Geology Museum–South Dakota School of Mines

We are really enjoying the geology and mineral museums as we travel up through the states with strong current and historic mining industries.  Our latest stop was the Geology Museum of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, South Dakota. 

This museum was not just a mineral exhibit. This part of South Dakota is a paleontological region rich in dinosaur and other fossils of prehistoric life.  The museum has some of the finest skeletal specimens we have seen, not that we have a lot of wheelbase in this area,  But we know when something is impressive to us and these remains surely were.

The minerals of South Dakota were not quite as impressive as those of Colorado, but we enjoyed these beautiful agates from local areas. 

 

 

 

While we were in Rapid City, we also sought out and toured a unique church – Chapel in the Hills. This chapel is an exact replica of one constructed in Norway in the 1100s and is still in existance there.  There were many immigrants from Scandinavia who came to mining regions like South Dakota.  A descendant of a Norwegian immigrant gave the money for the construction of this chapel