Wall Drug, Jackalopes, and the Return to a Birthplace, August 4, Day 29, Part 2

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What's hot: Jackalope.

Travel lesson of the day: Build it and they will come.

from Kathy:

This day, August 4, deserves another entry for our return visit to Wall Drug in Wall, SD, and to Interior, SD, the birthplace of Clark Griswold, our little Prairie Dog mascot.

Whether you’re going east or west on Rt. 90. you’ll begin to encounter signs—lots of them—for Wall Drug at least 125 miles before you get there.

Any Pittsburghers here old enough to remember the Burma Shave signs that lined the pre-Rt. 79 roads to Erie, Pennsylvania? Or does anyone remember the Mail Pouch Tobacco signs on the sides of barns?

Wall Drug is perhaps one of the clearest cases of build-it-and-they-will-come I’ve ever seen. According to its Web site, it started at the worst of the Depression and they needed a way to attract customers. Their answer? They offered free ice water to thirsty travelers and five-cent coffee. They are still advertising those two offers today with miles and miles of down-homey road signs along Route 90. But there’s more to their attraction than that—they’re right at one of the entrances to the Badlands National Park. Location, location, location—even when it’s 50 miles of open range from populations!

Wall Drug is now in lots of travel books, operates a 76,000 square foot store, and has shopping hours that would make dedicated mall shoppers jealous. In an earlier entry, as we drove west, we recorded the observation that Wall Drug is not, let’s say, compulsive about being in the drug store business. They have no weekend druggist, for instance. But oh well, they do have Jackalopes! What is a jackalope? Rabbit plus antelope--then use your imagination. In Wall, SD, they offer jackalope rides for $1 just like they offer pony rides in other places. JJ, being 18, wasn't required to be led around town by a guide.

Return to the Birthplace of the Prairie Dog

Clark Griswold was yearning to see his brothers and sisters one more time, and to hear his native language, Prairish, spoken one more time.

“Who knows when we’ll be here again?” lamented Clark Griswold in his accented English (sounds like a lisp to me!).

We had to visit The Ranch Store at Interior, SD, site of the Giant Concrete Prairie Dog, to make his wish come true. As you can see from the pictures, we put him back in the little town of his birth, where he caught up with some of his home boys and girls.

August 4--a long, colorful day for the memory book.

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Photos

JJ Rides the Giant Jackalope at Wall Drug
They grow them big around here.

76,000 Square Feet of Kitsch
People come here "just because" ... proving that, sometimes, if you build it, they will come. We certainly did.

Home, Sweet Home
It brings tears to Clark Griswold's eyes.

We've Missed You!
We can't understand what they are saying in Prairish, but we are touched by the obvious emotion!

Catching Up
They have a lot to talk about.

Comments

[Susan]

I love you guys!
OK, the pictures of Clark with his family are hilarious! You need to sell the business, go on family trips and become a travel writer. I love you guys!

[Connolly US Road Trip]

The Real Story
The real prairie dogs in this picture were pretty interested in beating Clark up! We were actually afraid they might drag him down a hole! Scott scooped him up and off we went, leaving a few unsalted peanuts behind to make peace.