Day 31 Yankton, SD

June 19

Yankton Tour Day

I’m so glad we came to Yankton.  The campsite is wonderful and the weather couldn’t be better.  We drove into town and walked over the historic Meridian Bridge which was originally built in 1924 as a bi-level bridge for vehicle traffic on the upper deck and rail traffic on the lower deck with a vertical lift for boat traffic.  The lower deck wasn’t used and the bridge was decommissioned in 1984.  This bridge had an international connection linking Winnipeg to Mexico City via Hwy 81.  We walked across the upper deck .6 miles into Nebraska and then back again on the lower deck .3 miles into South Dakota. 

Meridian Bridge



Yankton has a 35 mile trail system along the river and through town.  We walked a few of them along the river front, into old downtown to view sculptures and checked out a replica building of the state capital as Yankton was the designated capital of the Dakota Territory in 1861.  It is the town where Jack McCall was hung in 1877 due to murdering Bill Hickok in Deadwood in 1876.  We visited the marker where Jack McCall was hung. 

  Meridian Bridge in back ground 

In 1957 the Gavins Point Dam was completed on the Missouri River thereby creating the Yankton Lake.  We drove across on a narrow piece of land into Nebraska over the dam.  Just up the road is the Lewis & Clark Visitor Centre in Crofton, Nebraska.  From their parking lot is a good view of the dam.

Crofton, Nebraska

Gavins Point Powerplant, Missouri River and Yankton Lake

The third time we drove into Nebraska was on the Discovery Bridge crossing the Missouri River on Hwy 81 and went to the Corps of Discovery Welcome Centre which has a very scenic overlook of the Missouri River valley.  We visited the Gavins Point Fish Hatchery and Aquarium.  It wasn’t very big but the displays they did have were very interesting.

 



Discovery Bridge

 

In the evening Ross and I got on the bikes and rode from one end of the campsite to the other.  It took an hour which included taking pictures of about 50 vultures soaring on the up draft off the river.  Also got a shot of a red headed wood pecker and the western meadow lark near the water.

 

Sapsucker on bicycle sign

Daily Stats:

Today's distance: 21km 
Weather:  Sunshine; High: 32 degrees; Lo: 20 degrees
Diesel Price:
Wildlife:  50+ Black Vultures, Red Breasted Sapsucker
Campsite:  Lewis & Clark State Park
Walking:  10 km & bike riding around the campsite
Today's news event: Mark back in hospital since Monday