The History of Badlands National Monument and the White River (Big) Badlands of South DakotaMattison, Ray H.
History
The History of Badlands National Monument and the White River (Big) Badlands of South Dakota
Mattison, Ray H.
Badlands National Park (S.D.) -- History
The installation of exhibits in the visitor center was essentially
completed by November 1960.[243] Some of the materials used in the
exhibits were donated by a number of individuals and institutions. Mr.
Herbert Millard, son of the late Ben Millard, gave a large mass of sand
calcite crystals now in the Small Wonders Exhibit. Dr. Winter of the
University of South Dakota at Vermillion donated the plant collection in
the Great Plains Grasslands Exhibit. The mounted badger in the Wildlife
of the Grassland Exhibit was a gift from Orville Sandall of Kadoka,
South Dakota. The skull of an Audubon Bighorn, on display above the
Breaks in the Grassland Exhibit, was donated by Willard Sharp of
Interior, South Dakota. In the exhibit showing a number of Indian
artifacts are casts of early-man points donated by the University of
Nebraska State Museum.[244]
The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, South
Dakota, donated both the lower jaw and the upper jaw, including skull,
of a fossilized titanothere, which is in the Badlands Bones Exhibit. The
materials for the articulated oreodont fossil in the same exhibit were
also donated by the school. The oreodont fossil is of particular
interest because it was found northwest of Imlay, South Dakota about 100
feet from where a famous fossilized oreodont with unborn twins was
excavated. The latter fossil is on display at the Museum of Geology at
the school (see Figure 5).[245]
The first full-time resident park naturalist for Badlands National
Monument was assigned in June 1958 to aid with the local interpretive
program.[246] For a number of years previously, a park naturalist who
had been assigned to Black Hills areas of the NPS also served the
national monument on an irregular basis.[247]
[Illustration: Figure 27 CLIFF SHELF NATURE
TRAIL
The loop trail, completed in 1962, is constructed over a geological
slump which has lush plant cover. To acquaint the visitor with the
area’s natural history, a trail leaflet is provided. Here,
naturalist-guided walks are offered daily during the summer
months.[250]]
On September 16, 1959, following the completion of the visitor center,
the NPS dedicated Badlands National Monument. The featured speaker for
the event was Fred A. Seaton, Secretary of the Interior, who gave the
dedicatory address. Some 350 persons attended the ceremony.[248]
Tragedy struck a short time prior to the dedication with the sudden
death of Superintendent George H. Sholly on August 19. As a tribute to
him, the new amphitheater was named the George H. Sholly Memorial
Amphitheater.[249]
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