Category: Trailblazer

Black Hills, South Dakota.

Time to get our Yellowstone on yes, I am so incredibly thrilled to be telling you all about one of my favorite spots and vacations in the entire world and that is none other than the Black Hills in South Dakota. I remember traveling to this wonderous place in my Grandparents RV as a child with my family and my Cousin Nate and I were mesmorized every second! The protruding sharp hills appeared to shoot up like daggers reaching for the heavens called our names as we rolled through each stop taking all of the majestic sights in. As we stopped and took in each famous stop to the next it was almost as if we could feel a huge build up and longing for the final stop which was so much more than I had anticipated.

The Crazy Horse memorial monument is something that is so special to my heart and impactful. I was younger than 10 years old when my Grandfather led the family vacation out to see this mamoth undertaking. I remember him being so moved by the fact that the Sculptor and artist, Korczack Ziolkowski set out to take on this task just by himself, his wife Ruth and their 10 children! He was so mesmerized by how one man and his dream and his 10 kids commissioned by the Native American council, set out on a journey to accomplish such a daunting and invigorating task.

The Crazy Horse Memorial is a mountain monument under construction on privately held land in the Black Hills , in Custer County, South Dakota, United States. It will depict the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, riding a horse and pointing to his tribal land. The memorial was commissioned by Henry Standing Beaar, a Lakota elder, to be sculpted by Korczack Ziolkowski. It is operated by the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit organization.

The monument has been in progress since 1948 and is far from completion. When completed as designed, it will become the world’s second tallest statue!!

According to Wikipedia: Crazy Horse (Lakota: Tȟašúŋke Witkó, ”His-Horse-Is-Crazy”; c. 1840 – September 5, 1877) was a Lakota war leader of the Oglala band in the 19th century. He took up arms against the United States federal government to fight against encroachment by white American settlers on Native American territory and to preserve the traditional way of life of the Lakota people. His participation in several famous battles of the Black Hills War on the northern Great Plains, among them the Fetterman Fight in 1866, in which he acted as a decoy, and the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876, in which he led a war party to victory, earned him great respect from both his enemies and his own people.

In September 1877, four months after surrendering to U.S. troops under General George Crook, Crazy Horse was fatally wounded by a bayonet-wielding military guard while allegedly resisting imprisonment at Camp Robinson in present-day Nebraska. He was honored by the U.S. Postal Servicein 1982 with a 13¢ Great American series postage stamp.

To carve a monument honoring this great warrior, Crazy Horse is awe inspiring. The sheer magnitude of it’s size and the shape and position of him commanding the mountain and pointing forward is such a poignant and moving tribute to a Man, a people and the Native American Culture. It is so large and the scope of it is just some thing that is utterly amazing. I encourage everyone to research the Korczack Ziolkowski family and foundation as well, as the decendants continue to complete the vision and then some to this day!

What once began over 67 years ago and is now coming to fruition is magnificent!

The plans for the entire memorial is to be applauded as well. There are plans for not only the monument, but also a University, Native American cultural studies so much more highlighting the beauty and struggle of such an amazing people. Thier love for the land and all of God’s creatures holds a unique bond with nature, earth, and the Heavens. Shared knowledge that we are all one should be studying and explored by all was so moving.

I’m so grateful to be surprised by Colin, with this trip for my best birthday ever to take my sons and journey back!! I was able to fulfill a promise to my Grandpa to return, and that feeling was priceless! I wrote a message and left it for the foundation in the guest center just as we did decades ago!!

The entire trip down there was just surreal. On the drive into Crazy Horse Memorial we stopped at almost all of the same attractions that we went to years back. Famous Wall Drug and the Historic Corn Palace were fantastic. We did not stop in to the Reptile Gardens, but we passed by it on the way. Ace and I were even able to ride horses and take the very same trail I rode alongside my cousin Nathan. Connected at the hip Nate and I explored every inch of the hills and campgrounds. So to be back and recreate some of the very same events filled my heart with joy!

We stayed at the Rushmore Mountain KOA Holiday hotel and resort and the boys were able to slide on the waterslide, play basketball, bounce on the bounce house, and we played mini golf under the stars.

There’s so much to explore in this great world of ours, and to be able to share it generationally is a blessing. We’ll be returning with my Parents soon and I can’t wait to return to Crazy Horse monument again with Colin, our Sons and perhaps their children one day!

Happy Holiday Rising!!