LAWRENCE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY 2009 FALL TOUR

Staging area for the 2009 Fall Tour of the Lawrence County Historical Society was the parking lot near the entrance to Black Hills State University. Our Dakota Bus Service driver was Billy Vaughn, a personable and helpful host! You'll notice the rather balmy weather that we were enjoying at our 10:00 a.m. departure -- but we would learn that Ma Nature is still in control.

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There's nothing quite like "leaving the driving to them!" That's Linda and Jerry Bryant behind driver Billy Vaughn. It was a beautiful morning and the 20 or so folks on the tour seemed quite prepared for a pleasant outing. First, we headed north on U.S. 85 to Belle Fourche, and then turned west on Highway 34.

Our first stop was a mile or so east of Aladdin, Wyoming. That's the site of the Aladdin Tipple Historical Interpretive Park.

The State of Wyoming and Crook County can take pride in this gem of a site. But the real tip of the hat must go to the Aladdin Homemaker's -- the instigator for restoration and development of this historic site. Here, some of our tour read one of several interpretive signs erected along the path leading up to the tipple site.

Although it's somewhat visible from the road, the best view is afforded when you pull in to the small parking lot and walk a few yards inside the gate for this terrific view of the coal tipple -- one of the few remaining such sites in the country.

We noticed what appeared to be a catwalk along the east side of the tipple.

Concrete piers, anchor cables, and a variety of other mechanisms were put in place to keep the historic site intact. Even so, it appears a bit vulnerable, given the erratic weather that sweeps through this region of the upper plains.

Atop the tipple near the entrance to the minng operation.

Perhaps it's viewed as just a "wide spot in the road," but the Aladdin General Store reflects a 110-year tradition of serving Aladdin area residents -- and more than a few summer tourists -- with everything from gasoline and meat to a wide variety of merchandise that is virtually crammed into every nook and cranny on the main floor and the "Antique Attic."

The Aladdin Post Office is housed on the east end of the General Store. The bench on the front porch is well-renowned as the "Liar's Bench," and has likely been a seating place for generations of story-tellers!