Friday, June 24, 2011

Gerome "the Traveling Gnome" Visits Deadwood's Chubby Chipmonk

By Rose Speirs
Mary "Chip" Tautkus (Chocolatier/Owner)
The Story of the Chubby Chipmunk

It all started in a sugarplum dream in Crestline, California, near Lake Arrowhead. Back in the day before big corporations like Mrs. Field's had a corner on the "sweet tooth" market, Chip Tautkus was busy scampering about in her kitchen hand-making mouth watering truffles. Time has only improved on the delicacies with each one being an original creation.

Since its humble beginnings , the Chipmunk has evolved from the simple creature of pure sweetness to a more sophisticated animal, adding many grown-up flavors to the time honored classics.

The Chubby Chipmunk now provides decadent, hand-dipped truffles, to satisfy customers all over the country. Her sunny kitchen, located in historic Deadwood, South Dakota at 420 Cliff Street, is again alive with treats you will forever dream about. When Deadwood is in your travel plans make sure you stop at this magical little chocolate shop, meet Chip and sample her wonderful creations!  A bit of Heaven on Earth!!!

Satisfy your grown-up and little kid sweet tooth at the link=> Chubby Chipmunk!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Sgt Reckless - Korean War Horse Hero

Here is a video about a warrior you may never have heard about. Sgt. Reckless was a Korean War veteran of a different kind. She was a Marine with the 5th Marines Recoilless Rifle Co. SSgt. Reckless was wounded twice in action and went through some of the toughest campaigns of that war. Reckless was an American icon at the time of the Korean War, but is, sadly, unknown today. There will never be another story like this one. Enjoy and pass it on.

A number of dhsclassmate viewers and friends pointed out this video and it is well worth viewing.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

New Web Site Feature ~ Gallery Link to Shared Pictures

These are amazing and beautiful pictures
Vista View from Terry Peak
by Chris Yushta
Bear Butte from Terry peak
Photos of Black Hills by Matt Lamb


You will notice a “Gallery” in the stationary web site header column that links to shared photos.  The Gallery is now active.   I am confident the Gallery will be popular as evidenced by this picture and others to follow.  You can submit your shared pictures by email.  I suggest you include your own protected watermarks or state how you want caption credits to read.  Videos are limited to 90 seconds and 500 MB sizes.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Trojan SD 1914 School House ~ Last View of School Being Demolished ~ Contributor William Jacob Stone

William Jacob Stone photo  9-01-2010
William "Bill" Jacob Stone


William Jacob Stone comments, "Wharf Resources did investigate moving the Trojan School and offered it the Lawrence County Historical Society if they could have it moved. It proved quite costly and otherwise unfeasable. Permission was granted by the State Historic Preservation Office as long as the building was sufficiently documented."

1976 Book
Gold Gals Guns Guts
William's Grandmother Charlotte Cushman Clark and four other young ladies were the first graduating Deadwood High School class in 1883 a.  Charlotte arrived in Deadwood by stage coach in 1876.  As a Deadwood Pioneer Woman she had a great impact for women and the area.  Her husband Horace was known as "Mr. Realtor" as at one time he owned the most property in the Deadwood and Lead area.  William's Uncle Cushman Clark carried on the reality business in Deadwood through it's last business era.  Cushman was very community minded and was instrumental in capturing Deadwood history.  He had the original DHS Fight Song recorded on a master 78 record in Ben Stoller's tiny B-Disc-Studios at 19 Charles Street b.

The Trojan School (last standing Trojan building)  has been lost, the efforts to save Terry Cemetery are current, but other activities like Jon Crane's Black Hills Preservation Trust (Meeker Ranch and Gold Mountain Mine) remain active c.

Monday, June 13, 2011


Maitland Mine Road
Chokecherry Find
On August 17, 2007, I wrote a Black Hills Wild Chokecherry dhsclassmates thought: 


“Remember the exquisite flavor these berries of the plum family give to jam or jelly? Served on hot toast, pancakes, or French toast is very close to heaven. You can still find and buy pretty good commercial products but home made is the best.”


Prunus virginiana, commonly called chokecherry, is a species of bird cherry (Prunus subgenus Padus) native to North America, where it is found almost throughout the continent except for the Deep South and the far north.  They are found in South Dakota and especially in the Black Hills.  With all the rain, this year, there should be an abundant crop of plump chokecherries.


To me the flavor of chokecherries canned into jelly and syrup is a unique taste that was special to my growing up in the Black Hills.  Chokecherry flavor can invoke memories like your other senses of smell, sight, hearing, and touch.


This past week, I found a neat article in the South Dakota Magazine about memories of family chokecherry picking on the Plains of South Dakota.  It is a neat story with a chilling ending.  I contacted the Magazine and asked if I could reprint their chokecherry article with credits.  Heidi quickly agreed to my request.  The Magazine is headquartered in Yankton SD in their own historical house.  Use images to link to their FaceBook and web page.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reprinted from June 06 -August 14 Issue of
South Dakota Magazine

Images and Article
reprinted from
South Dakota Magazine

The Last Chokecherry Picking

By Margaret Roghair
While making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for our picnic lunch, I heard the happy voices of my two little boys through the open kitchen window. It was almost autumn. The tall prairie grass surrounding our Jones County farm near Okaton was turning brown and the chokecherries were ripe: The kids and I were going to pick some with a friend, Fran, and her two little girls.
As we traveled to Fran’s house up and down the roller-coaster hills (we called the road passage “Tipperary” after the famous bucking horse), the meadowlarks greeted us with songs. Goldenrods nodded as if to say, “All is well this happy day.” We watched an old eagle rise lazily from his lookout on a high corner fence post and soar into the blue sky. A snake slithered across the road, reminding me that danger was always near. If someone got bit by a rattlesnake, could I slash the skin with a razor blade and suck out blood before starting the 70 miles to a doctor?
Our car rattled over the planks of the old wooden bridge and Fran’s big shaggy dog, hearing us approaching, announced our arrival. Fran tucked her two small girls into her car and led me across the prairie toward the corner of the school section where she knew chokecherries abounded.
We followed as her car bounced over crisscrossed car tracks on the prairie. We came upon a prairie dog town and watched the little creatures pop out of their mounds and stand on hind legs to peer at us. They would bark and scold, then scurry down their holes.
A few miles further and we had reached an isolated and sheltered draw, devoid of vegetation except for wild chokecherry that bordered the bank of a dry creek on the further side.
The children scrambled from the cars, eager to pick the tiny berries. Soon their faces were smeared with the purple juice and their lips puckered from the astringent taste of the wild fruit, and they were off to play. I had spread a blanket on the ground in the sheltered cove and Fran and I took turns calling the youngsters back from the tall grass that surrounded this sheltered little spot. Here was a small world all our own with only our little ones and the songs of birds and the chirping of crickets to keep us company.
Then the solitude was broken by the sound of an airplane overhead. We recognized it as that of a rancher who lived farther on up the creek. He was making a routine trip to town. The children shouted and waved their straw hats and sunbonnets as the pilot tipped the plane’s wings in response.
After we had filled our pails with the cherries and had our picnic lunch, we gathered our little ones and returned to our homes. I prepared the chokecherry juice and made a beautiful, clear jelly.  The day was such a success, I considered writing a message on the jar’s labels about our fun outing.
As I was contemplating, my husband arrived from town with the mail. He spread the “Weekly” in front of me and pointed to the headline: “Rattlesnake Den Discovered.” I read on, “When Mr. Lynn Lyman was flying home to his ranch yesterday afternoon, he saw a gleaming patch beneath him as he flew over the dry creek bed in the corner of the school section where wild chokecherries grow. Closer scrutiny revealed a glistening, moving mass. To his astonishment he saw it was a mass of rattlesnakes. Instead of continuing to his ranch, he returned to town and summoned the state rattlesnake eradicator, and together they killed the snakes, numbering eighty in all. Rattlesnakes come from afar and gather into a den to hibernate in the fall, and it was not previously known that this thicket was their winter rendezvous.”
We saved the jelly for special occasions, for we did not venture out again to pick chokecherries.

EDITOR'S NOTE – This story is revised from the July/Aug 2010 issue of South Dakota Magazine. To order this back issue or to subscribe, call 800-456-5117

Select this image for link to
South Dakota Magazine Web Page

Gay Kent Bossart shares Daryl Lee "Punk" Heil's Passing

Dayrl Lee "Punk" Heil
I want to share some sad news of the loss of a classmate and dear friend.  Daryl (Punk) Heil died last Tuesday, June 7.  Punk as we knew him was in DHS class of 1950.  He lived in Deadwood all these later years.  We would make contact for lunch or dinner during each class reunion for 1952 which I attended.   I am going to the Black Hills to Palmer Gulch Lodge near Hill City July 8-10 for a gathering of the descendants of 3 siblings who emigrated from Norway to US in late 1800's.  We had a date with Punk for that Monday in Deadwood . . .

See his obituary as follows:

Daryl Lee Heil, 78, Deadwood, died Tuesday, June 7, 2011, at his home. 

Committal services will be 1:00 pm Monday, June 13, 2011 at Black Hills National Cemetery with Pastor Ralph Vencill officiating. Military honors will be provided by the Sturgis Veterans Honor Guard. Family and friends are encouraged to gather at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel prior to leaving for the cemetery.

He was born and raised in Deadwood. He graduated from Deadwood High School and then from BHSU with a degree in education. He taught math and science in various SD schools for several years. He served in the US Army from 1953-1955.

Daryl enjoyed taking fishing trips with his older brother, Chris, as well as hunting and spending time at the family cabin in Spearfish Canyon.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Chris and Margaret; brothers Don and Larry; sister Helen Harrington; and brothers in law Ron Beaty and Jim Stephenson .

Grateful for having shared his life include his sister Ethel Beaty of Deadwood and sister Ruth of Westwood, MA; his brother Chris (Vera) of Tilamook, OR; his sister-in-law Hazel Heil of Newell and numerous nieces and nephews.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Gerome "the Traveling Gnome" Visits Deadwood


Courtesy Adams Museum and
Historic Adams House
Gerome "the traveling gnome" visits the Adams House.  The "A" is for Adams. Gerome was such a fan of the Adams Museum & House while touring Deadwood . . .stay tuned for more "Gnome" sightings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gerome is moving around Deadwood.  Here he is shown visiting the Home of the Deadwood High School!

Courtesy Adams Museum and
Historic Adams House
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adams Museum and Historic Adams House 


Select the following image for Adams Web Page


Minnie Stanley – 80 Memorable Years in the Black Hills

Minnie Stanley died on January 10, 2011. It was her wishes that her memorial be held this week end.

My wife's Aunt Thelma "Tiny" Jaynes lived in the Deadwood Smith Apartments for 54 years. We knew Dick and Minnie Stanley well.  


Minnie's nephew Mark Hays sent this Memorial to share with the dhsclassmates viewers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Celebration of Minnie’s Life and Legacy

The Lodge at Deadwood
Sunday, 12 June at 12 noon

Minnie’s family and friends are invited to join us.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to a scholarship in Minnie’s name at Lead / Deadwood High School.

Committal services will be held at the Black Hills National Cemetery on Monday, 13 June, at 12 noon.

A ‘21 Ball Salute’ will follow at Tomahawk Country Club, 
with awards for ‘Best Banana Ball’ and similar feats of skill.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After 80 years full of achievement and support for our family and community, Minnie Stanley passed away on the 8th of January.  We mourn her death, but remember a very full life.
     
Minnie’s father, Otto Paananen, emigrated from Finland in 1908.  He left Helsinki in a small ship that crossed the Atlantic and docked in Canada – instead of Ellis Island.  The “Finnish Network” brought Otto over the border to the Black Hills, where he met and married Mary Hahnn, the pretty daughter of another Finn family.  Working together, Otto and Mary purchased one of the original 160 acre homesteads in the Black Hills.  The ‘Paananen Place’ quickly became a busy ranch filled with a growing family.

Minnie and the ‘school bus’ at the Paananen ranch
The school bus for ranch kids came with a saddle and four hooves.  Minnie and her brothers rode two and a half miles to the one-room Hillside schoolhouse, rain, shine or snow – and ‘parked’ their horses in the school When Minnie’s brother Reno was old enough to drive (age 11!) they piled into a Ford Model A for a luxurious ride to school.

When the school day ended, life at the Paananen ranch was filled with chores – to provide the basic necessities we take for granted today.  Black Hills ranch families had no electricity or running water.  Skill with a rifle delivered meat to your table, and dinner was cooked on a wood-fired stove.  If you needed a pot of water you pumped it from the well – by hand, which took some time – even when a blizzard was howling outside.  The ‘bathroom’ was outside too: a long, cold walk on a winter night.

After Minnie completed 8th grade at Hillside School, she began making the drive to Deadwood High School, and graduated with honors at age 16.  Money was tight, as always, so Minnie found her first job as a teller with First National Bank of Deadwood.  The president of the bank, Mr. Gorder, noticed Minnie’s talent for business and asked her to become his secretary to manage meetings and loan documents for customers.

While Minnie worked full-time at the bank, she began studying at Black Hills State College in Spearfish, graduating with a BS degree in education, followed by a Masters in 1969.  This led to her long career in the Lead-Deadwood School District, first as a 4th and 6th grade teacher, an English teacher in Junior High, then 15 years as a Counselor at the High School.  Students remember Minnie’s challenging English composition class; they later found that her rigor and pesky ‘red pen’ left them prepared for college. 

Business was Minnie’s second and lifelong career.  She won the contract to manage the original Spearfish Canyon Lodge during one summer season, and recruited her students, nephews and the children of family friends as staff.  Happy customers led to six more years of profits, and many adventures with Minnie’s Crew.  (SCL alumni: remember Al’s cinnamon rolls?) 

During one of those summers, Minnie began dating Dick Stanley – also a teacher at the High School.  They married in 1972, and purchased the Smith Apartments building in Deadwood.  Minnie and Dick gradually remodeled each of the units with ‘sweat equity’, and took pride in providing good, affordable housing to retired and elderly residents.  Minnie also became involved in the restoration of Deadwood.  Mayor Barbara Allen appointed her to two 3-year terms on the Historical Preservation Commission.  Minnie was a valuable contributor, carefully studying the business issues and preservation goals – not afraid to defend what she thought was best for the Town.  Minnie received the Nel Perrigoue Award in recognition of her service to the community.
  
That’s a nice salmon!  Minnie on
the Kenai -- just shy of age 80
She loved sports – as a player and spectator.  A skier at Terry Peak in the winter and on the lakes in the summer, Minnie also enjoyed fishing with friends and family at Pactola Lake, in Canada and on the Kenai in Alaska.
  
A sharp golfer, she offered classes in Min’s Rules of Golf to generations of unruly nephews and grandkids.  These lessons inspired respect and self discipline, along with “keep your eye on the ball”, Gimmes and the Law of Mulligans.  Last summer, after she returned from grueling cancer treatment at the Mayo Clinic, Minnie was back at Tomahawk with family.  True to form, when Minnie spotted a five-some preparing to tee off at the fourth hole, she charged forward with her cart and firmly noted that “five-somes ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THE COURSE.”  Five men visiting from New York were no match for Min, and they quickly split into two groups.

Minnie’s nickname was B.O.E., the Boss-of-Everybody (and Everything) and “Just do it!” was her motto.  If Minnie thought your education / job / life was heading in the wrong direction, you heard about it.  Behind her firm and tough exterior was a concerned and generous spirit who quietly helped family, friends and people in the Deadwood area.  Her advice and assistance will be missed.

Looking back, Minnie’s 80 years spanned enormous change in society, technology and the way we live, day to day.  She grew up on a ranch that had no electricity, but managed her business and finances on her own computer, and was famous for ‘flaming’ emails.  When Minnie graduated from high school, a woman’s role in business was limited to typing and dictation.  She became a manager and owner, well-known for her financial acumen.  Minnie was always involved, active and interested in everything.

What a life!