South Dakota’s rich pioneer and Wild West history attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, with cemeteries playing a key role in bringing the past to life for visitors. Historical sites like the Ingalls Homestead in De Smet, known for its ties to the “Little House on the Prairie” book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, are popular destinations for history lovers. The annual Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant in De Smet features local actors reenacting scenes from the books and has recently introduced new scripts to enhance the visitor experience. The De Smet Cemetery, where members of the Ingalls family are buried, offers tours that provide insights into local history beyond the book series.
In Deadwood, the Mount Moriah Cemetery is a famous tourist attraction due to its notable residents, including Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. The cemetery, closed to new burials for 75 years, welcomes thousands of visitors annually who pay homage to these Old West legends. The cemetery’s role as a historic site and tourist destination is supported by a $2 admission fee for upkeep.
The upcoming episode of “South Dakota Focus” will explore how De Smet and Deadwood engage visitors with their historical legacies, as well as the connection between historic preservation and the gaming industry in Deadwood. Tour guides in Deadwood also share the town’s gruesome history and ghost stories with visitors.
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