1965 South Dakota Vacation Revisited Part 5

That's me in front of the entrance to Wind Cave National Park – 1965

One of the goofier aspects of that 1965 South Dakota trip was my personal contribution: suggesting that we stop at Wind Cave National Park. Now why would a six-year old suggest that?

Blame Tennessee Tuxedo.

That's right, a cartoon penguin planted that thought in my brain. You see, earlier that year, General Mills ran a promotion on its boxes of Kix cereal for a Tennesee Tuxedo National Parks coloring book & stamp album. (The company also sponsored the penguin's cartoon show on TV.)

I really can't remember whether we sent away for the book or not. But right there on the Kix box, there was a picture of Tennessee Tuxedo and his pal Chumley driving around the United States. Near the very stylized drawing of Mt. Rushmore was a sign for Wind Cave National Park.

That sign apparently intrigued me enough to bug my parents to go there, with the result that we ended up making a side trip to that park. I even got my picture taken at the entrance (the photo's at the top of this post).

The park itself was great and worth the trip. The cave tour was pretty memorable, and a maybe even a little creepy, as it seemed we just kept going further down into the ground. We also enjoyed the buffalo (appropriately roaming about the park) as well as the prairie dog town.

I even saved my little souvenir book all these years (below).

And the brochure from the place as well (below).

I always liked the simplicity of the design of those National Park brochures of the 1960s.

Finally, I wondered if the park sign looked the same after all these years. A quick look online confirmed it: yup, it does pretty much – except the arrowhead logo is now crowded onto the updated sign.

****

Anyway, hope you didn't mind this "vacation" from my regular topics. I'll be back from vacation next week with some more nostalgic treats from Lorain and the surrounding county. Plus it's Lorain County Fair Week – one of my favorite weeks of the year!