1880 Town.

Let's be honest. The real reason Rachael and I were rushing through South Dakota was to get to 1880 town. We have been hearing about 1880 town since our friend Andrew payed them a visit 3 years ago. We had to get there. 

1880 town is a collection of buildings from the 1880s. When you visit you can pay a nominal fee to be costumed by a shopkeeper. You are then free to roam the town unsupervised and take any photos you want. I, of course, needed the whole experience. I paid my $7 and the shopkeeper helped me chose a dress and complete the look with shoes, gloves, and a hat. 

I guess she knew who she was dealing with, because before letting me loose she gave me a lecture on making absolutely sure that the dress does NOT drag on the ground or get dirty in any way. I told her the costume was in good hands and we set off to start the photo shoot. 

We stopped at every building, covered wagon, and old piece of farm equipment and we were having a hilarious time... Until Rachael found an egg on the ground. At least we thought it was an egg. Like a responsible adult, Rachael said "don't touch it, let's just go". But, I couldn't help myself. I picked it up and was pleased to see it was just a smooth rock. I gave it a squeeze just to be sure... But it wasn't a rock. Egg yolk dripped off my white cotton gloves and seeped down the front of the dress that I had been trusted to keep clean. After a bit of a freak out and some frantic cleanup we quickly rushed back to the costume shop and I sheepishly returned the dress. All in all, a fantastic time was had. 

Here is a sampling of "The 1880s Collection":