In the middle of South Dakota along I-90 is a place called 1880 town. It is a fun breaking point along the long windy drive across the state. We decided to check it out!
There is a large indoor area with lots of props from Dances With Wolves (filmed in South Dakota). Then out back are a bunch of 1880 themed buildings. The first building on the left is a large showcase of all sorts of antiques and items from the 1880s. I loved this giant wood chair:
Then I spotted a mannequin wearing an ermine fur! That is not something you see every day! I remember the first time I saw an ermine fur (we were living in DC). I was thinking it looked like little dogs and I was a little creeped out by it! I rarely see people wear real fur in the US but when we were living in Europe we saw a lot of fur coats!
The text with the photo says, “Photo of Kate Peterson taken in 1990 on her 96th birthday. In 1916 this fur piece was purchased in Kansas City on her wedding trip. She was 23. Her husband helped build the Dixon church. That church is now located at the 1880 Town.”
I love that the fire house has a ramp to get the fire trucks out of the building:
The saloon was my favorite building. The red and dark wood interior was so pretty! There was a bar and a bartender mixing drinks. And behind the bar you could rent 1880s clothing and wear it while walking around the property. We were there just before closing so we didn’t get a chance to rent something fun. I would love to go back with a group and all hang out in 1880s costumes!
Check out the player piano on the stage:
Upstairs in the saloon there were bedrooms and I loved seeing the antique toilet and bathtub:
When I first saw this antique bathtub, I thought the top folded down so you would stay warm during your soak. But when I did a little research, I found that the tub actually folds up when you are not using it – like a murphy bed! It is called a Mosely folding bathtub.
