Dupree, SD

On Monday evening, January 11^th, the Dupree Centennial Committee met to pursue further plans for the celebration in July.  A lengthy discussion was held on the Wagon Train/Trail Ride which is being organized by Gary Birkeland and Bev Birkeland.  The plan is to start near Rattlesnake Dam on Tuesday, July 6th and travel north, coming into Dupree on Thursday, July 8^th, parading down Main Street to the Rodeo Grounds.  The arrival of the wagon train and outriders will be symbolic of the settling of Dupree in 1910.  1st Financial Bank will be serving a free beef supper beginning at 5 p.m. that evening to commemorate the Bank’s 100th anniversary. Dupree’s own Hee Haw Show is also on Thursday evening’s schedule beginning at 7 p.m.  For information and/or registration information on the Wagon Train/Trail Ride contact either Gary at 365-5272 or Bev at 365-5341.  Registration will open on February 1st to a limited number of entrants.

The Dupree Volunteer Fire Department has purchased a commemorative gun and tickets are being sold.  There will be a brochure printed soon featuring what the gun will look like.  Anyone interested in purchasing a ticket may contact a member of the DVFD - there are only 1,000 tickets being sold.

The Hee Haw show is planned for Thursday night and will be free to the public, there is a Demolition Derby planned for Friday night with cars coming from surrounding communities as well as from out of state.  Weather permitting, a fireworks display is being planned and will be put on by Lonnie Anderson on Friday night.  The Alumni supper and program will take place Friday at the Dupree School and will include tours of the school. Hometown entertainment will follow the Alumni program and following that there will be a dance at the Pioneer Hall.

Everything is starting to come together, but the committee could still use more input from the community.  A meeting is planned for February 15th at 7:00 p.m. at Harry’s Hall to finalize scheduling so posters and advertising can be designed for this once in a lifetime

Many people are already making reservations at area motels and lodges for the week of the Dupree Centennial celebration. Unfortunately, Dupree no longer has a motel but we have compiled a list of area facilities for you:

Bunkhouse Inn, Isabel, SD 605-466-2666

Firesteel Creek Lodge, Isabel, SD 605-466-2452

Moreau River Sanctuary, Isabel, SD (Booked)

Prairie Vista Motel, Faith, SD 605-967-2343

Prairie Traveler’s Inn, Faith, SD 605-967-2635 or 680-3635

Juliet 1 Bed & Breakfast, Opal, SD 605-748-2244 or 877-867-4159

Palmer Ranch House, Faith, SD 605-739-3601 (camper hook-ups also available)

Wilder Elk Ranch, Timber Lake, SD 605-865-3238

Frank’s Howdy House, Timber Lake, SD 605-865-3367

Handboy Creek Guest Ranch, Trail City, SD 1-800-763-4964 or 605-845-3082

The Limit Hunting Lodge, Timber Lake, SD 605-865-3526

Harding Motel, Eagle Butte, SD 605-964-2449

Cheyenne River Motel, Eagle Butte, SD 605-964-8888

White Horse Bed & Breakfast–A&A Outfitters, White Horse, SD 605-733-2225

Dupree School - Quinn Lenk for camper parking at the school parking lot or football field (showers also available) 605-365-5140

Carmen Russell - 3 RV spots / 30 amp & water / dry camping also available  605-365-5368

The Ziebach County Historical Society is pleased to announce that the 1982 History Book is now available on DVD.  Reprinting the history book would have been very expensive so an alternate method of distributing it again was found.  The DVD’s are available by contacting Darla Vrooman, Dondra Menzel or any of the ZCHS Board members.  The cost is $15 each with a 10% discount for Ziebach County Historical Society members.  Shipping and handling will be added for mail orders.  The DVD’s can also be ordered through the ZCHS, PO Box 452, Dupree, SD 57623 or through e-mail to thezchs@hotmail.com. 

The deadline set for submitting family stories to the Ziebach County Historical Society for the 2010 Centennial History Book has passed but stories can still be accepted at this time.  Stories that have been submitted are being typed and after that has been completed the stories will be flowed into the book format.  At that point, additional stories can not be added.   The Society would like to see every family in Ziebach County be included in the book and urges everyone to gather together their family’s history and write about it.  Let us know how and when your family first came to Ziebach County, where they settled, what they did for a living and what changes your family has seen over the years.  Write about the schools attended, memories of special occasions, natural disasters, wars, churches you attended, people you knew, list siblings and children and information about them and anything else you would like to have recorded about your family. If you have a picture you would like to have included please send a copy along.

If you family has been instrumental in establishing or perpetuating local businesses, tell us about that.  The Society would also like to have any other historical stories about the area.  The old way of life, organizations, church history and any other topic that should be remembered by future generations will also be included.

Send your stories to the Ziebach County Historical Society, PO Box 452, Dupree, SD 57623 or e-mail them to thezchs@hotmail.com.  Don’t be left out and don’t wait too long to get your story done. 

The next Centennial Roundtable meeting is set for February 15, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at Harry’s Hall.  Every individual and group with a part in the celebration is asked to attend to assist with planning the Centennial events, promotion and scheduling.  A large group of planners provides a wealth of ideas and assistance in planning every detail.  Plan to be there to help in any capacity that you can–committee chairmen are needed but even cheerleaders are important–a pat on the back or words of encouragement and support are very helpful.

Dupree’s first Parade of Lights was held on December 13th following a full day’s activities including a whist card party, roller skating, a visit from Santa Claus, a pancake supper fundraiser and a live nativity scene.  It was a bitterly cold evening but the turnout for parade entries and watchers was great and very enthusiastic.  The pancake supper fundraiser netted just over $300 for the Centennial activities.  Well done community!!

2010 Centennial t-shirts have arrived and are available by contacting Darla Vrooman or Dondra Menzel or writing to the Ziebach County Historical Society, P.O. Box 452, Dupree, SD 57623 or through e-mail at thezchs@hotmail.com.  The t-shirts have the 2010 Centennial Logo printed on the back and “Dupree, SD  1910-2010″ in a small area on the front.  Colors available in adult sizes (S-M-L-XL-2X) are yellow, green, blue and lavender and in childrens sizes (S 6-8; M 10-12; L 14-16) are yellow, green, blue and pink.  The t-shirts were funded from Centennial dollars provided by the City of Dupree so every dollar received from the sale of the shirts will be used to fund Centennial activities and events.  All sizes are $15.00 each and would make great holiday, birthday or special event gifts.  Get yours to show your support and help advertise the upcoming Centennial.  For mail orders please add $3 shipping and handling to your order.

An Alltel cell phone user contacted Alltel’s customer support to complain about the poor cell phone service in the Dupree area.  This customer was told that they could see Dupree was in a bad zone for service but they hadn’t received a lot of complaints from the area.  When Alltel is budgeting for additional towers they look at the number of complaints in a given area when deciding where to put up towers. 

Call Alltel at 800-255-8351, option 3 to file a complaint about the service in the area.  Encourage your friends, business contacts, service people and any salesmen you know that travel through the area that rely on good cell phone service to also call about the poor service.  Be sure that the customer service person you talk to submits the request.  Help make a change for better cell service in the area.

Be sure to check the “meeting dates” link to see what’s happening.  If you have an event that you would like to have added to the list or have something you would like to have posted please contact Dondra Menzel at 365-5124.  

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