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Just east of Badlands National Park, take some time to visit Prairie Homestead. You’ll see an actual Sodbuster house and farm from the turn of the century, and wonder how these folks ever made a go of it!
Back in the early 1900’s, the government handed out land parcels for a small fee to encourage western migration into what was once Sioux Indian Territory. You needed to live on the land a few years in order to “prove it” – meaning own it permanently.
The homesteaders had a saying: “The government bet you 160 acres of land against $18 that you will starve to death before you live on the land 5 years.”
Most homestead claims were abandoned within a year. Limited water and poor grazing were the main causes, not to mention the brutal climate out here. It’s called the Bad Lands for a reason!
Prairie Homestead is on the National Register of Historic Places, and features the original sod home of Mr. & Mrs. Ed Brown. The Browns were one of the few families to actually make a living out here in this arid wasteland, and their home and belongings are on display. You can wander through the dirt floor cabin and outbuildings, imagine what daily life must have been like in this remote area, and then consider yourself fortunate to have a comfy RV to return to.
There’s a gift shop and petting zoo on the property, and a small admission fee is charged to tour the grounds.
Prairie Homestead also hosts a village of rare white prairie dogs. Recalling the sign we saw in Badlands National Park which warned that “Prairie Dogs have Plague” we avoided the little critters like…you know what.
Step back in time and enjoy a tour of Prairie Homestead, only a few miles from Badlands National Park.
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July 8, 2023
