The Traveling Tinkers - Wall Drug near the Badlands

 All the signs were beckoning for us to come to Wall Drug, just outside the badlands.  It reminded me of Pedro at South of the Boarder.  Free Ice Water!  5 Cent Coffee!  Don't miss the TRex!  Located in Wall, South Dakota, we just couldn't miss it.  

In December of 1931, Dorothy and Ted Hustead purchased the only drugstore in a town called Wall on the edge of the South Dakota badlands.  With a mere 325 residents of the town, and poor ones at that, farmers mostly. The prairie weather was cold, no snow, but very chilly and windy, they were hopeful that a traveler along the way may need or want to stop for a hot cup of coffee.  They didn't.  When Dorothy and Ted were searching for a place to live, they wanted a small town, with a catholic church, and Wall was the place where there was the drugstore for sale. They had spoken to a priest, a doctor and a banker, and were told that Wall was a great place to live with good people.    They were excited but their families were skeptical.  They were told "It's in the middle of nowhere" and "everyone is flat broke"!   Even went so far as to say "Wall is just about as Godforsaken as you can get."

But Dorothy and Ted couldn't give up on Wall.  Dorothy had two aunts that were nuns (similar to myself) who said they would pray about it.  In the end, it was decided it was God's will for them to move to Wall. 

They gave it a go for 5 years and on the 5th year, after not much success, it was about time to throw in the towel and they had a brainstorm that people driving across the prairie were thirsty!  Why not offer them cold water.  Free cold water to get the travelers to stop at their store.  They posted signs on the road.

People started pouring in, all hot and frazzled. For hours they had ice cream, shakes, soda, and headed on their way refreshed.  

The rest is history and they have grown into a large operation with a restaurant, multiple stores, amusements for kids, and yes, coffee for 5Cents.  And you can still get that refreshing ice water if  you wish. 














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