I love stories about 1960s family vacations, probably because I took a few myself. This story came by way of Bill Honerkamp at the Black Hills, Badlands & Lakes Association. He received a photo of two boys circa 1962 standing at an unnamed Black Hills tourist attraction.

The note that came with it, from Keith Lawrence, said, “I am attaching a photo of myself and my older brother that was taken during a family vacation out to the Black Hills of South Dakota back sometime about 1962. I am trying to find out where this photo was taken.”

Keith thought the Conestoga wagon and fake oxen might have been at Wall Drug. But Bill, who probably knows more about Black Hills than anybody, thought it was in Rockerville, south of Rapid City. Almost on cue, South Dakota Tourism sent out a press release, part of its Marks of History series, with a photo of modern Rockerville. And sure enough, the buildings in the background seem to match — although the trees have grown. (See below.)

In a followup email, Keith filled me in on his family’s Black Hills vacation:

“I do not recall a lot from that trip other than one story about our entire family sleeping in our station wagon one night at a rest stop somewhere in South Dakota. While we were trying our best to get some sleep, a cattle truck pulled up and parked for the night near us, and all we heard for the rest of the night was the cows moooooing all night long!”

“Our original plan was to go to Yellowstone National Park, but due to car problems, I think we only made it to Devils Tower before my dad decided we better turn back and head for home. My dad felt so bad, it seemed like every place we stopped they told him that his head gasket needed to be replaced.

“When we finally made it home my dad took the car over to a relation who owned a gas station at the time. When my dad pulled into the station, our relation told him it was the water pump, which he fixed and the car had no problems after that.

“Also after seeing all the Wall Drug signs advertising the ‘Cowboy Band’ my mom was really looking forward to hearing some live music, she was disappointed when we got there and she found out that the ‘Cowboy Band’ was a bunch of mechanical dummies!

“That trip was the first time that we saw Mount Rushmore and we were very impressed. Also we went to Hill City and rode the 1880 Train. Over all it was a fun trip because we were all together, some great memories!”