The Early Years of South Dakota Magazine

Jul 15, 2008

When South Dakota Magazine started in 1985, many of our photos were in black and white. Here is a sampling of some of our favorite photos from those early years.

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We found this young lady picking buffaloberries on Terry Peak in 1985.
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Clyde Ice traded two used cars for an airplane after World War I and helped to pioneer air travel in South Dakota. Thousands of people took their first plane ride with the barnstormer.
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Arne Larson collected musical instruments as a teenager. Eventually, they filled his Brookings home. In 1973 he moved everything to Vermillion where the world-class Shrine to Music Museum was established.
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Ed Yost left the corporate world to attempt a record-setting trans-Atlantic balloon flight.
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The largest Danish colony in the United States in the late 19th century was in Turner County, so it's no surprise that men still play Sevensil, a card game from the Old Country, on main street in Viborg.
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In 1964 Curt Carter bought his uncle's gas station, south of Watertown on U.S. Highway 81, and hung a few guns on the wall to sell. They sold, so he hung a few more. The business boomed into one of the Midwest's biggest gun shops, Kones Korner.
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A South Dakota Magazine photographer arrived at Lawrence Brown's ranch near Buffalo in 1993 just as the well-known rural activist's grandsons Nathan, Joseph and Justin, were preparing to milk their goat, Eugenia Blue Flower.
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When word that a big mining company was secretly exploring for uranium in Yankton County, a roomful of irate landowners met in Irene and demanded information.
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South Dakota Magazine readers want to learn about interesting out-of-the-way places. An example is Frank Day's Bar at Dallas, east of Winner on Highway 18. Old West history, hamburgers, hats and boots create a rare ambiance.
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King Ziegler liked old cars and collected them before they became collectibles. Eventually he started this unique salvage yard near Scotland. Sheep kept the grass short.
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George and Alice Stroppel's hotel and hot bath business in Midland celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2000. The peacefulness of Midland is almost as restful as the 119-degree geothermal waters.

Comments

07:29 am - Sat, April 5 2014

Dana said:

I saw this photo of Clyde Ice. My great grandfather word as Clyde's aviation. Mechanic for years. My great grandpa was Jim Welling. They lived in the Miller SD area. I have family photos of my great grandpa and Clyde and his Ford Tri Motor (which my grandpa worked tirelessly on)... I would love to connect with Clyde's family! Thanks for doing what you do SD MAG!!!