Since beginning our full-time journey to discover the country, we have found something to appreciate in every city and town we have passed through. We hope you enjoy reading about them as much as we have enjoyed discovering them!
No person, business or attraction has paid us for an endorsement.
Oacoma
Population: 375
Founded: 1890
Average income: $35,114
Average price of housing: $170,700
Median age of the population: 45
https://oacomasd.com/
Impressions
Geographically Oacoma is a very small town located in the center of southern South Dakota. It lies on the banks of the Missouri River across the bridge from Chamberlain. Other towns we visited while in Oacoma included Interior, Mitchell and Wall.
We were amazed by the terrain in this area. There are few words to describe the beauty of standing in the rest area, looking west, and seeing the Missouri River valley as the backdrop to Dignity. It was stunning.
Not too far from Oacoma it seems like you are in this expansive topography called the Badlands, and smaller communities like Mitchell or Wall. There is a 160-mile stretch of road from Oacoma to Rapid City. I remember asking some other full-timers, “How will we know when we are in the Badlands?” The simple response was, “You will know.” It was so true. We drove west, and yes, you will KNOW when you have reached the Badlands!
Attractions
Chamberlain: Chamberlain is probably best known for Dignity, a 50’ tall, 32’ wide stainless-steel statue of a Native American woman at the Chamberlain Rest Area between exits 263 and 265 on I-90. Words and pictures do not do justice to this statue overlooking the valley and the Missouri River.
Chamberlain: Also, at the rest area with Dignity is the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center. There is a huge replica of the keelboat used by Lewis & Clark. It is so large it is part inside and part outside of the building! There are exhibits and artifacts from their journey.
Chamberlain: Lakota Museum. From their website: “The Akta Lakota Museum and Cultural Center opened in 1991 on the St. Joseph’s Indian School campus. The name of our Native American museum reflects what we do: honor and preserve the rich culture of the Lakota people, the students at St. Joseph’s Indian School and the thousands who visit the museum each year.” This is an amazing, informational place to explore.
Chamberlain: South Dakota Hall of Fame is literally within eyesight of Dignity. It is a free museum devoted to the people who have made South Dakota the amazing place it is. Descriptions of people who have contributed to South Dakota’s history are showcased.
Interior: On I-90, at exit 110 you can go north to Wall, SD and Wall Drug or you can go south to Interior, SD and the Badlands National Park. The Badlands encompasses 2,000 square miles or 222,000 acres of wildland. When we were there, we saw elf, deer, longhorn sheep and hundreds of prairie dogs! You can stand in one place and look in look in different directions to see prairie, huge tall formations and deep crevasse valleys. It was amazing and well worth the stop!
Mitchell: If you are on I-90, you MUST go to The Corn Palace in downtown Mitchell. The Corn Palace was built in the 1890s with the idea of showcasing the main local product, corn. Since 1892, every year, The Corn Palace has put up huge murals, inside and out, with unique themes all made of corn husks! Brett Lowrie, a local farmer, produces all of the corn used at The Corn Palace. Officials at The Corn Palace will tell Lowrie the theme for the year’s murals, and he will plant 12 different colors of corn for the designs!! Each fall, after corn harvest, the murals will be replaced with a new theme. This place is AMAZING! Admission to The Corn Place is free, and there is plenty of free parking (including plenty of space for a motorhome towing a Jeep!).
Wall: Wall Drug is a tourist attraction. Don’t confuse Wall Drug for a pharmacy. Opened in 1931, it was a general store that offered free ice water for travelers. It still does today. It encompasses 76,000 square feet of small unrelated “stores”. There is a “camping store”, a “fudge shop”, a “clothing store”, a “toy store”, a “café” etc. If you purchase anything at Wall Drug, you pay at each small section or “store”, but it is all one building and company. It is a busy place with many, many tourists (all buying something!).
Food and Drink
If you are in Chamberlain, a must go to restaurant is The Smoking Mule. It is a local favorite and is located near the marina and downtown. We have never had fried zucchini spears with avocado ranch dressing before! The waitress said the zucchini are direct from the restaurant owner’s vegetable garden. One of the first things you notice when you get out of your car is the aroma of meat smoking. There is a huge smoker to the right of the building. Dave said his pulled pork sandwich was one of the best he has had!
It always amazes us when we find good Mexican food outside of Texas. There is a small Mexican restaurant in Chamberlain called Mi Pueblo. Nothing fancy, but large margaritas and good food at a decent price. We would recommend stopping. It is almost within sight of Dignity, it is that close.
Downtown
We love quaint, unique downtown areas. Chamberlain has a nice small downtown with many stores and businesses. There were very few empty store fronts. There are several antique shops to spend hours browsing through.
Home Base: The Campground
For us, a campground is not our destination. Our RV is self-contained. Rarely do we use campground services or amenities. We are explorers, not campground reviewers! We stayed on site 16 at Al’s Oasis Campground, Oacoma, SD. The campground was clean and well maintained. The staff was very friendly. Our full hook up (water-sewer-electric) site was on very level gravel. Our pull through site was long enough to leave the Jeep hooked up and still have both vehicles off the road. Though long, our site was very narrow. 30 and 50 amp service was available. There was good cell phone coverage (Verizon) and a good open southern sky for our satellite. Easy off and on I-90 with at least 2 options for getting gas/diesel. I-90 noise exists. It is quieter at night, but you still hear the road noise.
Fun Facts
Did you know that South Dakota was the region of the country that saw the first woman suffrage movement in the country? This movement began in 1872, eighteen years before South Dakota became a state! Good going, Marietta Bones, Jane Rooker Breeden and Emma Smith DeVoe!
Summary
We were only in Oacoma for a couple of nights, but long enough to know this is a special area to explore. You may wonder why we have identified Oacoma as the title of this blog; it is where our campground or “basecamp” was located.
If you stop by to visit Dignity at the Chamberlain rest area, check out the small surrounding towns, too. Oacoma and Chamberlain are wonderful small communities that are worth stopping at! We were amazed by the terrain in this area. There are few words to describe the beauty of standing in the rest area and seeing the Missouri River valley as the backdrop to Dignity. Stunning.
Your partners in travel,
Kathryn, Dave and Lucky
RVing Nomads
It’s a lifestyle
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If you haven’t checked out our Special Places & Recommendations page, please do so. If you are in these areas, you may find these places as enjoyable and rewarding as we did!