Remembering Mission and Martin, South Dakota

Remembering and sharing how the small communities of Mission and Martin in South Dakota were when I was growing up.  Of course, I didn't move to Martin until the Christmas break my sophomore year of high school.  Sam moved there from California when he was in kindergarten.  

Saturday was another typical work day with Sunday being the day free for most vocations.  Saturday evenings, though, the stores on Main Street remained open, as the farm and ranch families would come to town to shop, buy their groceries for the week, and enjoy visiting with friends and neighbors who had also come to town.  I remember times sitting in the car and watching passersby while waiting for my parents to finish their shopping.  Typically, my dad did his shopping in the hardware stores while my mother bought the groceries. 

Actually, many Saturdays I went with my parents either to Valentine, Nebraska, or to Winner, South Dakota for a day of shopping.  My dad would spend time at the farm implement stores shopping for the agricultural department at the Rosebud Boarding School.  I went with my mother, and we went to see what was on display for sale at Prang's Apparel Store or one of the other stores on Main Street in Valentine, Nebraska; and on an alternating week, we would shop in Winner at one of the stores and end up at the Outlaw general store.  Looking online, the only store name still operating in Winner is Schramm Furniture, and none of the stores I remember are still operating in Valentine.  

There are 40.45 miles from Mission to Winner in east direction and 43 miles by car, following the US-18 and US-83 route.

The driving distance from Valentine, Nebraska to Mission, South Dakota is about 32 miles via US-83 North, taking roughly 32 to 35 minutes.  

The driving distance from Winner, South Dakota to Mission, South Dakota is about 43 minutes on US-18.

Part of the changes in shopping in rural South Dakota today are due to people opting to travel a little further to Rapid City or Sioux Falls on occasion or more shopping online.

(Just another bit of information for the area:  The driving distance from Mission, SD to Rosebud, SD is about 12.3 miles (taking roughly 15 to 16 minutes) via BIA Hwy l and US-18 E.)