Columns

James Earle Fraser, of Mitchell, designed the buffalo nickels that circulated from 1913 to 1938.

Upstaging Mitchell's Sculptor

September 28, 2011
Coin aficionados know the name James Earle Fraser. South Dakotans should, too.

Pick The Green Tomatoes

September 28, 2011
Ideas from our readers of what to do with unripe (but still nutritious!) green tomatoes.

Economic and Political Effects of Keystone XL

September 26, 2011
Building the Keystone XL pipeline is in the national interest both in terms of security and prosperity.

Gary Pauley runs in his home town of Parker, South Dakota.

Running with Parkinson's

September 23, 2011
Gary Pauley ran the Sioux Falls Half Marathon in September of 2010 in two hours and 10 minutes. A good race time for any 48-year-old, but Pauley has Parkinson’s Disease. 

Pouring Pettigrew

September 21, 2011
A statue honoring one of South Dakota’s most vilified characters is nearing completion.

Deadly Force, Urgent Necessity and Killing Prisoners

September 21, 2011
I note with regret that I have been party to the killing of two men in the last two months. I hope to avoid being party to a third killing.  

Taken about 8 miles south of Salem, SD in late August.

The Stars Above

September 19, 2011
It takes time and patience, but the rewards of capturing the starry hosts and being humbled by them are worth every minute of lost sleep.

Gardener's Pie

September 15, 2011
Gundy's Market in Yankton is a fun Saturday morning stop, and a great place to find fresh produce to experiment with in the kitchen. 

State-U, Version 2: No Frozen Critters

September 14, 2011
Are you ready to renew the athletic rivalry between the state’s two largest universities? It appears one school is.

Some of the mines in the Black Hills were worked long enough to become very large caverns in the earth. This one west of Custer is no longer accessible to the public.

Shooting in the Dark

September 13, 2011
Why nature forms spectacular crystals and intriguing passageways in places that normally couldn’t be seen is a mystery. Luckily, Chad Coppess knows how to capture subterranean beauty on film.

Keystone: Increasing America's Energy Security

September 12, 2011
The Keystone XL pipeline will provide economic benefits to South Dakota and energy security to the U.S.

Yankton s Kipp Kinsley leads the pack at the men s start of the swim.

Triple V Triathlon

September 9, 2011
140 individuals and 17 relay teams participated in the Triple V Triathlon last weekend in Yankton. They came, they saw, they conquered.

The Hynes family s historic cedar tree still stands west of Conde, though not as gloriously as it once did.

Trees and Us

September 7, 2011
Full of history, trees are a tangible connection to the pioneer ancestors we never knew.

Keystone XL

September 7, 2011
In 2009, TransCanada built the Keystone I oil pipeline across East River. Now the private Canadian oil shipper wants to build a second big pipeline, Keystone XL, across West River.

Dew on grass. Photo by Christian Begeman.

The Little Things

September 6, 2011
South Dakota is known for beautiful, wide open spaces, but did you know that compelling images can be made in a seemingly boring pasture or even your own backyard or garden?

Water, The Great Mystery is a documentary produced in 2008 featuring recent discoveries about water from experts worldwide.

The Mystery of Water

September 6, 2011
“Water: The Great Mystery” is a video which could transform the way you view your water. Transforming our thoughts and attitudes towards our precious water will make the difference between life and death.

Our Zucchini Cook-off

September 1, 2011
We were all winners in South Dakota Magazine's zucchini cooking competition.

Capt. J.B. Irvine was stationed at Fort Sully from 1867 to 1874.

Rediscovering J.B. Irvine

August 31, 2011
We were visiting my wife’s parents in Letcher last Christmas when my mother-in-law asked if I’d ever heard of J.B. Irvine.

Chad Coppess is the senior photographer at the S.D. Department of Tourism.

Our State Photographer

August 30, 2011
Photographer Chad Coppess travels year-round to photograph our state's attractions, historic sites, landscapes and wildlife. 

Dr. Ken Blanchard is a professor of Political Science at Northern State University and writes for the Aberdeen American News and the blog South Dakota Politics.

Civilized S.D. Politics

August 29, 2011
Like my friend Cory Heidelberger, I was delighted when South Dakota Magazine invited me to contribute a column. 

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