Photo courtesy Faith Country Book 1910 - 1985 edition

Life on the prairie ... passing down history

Who came before you? Where do you come from? How did your community take shape and evolve? These are all important questions. Each with a long list of who, what, where, and varied versions of why. 
Out here across the western SD prairie most folks 65+ can give you a detailed account of where past family, friends, and neighbors once graced others with their presence. All be it, some personalities had more sparkle than others(which is a whole other topic)!  Good , bad, or otherwise each of those personalities helped to shape this land and communities into what we call home today.
In the hustle and bustle of forward progress with constant upgrades and improvements to every facet of daily life, taking a moment to reflect on how we all came to be here can be fun, interesting, and educational. 
I have each of the Faith history books, and Ziebach County books I consult on a regular basis. These have been a wealth of knowledge about how these areas were developed and have evolved over time. Something more often than not is brought up in conversation that can’t be agreed upon, so out come the books for answers!
A recent delve into the history books brought an awful realization. Not everyone in the area at the time the books were created contributed a family history or story(my family included). This further magnified the realization that my great grandkids and so on will not be able to look back in the community or county history book and be reminded of where they came from. 
The holiday season is upon us and the winter months in general make a great time to gather for a visit or cards. I encourage everyone to visit about the who, where, how, and why of your family and communities origin, especially with the younger generations. Better yet, get that history down on paper or recorded via video or voice recorder. Generations from now this information and insight to the way it was and who we were may be the only connection left to understand and appreciate how their community came to be and who helped create it.
A few pictures of communities at their height may help to spark conversations and memories of the past. 
If you have a family, community, or personal history story you would like to share from the Meade, Perkins, Ziebach, Haakon, or Dewey County area, feel free to contact the Faith Independent.  
 

The Pioneer Review

221 E. Oak Street
Philip, SD 57567
Telephone: (605) 859-2516
E Mail: ads@pioneer-review.com

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