My first journey up there was quite memorable.
As I recall, it was about 30 miles from the city, which itself is at a 3,500 foot elevation, and the road winds up much higher to Mt. Rushmore.
After spending time there, we began the descent. Before long, there was a break in the treeline, from which point one could see seemingly endless miles to the East and the prairies that stretch forth.
History lover that I am, always 'seeing' in areas things of the past, I imagined I was a Sioux warrior astride his horse long ago, looking at moving specks out there.
Buffalo herd? No - - a sight he had never seen, that portended disaster for him and the Indian Nations of the West and their entire way of life....wagons and white men and women, bringing eventual destruction and displacement from their sacred grounds.
Seeing these areas and learning the true history, you are told and can conclude for yourself Custer was a dirty name. There is one preserved Fort we toured, where Custer made a binding U.S. government treaty with the Indians, that if they let the settlers therein remain safe and live in peace, "the white man would cease taking further land."
He, of course, broke his and our word when gold was discovered in the mountains, and greed ruled.
He was no hero, and I felt the Indians were totally justified in wiping out his attacking force.
Think what you like, but in my opinion, we did not always act with honor in the shaping of America.