DFLer's: This past weekend, on Saturday, we took the Morgan and
participated in an historic event in our state. On Saturday, August
29th a new bridge crossing the Missouri River from Running Water, South
Dakota, to Niobrara, Nebraska, was dedicated. It was named the Chief
Standing Bear Memorial Bridge, in honor of the Ponca Chief who took his
argument all the was to the US Supreme Court 100 years ago and
established that American Indians were persons under the law.
So few bridges ever get built out here in this part of the country,
especially over a wide river like the Missouri, so it is really a big
deal. Both of our governors were there as were most of our
congressional delegations. Regardless of what you might think of
politicians, they are some of the very best orators in our land, and we
do not usually get a half-dozen of them in the same spot at the same
time. We were not disappointed - great speeches!
The Nebraska side was supposed to organize a "Parade of Cars" and these
cars were supposed to be the first "official" cars to cross the bridge -
and we were going to be a part of that with the Morgan. Well, that
didn't exactly come off as billed - not that the South Dakota side was
any better organized! Apparently the organizers expected just a few
hundred people to show up - and the crowd ended up in the thousands, so
a few things went astray.
But, everyone had fun and, after things thinned out, a few of us with
special cars drove back and forth across the bridge and called it good!
That's life in the boonies!
Later,
Arlo Levisen, Revillo, SD '87 Plus 8
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