In my mind Wall Drug has always been associated with tourist traps like South of the Border in South Carolina. It's famous signs are reminiscent of "See Rock City" birdhouses and painted barns spread through the south. Jim had visited Wall Drug in the 60s when driving cross-country to grad school at Stanford. He was more-or-less enchanted.
Between Rapid City and Wall, we crossed the Cheyenne River.
The escarpment in the background is part of the "Wall" that gave the town of Wall its name.
The store takes up at least an entire block. It might be more accurate to call it Wall Mall since there are many independent businesses within it, but it really did start life as a drug store.
Dorothy and Ted Hustead purchased the only drug store in the tiny town of Wall in 1931. Business was bad but they promised each other to give it five years before moving on. When the five years was nearly up, Dorothy, inspired by the Burma Shave signs, put up a series of signs on the US highway offering free ice water. Sure enough, people traveling toward the California "promised land" or the national parks began to stop. In addition to the free water, they bought a little of this and a little of that.
In the years since, the signs have grown and changed -- although they are still hand-painted. And you can still get free ice water.
Around the corner from Wall Drug is the World's Largest Jackalope. Built by the Dahl brothers, chainsaw artists. We passed numerous examples of their work during our trip.
The jackalope, a jackrabbit or hare with the antlers of a pronghorn antelope or whitetail deer, is the stuff of legend. There were several mounted ones for sale at Wall Drug. The critter may have some roots in fact, however, because rabbits and hares infected with a particular type of papilloma virus will in fact develop horn-like growths.
The coffee shop at Wall Drug holds part of the Hustead's extensive collection of Western art as well as reproductions of registered brands that adorn the walls.
Somewhat after taking this picture I saw a sign saying not to take pictures of the artwork, but since this isn't focused on an individual painting, I decided to keep it.
The art collection is estimated to be worth over $3M.
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