CRAZY HORSE - CUSTER STATE PARK

We attended mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Rapid City.  Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary which emphasizes her unfailing eagerness to pray for the welfare of the human family, especially those who seek her intercession.

The original icon (above) is venerated today in the Church of St. Alphonsus in Rome - The priest is only 28 years old and his homily was one of the best we've heard in a very long time

The interior is long and narrow with beautiful stained glass windows

Crazy Horse Memorial is the world's largest mountain carving in progress.  Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear wrote to self-taught Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski asking him to sculpt the memorial because he said "My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know the red man has great heroes also".  Korczak worked on the mountain from 1948 until his death in 1982.  His wife, Ruth, and their seven children continue the work without federal or state assistance.

The head is 87 1/2 feet tall

The arm is 263 feet long

1/34 Scale model

Korczak at age 40

Korczak and his wife Ruth

Because the memorial is near Custer State Park we decided to visit the park before heading home for the day. The park covers 71,000 acres adjacent to Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial.  It's one of the world's largest publicly owned buffalo herds, some 1,500 strong.  We wanted to take the 18-mile wildlife loop but some how ended up on the 14-mile scenic route of Needles Highway.  Fortunately, we paid for a 7-day pass and will visit again before we leave this area.

Grazing longhorns

Glad we're in the car and not the motorcoach

This is why they call it Needles Highway

Lots of hiking trails - another reason to come back

Got home just in time for happy hour with our new neighbors.

New friends Dana, Irene and Boo

Thanks for stopping in for a visit.  Click on the comment button and say hello.