USS Yorktown on The Endangered List (Possible Plans For Patriots Point Residential Development)

[BrentAllen]

pack,

I've been to Mt Rushmore and The Badlands twice - enjoyed both. Never saw the caricatures, but did enjoy some ice cream.

 

During both visits to The Badlands, I inquired about visiting Wounded Knee. I've read a lot of Native American history, and really wanted to go there. Both times I was warned not to drive down, that it might be dangerous as many Oglalas didn't want us there, and they didn't want to turn it into a tourist destination. We did visit the Oglala-staffed Visitor Center in the South Unit (they warned us not to visit Wounded Knee, as well). I was a bit disappointed in that Visitor Center - basically a mobile home with a few artifacts and regalia. The Oglala have a fascinating story to tell of their history, and I was hoping to see some of that, but there really wasn't anything there. I was hoping for a similar experience from when we visited Little Bighorn Battlefield, with live tours, static displays, a wealth of information about what had happened there - with both sides represented.

That may come to pass in the not too distant future, as the South Unit may become the first Tribal National Park, turned over to and run by the Oglalas. See http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2010/09/south-unit-badlands-national-park-likely-become-americas-first-tribal-national-park6703 that came out earlier this month. But who knows, they may have a totally different idea of how they want to run the park. Seeing their budget, now I know why there isn't much at the South Visitor Center.

 

I guess the closest I will get to Wounded Knee for now is watching Thunderheart. :-)

 

Sorry for the hijack. You will now be returned to your regular progamming.

[packsaddle]

Hi Brent, I also very much enjoyed the Badlands. If my memory serves me, I could pick out the same spots I had visited on our marathon family camping trip back in 1957 as well.

I got the comments about Wounded Knee as well but they didn't sound as dire as you described so I went ahead - and perhaps got lucky. I hadn't even heard of Wounded Knee in 1957. That took Dee Brown to get me started. Back to topic....

[Guerin]

I see alot of misinformation on the USS Yorktown and Patriots Point. We are not sinking anytime soon or going to be shut down by the state fire marshal. I welcome any inquires or emails...call me on my cell phone at 843-729-8063 or email at wwhills@patriotspoint.org.

 

I ran the scouting program from 1997 until this year, some of you may remember the aviator in the flight suit who taught the aviation merit badge class.

 

I'm now serving as the Communications/PR contact for Patriots Point. Hope to see many of you scouters and your scouts back onboard the Fighting Lady...the most decorated carrier to survive World War II and the scrap heap...

 

Butch Hills

 

[packsaddle]

Welcome to the forums, Guerin. Thanks for the info, I'll tell the leaders in the pack a well.

 

Edited to add:

Brent, I found these reviews of the Wounded Knee cemetery. Except for one, they mostly sound like my experience back in 2005. You probably should have done the trip.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g54880-d144992-r77426353-Wounded_Knee_Massacre_Monument-Wounded_Knee_South_Dakota.html#REVIEWS

(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[ASM915]

GUerin, welcome to the forum. Sorry if I created a stir. I caught what little information that was offered up on the 11:00PM Charleston news, last week while vacationing in your lovely state.

 

Brent, hijack away. I'm easy. I would love to get out to Wounded Knee & Little Bighorn, and offer up some sage, sweetgrass & tobacco. Unfortunately, I live in Ohio, and have to claim Custer as one of hours. Maybe his problem was SAD. We seem to have to many crazies from Ohio. LOL.

[packsaddle]

Don't worry, Custer found the cure in Montana. I'm just glad we didn't have anyone confusing Charleston with similar-sounding cities in IL or WV, just to name a few. Tough to float a ship near some of those.

BTW, Charleston, IL has the world's ugliest statue of Lincoln nearby. I've seen it. You couldn't make an uglier one. O!M!G!