High Plains Western Heritage Center — Attraction in Spearfish

This place holds a special spot in my family's heart. We call it "Grandpa's Museum" because our grandfather was the first to use their accessibility ramp when it was installed in 2018. He has since passed, so this trip, we visited all his favorite spots.

This was mine and my kids' first visit to the museum and we arrived 30 minutes before closing. The day got away from us! They were so kind and waived our entrance fee since we had to zip through.

We were lead to the auditorium to watch the informational video and while chatting with the staff member (owner?), I told her about Grandpa. She remembered him and told us a story about when they presented their finished ramp project to the city and used Grandpa's picture. It was delightful to hear and warms my heart that he is remembered far and wide.

When we arrived, there was a Native American flute player finishing up his performance. We missed it but he stuck around and was playing afterwards for some other folks. It was lovely to hear his music echo throughout the halls while we strolled through.

The displays were gorgeous and the museum was sparkly clean, very well kept. It was the perfect size for our littles who only keep interest for so long. They loved every exhibit and had tons of questions!

A gentleman (cowboy) in the wagon/coaches section chatted with us and let the kids take a picture in one of the wagons. Then he got them out and lined them up for a stick up! LOL so fun!

We made sure to make some purchases at the gift shop to support the museum and local artists. They had a great selection of handmade items. We can't wait to visit again next time we...

We finally scheduled our trip out West. The national parks and sites are stunning. One of our stops was at the High Plains Western Heritage Center in Spearfish, South Dakota. Our Colette tour guide set up a time for us to eat and go through the museum. There is plenty of parking with multiple handicap spaces. They also have ramps and elevators for use. The museum is set up to educate travelers on the cowboy era of the Old West. Upon entering, I immediately realized there were many exhibits to see in the museum. They divided it into different display areas based on topics from fashion, Native American, transport, etc. The first area I visited was the transportation display. There is a stagecoach, different types of buggies, and the covered wagons you see in movies. Looking inside the covered wagon, I think of how hard life was for the first settlers out West. They also have a hearse display with a coffin, cowboy hat, and boots. I can almost see the townspeople in their carriages, all dressed in fine Western attire. There are multiple weapons displays, saddle displays, and displays of tools used at the time. The museum taught me things I did not know but was also very interesting. Every staff member was welcoming and friendly. The staff was eager to share their knowledge and provide context for each subject or display. Visiting the museum was thought provoking, educational, and enjoyable. I am glad it was part of our tour. It is a great family attraction. I need to get back in the saddle and mosey on over to my next...

Excellent from ¹entry!! Wow! The male volunteer with white van dyke beard was so pleasant. We hit the jackpot today! Author Doug Hoff was there with his two books, Honoring Anna, and Honoring Anna : The Winds of Time, based on true stories of Norwegian immigrants to South Dakota. He was a wealth of knowledge. The man interpreting a Cavalry trooper, Gary, was most interesting. The piece de resistance were the two female interpreters Ms.Joyce Jefferson and Jerry. What gems you have in these two ladies! You just do not realize! I have done first person historic interpretation since 1980 on the East Coast. These ladies are a powerful duo! What an awesome team! I am so very thankful we visited today. They are the highlight of our trip from...