Most People Don’t Know These 5 Castles Are Hiding In South Dakota
One of the oldest and best-known roadside attractions in South Dakota is the Corn Palace, but that is just one of a few castle-like structures found in the state. Even though they may not be as big and mighty as some castles in faraway lands, these are little hidden gems that stand out from the rest.
The Petrified Wood Park has been around for over half a century now. The postcard above promoting the attraction was made in the 1930s. These fossilized wood structures create unique and interesting castle-like formations in Lemmon, South Dakota, and they're free for anyone to visit.
Did you know there is a castle located right across the street from The Corn Palace? This one is a bit different of course, and instead of displaying corn it showcases hundreds of dolls. It's a bit unusual... Okay, it's very unusual, but a castle is fitting for a place that houses a lot of princess dolls (including certain Star Wars princesses).
The Pickler Mansion, otherwise known as The Pink Palace, was home to South Dakota's very first congressman. The style and color are a bit different than most would probably choose, especially for having a house with a guard tower, but it gives the house its character and palace title. The home is pretty massive and is just how the last owner left it, only now you can tour it to see an important piece of South Dakota history.
This is the first of the two storybook-themed amusement park castles in South Dakota. Perhaps not as big as certain Disney theme park castles, it is fairly impressive and works perfectly with the fairy tale vibe.
Secondly, the Storybook Island park in Rapid City. This park actually has a few castles, or partial castles, for many different characters that fill the pages of everyone's childhoods. This place is free to visit and great for younger kids.
These castles come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and although they may not house any royalty, they are cute hidden gems that anyone can discover. Many of these will stir up some nostalgia, too, just like these general stores in South Dakota that might not bring you back to your childhood fairy lands, but back to how things used to be.
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