Almost DEAD Towns In Rural SOUTH DAKOTA - Far Off The Interstate

I visited these South Dakota towns: Highmore, Harrold, Blunt & Onida.
Joe's Instagram: / joeysroadtrip
Travel Vlog 246

[@theswabbie30]

Horses eyes are usually covered with transparent mesh to prevent flies from biting at their eyes. This fly-mask allows the horse to see and hear just fine but prevents flies from gathering on their face and eyes.

[@sme_sage1241]

Thank you. I didn’t know what this was for, either 😂

[@richardduerr9983]

I thought it was like why they cover falcon's heads with those little leather helmets, to blind them so they will stay calm and not attempt to fly away. But yeah, flies can be a real problem for horses, so that totally makes sense. Thanks for explaining that!

[@williebeamish5879]

Then they roll in mud if it's available (further helps keep flies off) and just trash these fly masks.

[@blueneptune825]

Thamks for sharing that knowledge with us. I had no idea.

[@patriciawilhite7038]

Yep! Horse flies are usually bad in the summer. And those buggers are painful and will draw blood.

[@reynoldskm]

Harrold's school consolidated with Highmore many years ago. The big red and brown building is the gym and lunch room. The old brick school building has the bathrooms and cloak rooms all divided by gender, so the girls were to stay on one side of the school and the boys on the other. When I attended school there the classes were mixed but we still hung our coat on opposite sides of the building. The locker rooms were also on opposite sides of the school.

[@minime8048]

looks like a chicken farm house , where they raise chooks... oops sorry they are chooks

[@toddstevens13]

So is the big school still serving the community? Great piece of architecture. Guess it did not clue in that it was summer so yes it was deserted on a weekday morning.

[@jakemoeller7850]

Born in Sioux Falls in '52, my parents moved the family to rural, southwest Minnesota in '55. Our little town of Dudley, MN no longer exists. It was great growing up in the country, but it all seems so far away now. Wonderful videos, folks...thank you.

[@knrdvmmlbkkn]

"Our little town of Dudley, MN no longer exists." What happened to it?

[@jakemoeller7850]

@knrdvmmlbkkn • The business that made Dudley a town was the pair of wooden, grain elevators. A new, metal facility was built several miles away in Marshall, MN, and the wooden structures were set ablaze and burned to the ground. The railroad tracks were removed, and the town disappeared. There is a small collection of homes there, but nothing else except memories.

[@BobMckinsey]

Where is Dudley ? Any abandoned buildings left ?

[@AncientOneFamily.]

I was born in Sioux Falls too! Now I'm in Canada.

[@tdvan80]

Horse flys are a big problem for horses up here in the north country. So they cover the eyes and ears to prevent sores from happening.

[@minime8048]

Then why would you own a horse .. do they not have automobiles and farm machinery up there ?

[@tdvan80]

@@minime8048 to ride. You can have cars and other vehicles and still have horses to ride for entertainment. But with that there are Amish populations that do not have any motorized vehicles just horse and buggy.

[@LJSW-rp6xm]

Highmore and Blunt, you peaked the interest of Stoners everywhere 😂

[@kcgarrigan4324]

We were proudly known as High Morons.

[@nolagal11]

Marijuana used to grow wild by Hyde County railroad tracks - jazz musicians on the trains threw their cannabis seeds out the windows, "it is said..."😂

[@catlover614]

A wonderful video, as always. It's so relaxing and interesting, just driving around and taking it all in. I love exploring new places. Thanks so much, Joe and Nic.😊💚

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, CL. :)

[@jamesjacocks6221]

It's interesting to hear the praises and jealousy as Road Trip proceeds through rural SD. I did note that there was at least one comment that the focus he had was escaping the doldrums without losing the ship. It is clear that rural life has some advantages but there is a trade-off that is difficult for non-rurals: the peace and quiet are lovely but the tedium and the lack of stimulation are enervating . There is little to no poverty, everyone is law-abiding and there are no confusing cultural experiments. The sheep like one place, goats the other. Presently, this is the great divide in the US.

[@kcgarrigan4324]

Many of these young families in these communities would have lived on rural farmsteads years ago, For schooling, it's easier for dad to commute to the farm than for children to spend hours per day going back and forth. Thanks for covering my hometown of Highmore, I'm class of 1975,

[@BirdDogey1]

Cost of renovation would exceed market price of the property. Just the cost of getting the supplies to such a remote location would be substantial.

[@marcomcdowell8861]

When I first got to South Dakota, I figured I had wronged someone in a past-life. Eventually it grew on me and it became home for 8 years. Brutal winters and scorching summers, but there were things to do...with some ingenuity and a bit of travel.

[@russellhltn1396]

As my dad used to say, the difference between a "dead" town and a "peaceful" one is if you like it or not.

[@indiandaeng]

Peaceful compared to Citys who are allowing looting and the destruction of the tax base.

[@johnst-john]

We appreciate that your videos are so different from those of other chanels. The slow pace makes them both informative and relaxing. Keep it up and don't change anything!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you. :)

[@HeidiStLouis-xu2ox]

Whew! After watching your video, my blood pressure just dropped 20 points. So beautiful and peaceful. I grew up spending a lot of time in South Dakota with my grandparents and I just loved it. Now I live in Fort Lauderdale and it’s just crazy-town. Roads are always clogged with traffic, high rise apartments on every corner, no green space, and the temperature has been at least 95 degrees every day for the last month…South Dakota is an undiscovered treasure!

[@ltcajh]

I was born in Watertown. I just love South Dakota, but wife doesn't want the winters! It's peaceful. The bad- South Dakotans haven't heard of, "Southern Hospitality".

[@user-jp7rk1uf2n]

​@@ltcajhWatertown is growing like a weed! Many big city problems. Housing costs are skyrocketing. Not the same town 10 years ago.

[@ltcajh]

That's sad to hear. I have an excellent long-term memory. I was born there in 1960, and we left when I was 11. Life was like the movie, "Sandlot", and Charlie Brown. I've occasionally gone back. It's very sad when I'm there to know my loved ones there are almost all dead or moved away. @@user-jp7rk1uf2n

[@edfeten4724]

​@@ltcajhI've been to Watertown. My dad was born on a farm outside of Clear Lake.

[@user-jp7rk1uf2n]

Housing is hard to find now.

[@StabStabStabStabby]

The owners of those massive farm operations in those small towns distort the median household income information.

[@keithsheffield9154]

As well as both people working with at least one having to commute 60-150 or more miles a day.

[@iainallan5667]

From Scotland, thanks for showing us these small town America

[@jerryumfress9030]

My wife and I along with some friends visited South Dakota several weeks ago. It was pretty amazing. We saw the Black Hills, Deadwood, the Badlands and visited Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse memorial. It was an amazing trip

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

The Rapid City area is awesome! 👍

[@wendylandmark6747]

Onida has a long I sound. Gotta put your Scandinavian on! Lol!

[@Melanie220]

Almost wish you'd headed east instead of west on 14. You might have ended up in De Smet, which is where Laura Ingalls Wilder of Little House on The Prairie fame came of age and spent the first few years of her married life. Most of the town itself is involved with the Little House tourist industry, but there are farms around as well. Its a lovely small town, a tiny bit more lively than most of the towns in SD!

[@tedecker3792]

Someone once asked former Governor Bill Janklow what South Dakota’s biggest export was. He answered “our young people”.

[@user-jp7rk1uf2n]

Sad but true.

[@dagwood1327]

The roads are so wide in these small towns. And they look well maintained. Also the bird near the end and you asked if it was a road runner, looked to be a killdee. They will flutter and act injured to draw you away from their nest.

[@653j521]

killdeer

[@jerseyinsd]

roads are wide so the semi-trailers can line up for the elevator and other traffic can still go down the road

[@ReneeWeatherford]

Thank you for driving through the Highmore neighborhoods. My dad grew up there & went to that school. My grandfather had the first car in that town & owned the lumber mill. Was hoping to see their house - I believe it’s still standing. Sad to see it’s a dying town.

[@nolagal11]

Remember Crane'sWelding and Blacksmithing? My aunt and uncle.

[@alexandralovesgoats3360]

Rural SD is about what I expected. I liked the beautiful courthouses. There were some beautiful homes sprinkled into these towns. The school with the separate entrances reminded me of my grammar school, Sacred Heart, in Chicago in the 1970’s. Heaven forbid we see a Hardy Prep boy! 😂. Have a great weekend !

[@dharryg]

I grew up in the 50’s and there is not much that attracts me to today’s popular culture, but I just love KZbin! What a great resource whether you want to play a musical instrument, learn a language, bake an apple pie, fix the carburetor on a 53 Studebaker or take a stroll through South Dakota just before bedtime.

[@JamesMcGillis]

Great tour. Those of us who live in highly populated areas have no knowledge of how people in rural and farming communities live. If these towns were in Utah, near a national park, there would be ten hotels and 20 restaurants.

[@kimiastewart6293]

I've been binge watching your videos this afternoon and evening, thank you for taking me along to so many interesting places 😊

[@robatsea2009]

I can't help but love seeing a nice, wide, clean and uncluttered street. If you're had to deal with the annoyances of too-narrow city streets, seeing their country cousins is a treat. A person can park, turn around, and navigate their journey without fuss.

[@mgm8822]

I think it’s too much street. It’s just macadam for miles and miles.

[@zerog5041]

Hi Joe from a very blustery 20C south London, UK - yep I'd say South Dakota is the "bread basket" for that part of the USA judging by all the grain silo's!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Absolutely.

[@hershellacey9405]

And why their income is so high.

[@Rockhunter329]

South Dakota is on the western edge of the corn (and soybeans) belt.

[@baanman]

Also, that little bird is a Kildeer. I grew up close to that area and they were all over. They run fast on the ground and always chattering Kill-deer. That's how they got their name. Very noisy. A very smart bird and if their nest is threatened, they will put on the broken wing act to lure the predators away. And will fluff themselves up to look larger to a predator.

[@iLuminaye]

i'm surprised google doesnt set you up with the street view car and get you to do that haha

[@cherienafo7676]

OZ/ Hope you are all hitting that LIKE button!! Thanks Joey and Nicole for another great drive. Cheers from Sth Australia.

[@allanbriggs807]

And another from NSW, Australia. Great video.

[@CharlieB.-]

Highmore, SD 680 population 59f in July yea I wanna move there now. I hate the town I’ve lived in for the last 35 years. It has grown so much. Dozed thousands of acres for new houses and BMW Manufacturing Plant(s) 2 now, went from a 2 lane road to 4 lanes. Just miss the quietness and the slow pace it used to be.

[@keithsheffield9154]

FYI, 59F in July is way below normal.

[@kbittorf335]

The Great Depression must have had a big impact in that area as most peak populations were in 1930. My Dad’s uncle became the Lutheran pastor in Colome, SD in 1929 and reported through his letters home of the economic despair there.

[@minime8048]

Yet they built massive Roman style courthouse`s in the middle of nowhere in 1912 and at what cost ? 😋

[@kbittorf335]

@@minime8048 when they had the money to do so.

[@StabStabStabStabby]

​@@minime8048court houses are the main building in most of these small towns. It makes sense that the main government building would be one of the first things built in the downtown.

[@davidrussell8795]

Yep,the weather has been a roller coaster of 86f in June, down to 48f just last night! And around the mid 70's! 40 yrs ago,it was warm in thunder bay ontario in the middle of the day,but you needed a jacket before 11,and after :2:30! In the 60s down in souther on

[@MrShene123]

It is interesting how these small towns in the US have such epic government buildings.

[@Nickle314]

When were they built? When the town had a large population would be my guess.

[@PlayThroughTheGame]

that's tartarians buildings.

[@williebeamish5879]

Perhaps it was a symbol of "importance" to the residents.

[@superinquisitor]

@@PlayThroughTheGame exactly right! Those buildings that "took cues from Ancient Rome" were not built by Americans with horse and buggies!

[@scottlarson1548]

Just like in South America every small town has a gigantic ornate church.

[@SajjadKhan-jn7cw]

i love your videos so much well done joe and Nic thanks for sharing

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you! :)

[@michaeldesilvio221]

19 million abandoned properties in the United States of America. Nobody even knows who owns most of them.

[@davidbreen4353]

just found your channel. this was fantastic. super small towns, 300 people. dang, i would love a town like that. QUIET, PEACEFUL, i wonder if you could buy one of those abandoned homes for a lot less and fix it up. on Soc. Sec. i couldn't afford 79K. but i really enjoyed the tour.

[@andrewward5891]

I’m sure you could get one of those abandoned homes from the local government for the price of Back taxes. I’m sure they’d love for someone to fix them up

[@Ben-bb7mi]

What is happening to these towns is that the kids graduate high school and then almost all move to Sioux Falls. That's why their population drops and the median age goes up.

[@lindamortimore5274]

Did someone comment on Onida SD. Pronounced with long I not Oneda. You said the bird was a road runner. It was a Killldeer bird. SD does not have Road Runners. Nice videos. I grew up on a small farm near Dante SD, population about 100.

[@catherinefrancis5827]

I love your videos! It’s so good to see the other side of America

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you!!

[@artie360]

Excellent video. Nice to see what remote parts of the country are like. Thanks.

[@58jennypenny]

Nice to see some small towns actually starting to thrive again. I love these way ouy places, our country isn't big enough to have any.

[@GoGreen1977]

I'd hardly call any of these towns, "thriving." No one is out and about, I don't see people walking their dogs, or pushing a stroller, jogging, walking with a neighbor, hanging out at a coffeehouse or diner (there aren't any, apparently!), or enjoying a park. The vast majority of small businesses are closed. I don't see a library, or community center, or any cultural centers, including a movie theater or playhouse or art/artisan gallery. I guess the residents stay home, go to work, and/or drive miles to shop, go for medical care, or find anything to do outside of their homes. I didn't even see anyone working in their yard. They may make some money, but what do they do with it? Btw, my mother grew up in Morristown, SD during the depression. From the stories she told me, they had more going on and things to do in the worst years of those bad economic times than these small towns have today.

[@mitch6962]

small towns are the future

[@baltasarnoreno5973]

@@GoGreen1977 I was thinking that myself. I seriously wonder what the local people to do make a living, especially as all the average salary figures he quoted were high at 55k-60k. Farming can't pay that well, surely?

[@jerryw6699]

@@GoGreen1977 Hopefully, our small towns stay small and peaceful, we have many transplants from our wonderful big cities, and some of those are not good. There's plenty to do in a small rural area, big city people seldom understand.

[@58jennypenny]

@@GoGreen1977 as in the dictionary definition .

[@DelMay-tn6es]

I used to work for the Dakota-Minnesota and Eastern Railroad, and ran trains between Huron and Pierre. We ran through Highmore and Blunt, and would make a side trip to the Onida grain elevators to pick-up or deliver cars. We very rarely stopped at any of these towns, except for maybe a work train. Had to stop at Highmore one winter after I hit a road grader at a crossing--he didn't see us and didn't hear me laying on the horn. Bent to grader into a U, but the operator was OK.

[@richardbruce8111]

Really relaxing! My busy life kept me from roaming so its great for you to show me round . Each place has its individual service points, school town hall , fire dept, I hope the post offices do not close, here in NZ that killed off small towns! Loved the lonely railway crossing shot! Thanks again

[@minime8048]

Maybe .. them house`s in small towns in Nz will cost you over $500 k (if you can find one ) those US towns are what $61 K- 130.. do not be fooled by the illusion that the usa presents .. it will cost you more trouble , then what its worth been there done that

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, Richard!

[@653j521]

@@minime8048 What illusion? That you can move to the middle of nowhere for a pittance? Same in Canada. Kiwis should be able to move there. Surely there is some lonely spot in Australia you can get for a song. Have a big enough country and there is bound to be some property you could afford if you don't mind your own company. :)

[@stanislavkostarnov2157]

@@653j521 AUSTRALIA is not NZ.... not unless you are talking geology...

[@andrewward5891]

I noticed the 2nd town with the birdseed plant loading up the Walmart truck has had a bit of a population bump lately. Mostly kids and adults in their 30’s in town. Probably one or both of most parents work at the plant and most people have kids in their 30’s now. I don’t know how many people a birdseed plant employs or how much it can expand but what causes towns to grow is a good employment base. So there may be hope for this town to rebound somewhat (still only 139 people in town but it’s a start)

[@steveib724]

Pretty soon they'll be getting it from China lmao 🤣 🤣🤣

[@DUMPSTERDIVINGADELAIDE]

Hello, Thanks for showing me around different parts of America, (trivia) - did you know that Australia has the same land size of America, one big island, Take care 😊

[@cherienafo7676]

Hey !! I,m near Lake Alexandrina. Thing is- in OZ, we dont have 'interesting old towns' much- as our history so young and most houses were built of wattle and daub and went to ruin pretty quick, so I love seeing Joey's drives through USA.

[@DUMPSTERDIVINGADELAIDE]

@@cherienafo7676 - so you live here or there?

[@ToastedBread68]

I grew up in Eureka SD about 100 miles north of these towns. Different part of the state but the atmosphere is similar. Brings back memories. Nice video.

[@rhob2422]

I lived in SD for 6 years in Rapid City and my folks eventually moved to a very small town near ND. I went to visit once and wanted to go to a gas station/convenient store so I called them to see how late they were open before I drive 30 minutes. The guy asked "Who is this?" Really weirded me out...I hung up. I went to the 'Grocery Store' to look for some beer and was gawked at by the locals who eventually told me I had to go across the street to the bar to buy a 6 pack. So I did that, and was rudely stared at by an old couple the entire time sitting at a table. If your not in one of the 2 cities, its a strange scary place that kinda creeped me out, the people weirded me out and I felt like I was trespassing. Idk what the deal is there...

[@jerryw6699]

It sounds like you have security issues.

[@minime8048]

What do you expect when you walk into the bar naked and order bud light .. or a man dressed as a women (which is quite common today ) what did you say your name was again .. Dylan Mulvaney ?

[@ruthlessgoat3702]

We have had a really cool June and first part of July. I didn't turn on my A/C until mid-June, but the heat finally arrived this week. The great thing about No. Colorado is that it can get hot, but it does not stay hot all summer, like in the South. The nights are great, almost always falling in the 50s.

[@stanislavkostarnov2157]

yup Remember getting temperatures in the 90s and in the 30s within one weekend in Westminster..... was rather surprised by the change...

[@davidrussell8795]

Yep,the weather has been a roller coaster of 86f in June, down to 48f just last night! And around the mid 70's! 40 yrs ago,it was warm in thunder bay ontario in the middle of the day,but you needed a jacket before 11,and after :30

[@paulineheaney6945]

Very interesting, greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪 💚☘💚☘

[@DUMPSTERDIVINGADELAIDE]

15°C is a typical winters day for Adelaide, South Australia & sunny 🌞

[@turnapage7417]

Wow...good ole Florida in the 90s

[@katrinajones3938]

I really enjoy your channel. I get to see places I will never get to see. I like when you say the names of the churches when you pass by.

[@royrice8021]

Since the real start of the Interstate Highway System in 1956, towns not close to it have been dying off slowly but surely.

[@michaelmathews295]

Highmore is the sight when on September 12, 2020 the Attorney General of South Dakota hit a pedestrian late at night on Hwy US14 and didn't stop. He came back the next day. It raised a big stink in the government and he was eventually impeached and barred from holding an office in the future. He was also investigating charges against the Governor (Noem) that she influenced an official in order for her daughter to obtain a building license.

[@minime8048]

And no jail time like you and i would get 😋

[@nathant17]

I remember reading about that on Reddit. It seemed pretty sus. Hopefully justice will be served.

[@TeresaRaab-hb5co]

It probably didn't help that the person died.

[@timnewman1172]

Kinda like former Governor Janklow, this state has had it's share of corrupt politicians...

[@77hodag]

I remember that - he was the Attorney General & he killed a guy in a hit & run. Also was never given a blood alcohol test. Nothing happened until the story went viral & he still refused to resign. Noem is sketchy as well - no accountability in these red state governments. The AG almost got away with murder.

[@Coptergirljs]

They are trying to keep the flies off of the horses. It's a good idea to keep bot flies off or the horses can have bot larvae in their digestive track. The covers on their faces keep face lies off and out of the eyes; they can see through the material. I'm not sure about the leg raps unless it's to protect them from snakes.

[@danielreilly7108]

They cover horses eyes so theydon't know theyre stuck in south dakota.😅

[@vaughnbode1420]

Showing any train tracks in the area is good for determining the variety and volume of possible commercial activity.

[@olinwright7628]

Looking forward to this. Thank you Spoda!!!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Awesome, Olin!

[@ScubaSteveCanada]

You were tempting fate stopping on those live railroad tracks ;-) When they are shiny, it's a good indication that they are still in use. Somehow, I think you could see, for miles, that it was all clear ;-)

[@theonewhomjesusloves7360]

He stopped before the tracks not on them, you can see when he drove over

[@davidmorgan7591]

Trains in South Dakota are not known for their speed. You can literally see those grain trains coming for days.

[@angelramos-2005]

South Dakota is beautiful.Thank you for sharing.

[@user-ol8nb9tc4f]

Watching and enjoying your videos.I live in Scotland and thinking of doing similar videos of Scottish small towns .What dashcam are you using?

[@pstan5899]

classic farm town, greenhouses on main st. another great pick.

[@josephnason8770]

Lake Itaska, Mn. Can't wait for the next video. I hope you make it to Bemigi then Cass Lake where my dad was born in 1921. Both are down stream on the Mississippi to the North East and not far from Itaska where l walked across the great river, allten feet

[@tmtex]

Just left SD Saturday, Hill City, now in CO and back to TX mid week. SD was great

[@lornavann7439]

Saturdays are always looked forward to because of your videos!!! Thank you for letting us travel with you!

[@gargamel3393]

I am a life-long SD resident and had a service job in the past that brought me to basically 90% of all towns across the State. It's interesting to see other's opinions about some of these places in the comments. Sorry see you passed through Blunt. That had to have been a bit depressing. If I remember right, Agar, Blunt, and Onida are all the same school district. They call it ABO. It's the kind of towns that when you pull into them you see an old painted sign that says something like "Men's Track Champions 1982" or whatever. There's not a whole heck of a lot going on in those places that get under 2,000 people. I love the videos from your trip. Thanks for sharing them.

[@outdoorasmr]

Beautiful view at 8:19 ! 😃😍 Excited to see you guys headed towards Minnesota. Shout-out from Bemidji MN!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

We almost went to Bemidji. We will in the next visit coming up later this year. :)

[@outdoorasmr]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip awesome!! 😃

[@tobydog247]

Blunt is only 21 miles from the state capital. Hence the young population? It seems well kept.

[@jconrad38]

I loved the slow pan right and then left when crossing the railroad tracks. Safety first!

[@daffodillus]

I moved out of Pierre 2yrs ago because of how small, secluded, and cold it is (fellow Texan here, too)… I live in Florida now, and my Floridian boyfriend and I really enjoyed this portion of your trip! Your videos did a great job portraying life there. P.S. - oh-nEYE-duh 😉

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thanks! :)

[@marywalker2896]

I love it when u talk to the animals. It’s very sweet and funny at the same time. By the way I live in a small town in north Georgia but it’s a healthy little town and will be around for many many years.

[@tomloft2000]

It reminds me of seeing Dr. Doolittle when I was a small boy.

[@gatorgogo2742]

All the towns were clean! Thanks for the statistics.

[@RobMyHoodies]

Thanks for this video, Once a Day I google rural parts of the US and hope for a video on what life is like in these towns. Today I saw your video on Blunt South Dakota. Thank you

[@irahandwerker8557]

i love traveling to the small rural atowns with you i find it so intersting i live in a small town in rural south ga hope you come to our area we have a wild hicken festival in march

[@theoccidentaltourist7355]

Great stuff. I love your videos, they are so interesting.

[@carolkokx9638]

Love your videos, keep them coming

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you!

[@theschiznit8777]

I love the emptiness of the prairies.

[@daveschmarder-1950]

I'm being taken back by nature too.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Me as well. :)

[@shaunfossett]

I love your vids. I travel across the US vicariously through your videos. Our nation is vast and unique. Keep us informed of the wonderful treasure our oft to see parts regularly see on a regular basis

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you! Will do!

[@johncole2817]

This CA boy lived in SD back in 2005. Tongue-in-cheek, I pegged SD as, “98% white, 88% blond, and 28% Buick.” NICE people though.

[@tucumcari206]

Greetings from Saudi Arabia. I really enjoy your videos. Love small town America especially those with a touch of American frontier history.

[@Crazcompart]

I was in Sully County about 30 years ago...I think we traveled up via US 83 from the exit on I-90 quite a ways south in Lyman County, to get there (I know we also went through the state capitol) - if I remember right...Literally dead-nuts center of the state... Some friend of a friend had family from Onida...

[@GTO7005]

Ever get a chance check out Ipswich South Dakota got some interesting history there start of the yellow stone trail

[@schmourt]

I think that building beside the school was the gym and the big building was still the school. I've gone to school in a few old old school buildings and they always have a metal gym built nearby or added on

[@colinhamilton156]

The land in those towns looks so nice and green !

[@joelfeiock4718]

no this reminds me of the rural towns that I visited when I was young. all dirt roads and a lot of farmland.

[@summerz8867]

That School would need a few more entrances these days…nice tour💞🐴🐴…some beautiful buildings..safe travels.✨

[@truecatholic8692]

LOL, some people would be that delusional.

[@carbunkle9902]

57 varieties.

[@riverraisin1]

I identify as a toaster! 😛

[@GTO7005]

Love the videos so cool always wanted to do this myself

[@robertmcmanus636]

I think the rundown places give a town more character.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I agree. There's nothing more boring looking that modern, new suburbia.

[@gamblinken]

Thank you for your content. Very informative 👍

[@ybe7011]

I think those abandoned homes there are old folks that passed away and either no family or family didn't want to deal with it. I remember seeing that growing up in the early 80s visiting my grandma who lived in a small town.

[@45AMT]

13:40 Checkout the old Civil Defense air raid siren at the FD!

[@BobMckinsey]

I was in an unincorporated town in South Dakota on 212. Near the Minnesota border. And the main road was a gravel road !! Maybe 500 people in it. I'd love to live there. Hardly any expenses for unnecessary sidewalks and stuff.

[@TeresaRaab-hb5co]

Gravel roads aren't cheap to maintain.

[@user-jp7rk1uf2n]

Sounds like Revillo.

[@BobMckinsey]

Revilp is the one with there post office in a trailer I think. I've visited there too.

[@user-jp7rk1uf2n]

Yes. Darn big fingers.

[@agentofficerthomasa.porter107]

Joe & Nic, with Summer, some schools do not offer summer school. They may offer it On Line. So that town with the 2 buildings newer just closed for the Summer? The older school looks like it could be restored ok. The school district may pool from other towns around. You know if people in their 20's & 30's who work from home on the Internet would move to the many different small towns you have been through, they would save a boat load on living cost. Great places with peace & harmony. They could be inspired to open up small shops. I always hope they see your channel & they are moved to leave the cities. The cost for rents & mortgages are so sky high & crime in the cities today. Enjoyed the town tours. Safe Travels. always, Tommy🤠

[@caryward8251]

Hi there, Joe & Nic! Like your videos and info about the towns very much. Looking forward to y’all coming back to Texas!! @reynoldskm thank you for the school info!! I grew up in a Class ‘B’ School with threats of consolidation but the school would go into debt adding on to the school to prevent that from happening! Now the school is a top notch facility for education in the area! Also, 1.8 million dollars in oil money in 1978-79 really turned things around. At 30:20, is probably a Killdeer; they lay their eggs in a nest of rocks to camouflage them. A Roadrunner has darker feathers, longer head, neck, legs, & tail. Killdeers are extremely beautiful and elegant birds and fiercely protective of their eggs and offspring. Also, sometimes they will pretend to be wounded (broken wing trick) to draw predators away from their nest. That bird was too small for a Roadrunner.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Interesting. :)

[@user-gg3zh1ns2s]

Ok I started following you guys an totally fell in love🤘😝🤘you guys should check out these little towns in Kentucky. Beattyville and Booneville. They are very blink an you'll miss it towns. Really old, I think dollar stores just came in, in the last few years. Would love to see you check it out

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I'll put them on my list! :)

[@rhondatanner1157]

Look at that prairie at the train tracks.. beautiful

[@mariesheppard3750]

Thank you for another great video, you tell it as it is,

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@Nickle314]

Interesting that the huge increase in efficiency in farming, means a huge reduction in population.

[@turnapage7417]

The worse things get in the US with the current administration, we NEED FARMING just like we need TRUCKERS

[@dagwood1327]

My dad told me that in the area he grew up the farmers had 40 acres to farm and his family was as large as he could make it. Kids were expected to help on the farm.

[@Nickle314]

@@dagwood1327 And now 40 acres would be uneconomic. Average farm size is now 445 acres. Depending on what you are doing, 500 acres can be one person. You may need to get in seasonal work, for example for harvest.

[@653j521]

It could mean a huge increase in employment due to the amount of cash available to buy things. The east side of South Dakota has very successful farming due to having more precipitation, and many prosperous towns. According to you the place should be practically devoid of people by now but the reverse has happened. The bulk of the state's total population is in the east.

[@Nickle314]

@@653j521 The general trend is fewer and fewer working the land. Highmore, 1950 - 1158 people, down to 682. Harold 1950 - 263 down to 101 Blunt 1950 423 down to 342 Onida 822 down to 666 [Avoid that if you believe in Satan! :-)] I picked one at random in the east, off the main roads. Oldham, 349 down to 121 So is it the roads De Smet 1,180 down to 1056. So there's evidence that it may be easy of transport. But its still down.

[@bondoly66]

Great video. Love your channel.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you! :)

[@ramborarity3545]

Please do northern Wisconsin. You will love the rhinelander wi court house. Its a stained Tiffany glass dome. The small forgotten towns like wabeno and layona are special too.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I just visited Wisconsin's furthest north towns! That video will be up in about a week. :)