The Black Hills Travel Blog

Good Morning Belle Fourche

By Dan Daly • Jul 23rd, 2008 • Category: Uncategorized

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In May, ABC’s “Good Morning America” declared South Dakota’s Badlands to be one of the wonders of America. Now, GMA is returning to the state, this time to Belle Fourche.

A film crew from the popular morning TV show will arrive at Belle Fourche on Aug. 14. The crew will shoot video of the Butte-Lawrence County Fair in Nisland, according to a story in the Rapid City Journal.

Then GMA will turn its attention to the Center of the Nation Monument in Belle Fourche. The crew will be on hand for the Aug. 16 ceremony dedicating the avenue of flags around the granite monument.

Belle Fourche, actually a spot north of town, is the geographic center of the nation. That means there are an equal number of square miles of U.S. soil to the north, south, east and west. The geographic center moved to its current Butte County spot in 1959 when Alaska and Hawaii were admitted into the union.

The Belle Fourche Area Chamber of Commerce had planned to do the ceremony June 14, on Flag Day. But at the time the Belle Fourche River — swelled by heavy rains — wasn’t cooperating. Because of the rising waters, construction crews couldn’t install the foundations for the flags and Riverwalk Bike Path.

By the way, the Butte-Lawrence County Fair is probably my favorite fair. It’s like the old fashioned county fairs. Lots of farm animals, home-baked goodies, prize vegetables and other things that make up the texture of rural life. No bigtime country stars or massive midways.

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About the Author

Dan Daly is an on-again, off-again Black Hills resident since 1978. The Aberdeen native hit the road after high school, building houses in Boulder, working oil rigs on Colorado's Western Slope, delivering cars in California. In Wyoming and Idaho, he worked as a newspaper journalist. But the Black Hills kept luring him back. For 18 years, he wrote for the Rapid City Journal. The job gave him a chance to see the Hills from atop Mount Rushmore and the bottom of the Homestake Mine. Whenever possible, Dan grabs his dog Kody and heads to the Hills. These days, he's perfecting the art of low-impact backpacking: hike two hours to a scenic spot, break out the wine, cook up the pasta, watch the sunset and fall asleep under the stars.
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