Beyond the Rally

Welcome back to South Dakota for Sunday In My City.

Last week I gave you a look at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which is about a half hour from where I live.

It occurred to me that towns like people can find themselves defined by a single aspect unless we choose to see past that one aspect and look for more. For years now any time I heard the name Sturgis all I thought of was the motorcycle rally. I never thought a visit to Sturgis would reveal a town rich in history and scattered with interesting architecture. So today I would like to share a bit of Sturgis beyond the rally. 

My visit was very short so I didn't get a lot of shots outside of the rally. On my walk from where I parked to the main street I passed a number of well kept beautiful old homes. The varied architectural styles had me wondering about the history behind the homes and the people who built them. There were a few iron and stone fences like the one below that looked to be turn of the century in style and construction and hinted at some rather affluent residents. 

The town may be small but some of older homes are certainly not small. None along my route were huge but they were decent size like this one that is now a flower shop. I do believe this house would have been eye catching even without the vivid color scheme.

I hope you have enjoyed this little glimpse of the town. I don't know when I will get a chance to go back and explore the town more, but I am hoping it will be before winter comes.

Rapid City: West Blvd Historic District

One chilly morning, this last week, on my way to an appointment I happened to find myself going through the West Blvd Historic District in down town Rapid City.

I can just imagine how regal this neighborhood once appeared with it's wide parkways and divided boulevard. I really need to explore this neighborhood more.

Although Purple is my favorite color I don't generally think it looks good as an exterior color for a home. However, this time it most definitely worked in my opinion.

Although most of the homes along this section of the neighborhood seemed rather small there was still a great deal of charm.

 As I ventured down the block, my excitement began to rise as the homes got a bit larger. Okay, so I am a sucker for big old houses with wrap around porches.

Oh and can we say bay window? A wrap around porch and a beautiful bay window, two of my biggest architectural weaknesses.

This one even had a cute side gate. I was so drawn to the side of the home I didn't even take a shot of the front. LOL

Just one block from where I started we have a view of the business district down town. 

Next time I will spend more time and check out more of the historical buildings. For now I wish you all a wonderful week.

For more virtual travel be sure to hop over and play along with the others at Unknown Mami's Sunday In My City.

Historic Homes: Pedigrew Heights

Today was so beautiful I could not pass up going for a walk in one of my favorite parts of town. The Pedigrew Heights Historic District. There are so many beautiful and interesting homes in this area.

looking toward down town from the intersection of 8th and Summit

Not the prettiest but certainly the most mysterious.

According to this historical marker the wife of the original owner was tried and originally convicted of killing their young house servant. The conviction was overturned because of prosecutorial misconduct resulting in a retrial at which she was found guilty only of assault.

 So many different style porches and balconies. The little balcony above makes me wonder if it was used more as a look out or sentry post than a place to enjoy the sunrise.

Alright, I know I have posted photos of this home before but the cozy porch just demands attention.

 I do wonder if all three entrances on the home above are original to it's design. Maybe a guest entrance, family entrance and servants entrance. But why they are all three so close together has me a bit baffled as this is a rather large home.

I hope you have enjoyed these beautiful homes.

Historic Homes

This home had such a warm comfortable appeal that I couldn't resist taking shots from various angles.

I absolutely love wrap around porches

As if that beautiful porch wasn't the perfect spot to while away a lazy afternoon or sit and unwind from a stressful day there is this treasure almost hidden in the trees to the left.

Pettigrew Heights Historical District

Here is another sample of the beautiful historical homes to be seen in Sioux Falls. This one is located on the same block as the Pettigrew Home & Museum.

Mc Kennan Park Homes

We have a number of historic districts in Sioux Falls. These beautiful old homes are in the Mc Kennan Park Historical District, which is home to Sioux Falls first official park.