Sunday, March 8, 2009

Wall Confidential

Wall Drug : Famous Worldwide : Wall, South Dakota

Due to inclement weather across Washington and Montana today, we decided to stay in Rapid City, South Dakota, an additional day and give the snow time to work its way out of our way! The result was seeing parts of western South Dakota that we otherwise would have skipped because we would have been long on our way to Montana. Because we saw so much, I'm breaking today's posts up into three separate entries. Hope you enjoy them!


L: Animatronic Campfire Quartet
R: The pharmacy section of Wall Drug, complete with hunting mounts.

Our first stop for the day was 50 miles back up the road in Wall, South Dakota. Wall is famous for one thing and one thing only: its ginormous frontier drug store. It is quite literally the largest employer in the tiny town of Wall.

The Traveler's Chapel : Wall Drug : Wall, South Dakota

There are entire city blocks that are nothing but parking lots for tourists and tour buses filled with people coming to see Wall Drug. Here are a few pictures from this unique South Dakota attraction and the town of Wall.

Wall, South Dakota's Public Library and Public Utilities Bill Paying Boxes


Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 03/09

11 comments:

RoeH said...

I was there once. Once you go through Montana to get to the Dakotas and you have seem 3 million Wall Drug signs on the way, you HAVE to stop there.

Maya said...

I don't really understand what all the fuss is about. I guess you have to be there...

The Artful Eye said...

As Lucy mentioned, we saw a gazillion Wall Drug signs but for us no Wall Drugs. We actually were laughing because we saw signs for wall before Lusk Wyoming and all the way up to the Dakotas and began to think it was an anomalie.

I would have loved to see that Traveler's chapel.

Janet Kincaid said...

Lucy: I think we saw three million, four hundred and twenty-seven thousand, nine hundred and eight Wall Drug signs. All I can saw is, thank goodness they don't light their billboards at night, 'cause that woulda been doubly annoying!


Maya: I don't either, but it was fun nonetheless. Kind of like Disneyland for drug stores.


Andrea: The traveler's chapel was simple, but lovely.

Virginia said...

Did you get a chance to watch some paint dry?
V

Anonymous said...

I really like the quirky uniquness of this shot. The 3 mailboxes and the lil' library. Such a contrast to the big 'powerful' store above it yet I am much more drawn to these smaller 'details."

Must be nearly spring...

Cele said...

When we would travel cross country back in the late 60s we were forever coming across cars with those sired on front bumper cards saying somethign articulate about life beginning at Wall Drug.

I've been to South Dakota, but none of the kewl spots you saw.

Brian said...

Am I the only one who's confused by the headstones in front of the Library/Bill pay place? In South Dakota, it's not like there's a shortage of space!

Virginia said...

Brain's right of course. What's with the library/bill pay/ cemetery combo? One stop/last stop shopping???
V

Janet Kincaid said...

VJ: There were certainly some parts of the trip that were like watching paint dry! Thankfully, the good parts outweighed the drying paint moments.


Lisa: I liked the quirkiness of this, too.


Cele: I almost grabbed a Wall Drug bumper sticker for my car. Now I wish I had.


Brian: No, I was confused, too.


VJ: Well, I guess South Dakota is just trying to be convenient?

Rob said...

Do they still sell those Wall Drug coins? I know somewhere in my cigar box of childhood treasures I have a couple of them coins along with a penny you squeeze in a machine at Mount Rushmore. Also a penny I put on the railroad tracks. You know, important stuff.