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| Raised Hands Surround Us Three Nails To Protect Us  |
The thread about Wind River and how well it depicted life on a Reservation had me thinking about the summer of 1997 when I lived on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. It has been awhile and I can’t remember the name of the Church that we lived at. If memory serves me correctly I have circled it in Green, Big Bats is circled in Red, and Taco John’s is circled in Blue. This is a current GoogleMap so there is a bit more built up compared to when I was there so I may be wrong. In the picture the building appears to be green and a metal building when we were there I am pretty sure it was a maroon wood A frame structure.  This was a very memorable trip for many reasons but living there at 14 years old among that extreme poverty was eye opening. We pretty much lived on food and Mr. Pibb (as a 20oz was 50 cents) from Big Bats and Taco John’s. We did a ton of exploring around Red Cloud School and happened upon a pretty sizable marijuana grow on the creek behind the school. There was a Buffalo Ranch that I thought was called Poker Joe’s or something like that which was pretty significant as they had white Buffalo calf. We taught a vacation Bible school for the kids of the reservation that summer. Judging by the Googlemaps shot I doubt I would recognize much of it anymore but would like to return some day. Anyone familiar with it from over the years and have an idea what the name of the church may have been? ———————————————— The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad. If we got each other, and that's all we have. I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand. You should know I'll be there for you! | ||
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Holy cross episcopal church? ______________________________________________ Life is short. It’s shorter with the wrong gun… | |||
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| Bunch of savages in this town  |
I lived just on the outskirts of the PR reservation. My father was the administrator of the Pine Ridge hospital. But that was back in the mid to late 80’s. It’s sad, a once proud nation reduced to alcohol abuse, and I’ve heard the meth addiction is off the charts. I believe they shut down most of the liquor stores that bordered the reservation, on the request of the Tribal counsel. Just looking off Google, type in Pine Ridge Reservation Churches, a few came up. I haven’t been there since 1990, so I’m sure things have changes. Good luck, God Bless…. ----------------- I apologize now... | |||
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| Raised Hands Surround Us Three Nails To Protect Us |
Don’t believe it was Holy Cross. Googling Pine Ridge Churches and pictures and this picture shows the steeple/bell tower just to the left of the tree behind Taco John’s. Maybe the church was white and an out building was red/maroon. It has been so long and digital cameras weren’t a thing. I have some film pictures somewhere. I have the picture of me and my buddy with the marijuana in my dresser drawer.  It was that summer that I was introduced to what a true demon alcohol can be. The grocery store that is up and to the right of the church is where the elderly men many in wheels chairs would go to meet and drink the days away. ———————————————— The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad. If we got each other, and that's all we have. I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand. You should know I'll be there for you! | |||
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| Raised Hands Surround Us Three Nails To Protect Us |
This may be it as I went out their with the Presbyterian Church I grew up in. This photo is from 2011 which would be almost 15 years after I was there and they could have added the brick. But this shape and the maroon underneath could be it.  ———————————————— The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad. If we got each other, and that's all we have. I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand. You should know I'll be there for you! | |||
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Gordon and Rushville were on my sales route, traveled there 6 times a year. I was in Gordon when Raymond Yellow Thunder was murdered leading to a range war. I used to live in Chicago, south side, Grand Crossing area. It was bad but nothing like Whiteclay when government checks were issued. I marked the 1st of the month down and avoided that place when the checks went out. I’d seen a lot of bad in Chicago. But nothing like Whiteclay. Fighting on the highway, pissing beer out in the street, shitting in the alley. I felt like Jimmy Piersall in “Fear Strikes Out!” The 4 beer stores on average sold over 13,000 cans or daily. Population (2010 census)= 10. 2017 the 4 beer stores were shut down permanently. People don’t know poor til ya get on that Reservation. | |||
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| Bunch of savages in this town |
^ I graduated from Gordon High School, 1990. I didn’t know until after we moved, but my dad had to meet with the tribal counsel, and Russell Means. My mom didn’t think she’d ever see him again. Russell was the head of the AIM movement at the time. I made good friends out there, some were Lakota Sioux. Most aren’t alive anymore. The Rez offered a short timespan for most males. It’s sad. Beautiful country, with a lot of history. I apologize for the thread drift. I have a lot of good memories in that neck of the woods…. ----------------- I apologize now... | |||
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Yes ASKSmith, beautiful out there. Stars hang low and bright. All around good folks on both sides. Folks were a little suspicious of me, sporting Omaha plates, company car= ’73 Fury 1,4 door, plain blue wrapper…screamed government car. I got used to the looks. I also apologize for the drift, I suppose if anyone had been out there they’d comment also, it’s good territory. Thanks for the memories Black92XL! | |||
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| Raised Hands Surround Us Three Nails To Protect Us |
No thread drift at all. I welcome hearing others experiences there. ———————————————— The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad. If we got each other, and that's all we have. I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand. You should know I'll be there for you! | |||
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The only thing I know about Pine Ridge is what I've read regarding AIM and the FBI. I too would like to learn more first hand accounts than from a book. Let all Men know thee, but no man know thee thoroughly: Men freely ford that see the shallows. Benjamin Franklin | |||
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The summer of 2019 me, my wife, and my two youngest daughters went with our church to the Chanku Waste Ranch to work on the Pine Ridge Reservation. We put on a church camp all week. They basically do a church camp every week of the summer with different volunteer churches coming in working. I was a bus monitor each morning and afternoon when we picked up and dropped off the kids. Very eye opening experience for everyone in the family. We also worked in a persons house to redo/replace a bathroom and get the water hooked back up. First time in 8 years they had running water. Nick nick_mur | |||
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Legalize the Constitution |
Yeah, but I’ve never really tried to put my experiences into words. Thirteen years ago I did a four-month detail as District Ranger for the Pine Ridge RD in Chadron, Nebraska. There was a seasonal who worked for the district whose family name was Red Cloud, a great-grandson as I recall; he was a good hand. That area is dripping with history, Fort Robinson (close by) where Crazy Horse was bayoneted and killed, and the Northern Cheyennes that fled Oklahoma surrendered there, then broke out when they were confined in a barracks for weeks. Just west of Chadron there’s a marker for the location where Buffalo Bill Cody killed a Cheyenne warrior named Yellow Hair. Both Cody and Yellow Hair were serving as scouts and out front of their respective parties; Cody a cavalry troop and the Cheyenne, a band led by Dull Knife. Cody shot, then scalped the Cheyenne, and ever the showman, made his bones as an entertainer reenacting the skirmish. The killing took place less than a month after the Little Bighorn Fight and Cody, ever after, referred to it as “Buffalo Bill’s first scalp for Custer.” One day I drove up to the Reservation, just across the state line in SD. I went to Wounded Knee. Sad, that such a site as this is so pitiful looking. The actual site of the massacre is apparently titled land. I don’t understand either, but it’s posted. There’s a touristy kinda shop with a couple Oglalas selling some crafts (I bought a dream catcher of sorts that was nicely made using willow for the hoop). Otherwise, bare dirt everywhere, and a sign denoting the location that hadn’t been repainted in many years. Up on the hill above the shop is the mass grave where those killed are buried. A monument of sorts (tall marker), that was erected somewhere between the 1930s and 50s honors the dead. There are a number of other Lakota military veterans buried there as well. Most appear to have been Marines. I’ve never quite understood the connection between the Marine Corps and American Indians, but it’s real. In fact, I picked up a young Oglala on leave from the Corps on my way up to Oelrichs. The story of White Clay, Nebraska and the liquor stores there makes me ashamed to be a Nebraska native. I saw the town and I can’t believe it took so long for something to be done about it. Russell Means and the AIM tried 50 years ago to stop the tragedy. Road blocks became a temporary solution. There are more stories about the history of the area, like the settlement of Montrose, but this is enough. Because of where I come from, I built up an extensive personal library of Plains Indian history. After awhile, you can’t hardly read another wordThis message has been edited. Last edited by: TMats, _______________________________________________________ despite them | |||
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^^^^^^^^^^ Thank you for posting. | |||
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Ret. Col. Tom Brewer became a State Senator and was able to rally legislature to shut down booze sales in White Clay, Nebraska. I hear the problem still exists but not like White Clay. That place was a dystopian slum. Very sad. http://www.woundsofwhiteclay.com/brewer/ | |||
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I think that's the church, Black92LX. I went to google maps, and it was labeled as such. Then I went to street view, and the sign in front said the same. The street view shows a white church with a grey shingle roof; your aerial might be newer, as it has a green roof in it. === I would like to apologize to anyone I have *not* offended. Please be patient. I will get to you shortly. | |||
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| The Ice Cream Man |
I know some local Indian tribe in NC, is trying to get into airplane parts supply. It seems like tribes would be trying to market themselves to more corporations. Anyone know of any tax incentives, etc for doing so? (Other than priority for government contracts.) | |||
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| Legalize the Constitution |
Thanks, huskerlrrp, lots to learn in the website you linked. Were you 101st? _______________________________________________________ despite them | |||
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3/75 & 75th HQ | |||
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always with a hat or sunscreen |
Thanks for the article link. Certifiable member of the gun toting, septuagenarian, bucket list workin', crazed retiree, bald is beautiful club! USN (RET), COTEP #192 | |||
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Having spent some time in/around Native villages in Alaska, of which many are dry, bootlegging is a viable revenue stream for some. Not unusual for those looking to make some side-money to purchase several bottles of cheap whiskey like Old Camp, repackage it, then fly into the village to visit family and sell it on the side. Given how vast and remote the Bush is (interior AK), sellers could command a premium from those desperate and sad souls. Village kids huffing gasoline fumes from the fuel tanks, was another activity which blew my mind. | |||
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