet wanting to hustle on down the road. Slowing down, paying attention, and being open to experiences everywhere can lead us to adventures we never anticipated.
So, wherever you find yourself, take time to look in places you may never have fully explored. And, if you travel anywhere close to Wall, South Dakota, I’d encourage you to stop in and ease up on the accelerator for a bit. You might just come away with a greater sense of accomplishment and a treasured moment to remember.
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