Dakota Dispatch #6: Edmunds County

Earlier this week, I went with my mom and an aunt to visit my Grandma, who lives in Roscoe, SD. The current population of Roscoe falls somewhere below 400; needless to say, it's a pretty quiet place. We went for a few evening walks and, um, saw the sights.

This is Roscoe's "Lovers' Lane:"


Roscoe, from just east of town:


Downtown Roscoe (bustling, I know):


One afternoon, we drove to Bowdle (which has, I think, nearly 600 residents) and had lunch at the drive in that another one of my aunts owns and manages:


While there, we learned about Bowdle's annual Tower Days. Apparently, Bowdle is the home to the tallest municipal water tower in South Dakota. Not only that, but the water tower was intended for the town of Timber Lake, but when the train carrying it stopped in Bowdle, the people there assumed it was theirs and unloaded it. Timber Lake asked for the tower back, but Bowdle just decided to keep it. And now, decades later the town celebrates that auspicious event with a banquet, street dance, sumo wrestling and dancing Cossacks. I kid you not.

Here's the tower: