Confined livestock represent a triumph of civilization. It’s often politically correct to describe nomadic warriors such as the Mongols are described as “pastoralists,” but this ignores the fact that they rejected the concept of private real property that civilized farmers and ranchers embrace. Personal land holdings allow a peaceful accumulation of capital. That his men slept where cattle are lionized and flags are flown thus is fitting:

Other vies of Stockman’s Livestock, a great cattle and pig auctionry in Yankton, include the confinement pens:

And the closest thing there is to a forbidden section: a parking lot that profane visitors may not use (reserved for the sacred comings and going of industrial equipment):

Settled during the Sioux Wars that took Custer’s life, Yankton was the territorial capital of the Dakota Territory. The Dakota Territory would later be gerrymandered into a mostly German North Dakota and a German-Scandinavian South Dakota to benefit the Republican Party.

Besides also being home to one of the remaining Rexall Drugs (a chain that was a cornucopia of candied delights for a young tdaxp)….

Yankton is home to the Meridian Bridge of the Meridian Highway. Meridian, now submerged in United States Route 81. Meridian is part of a transnational highway that divides North America and runs from Canada to Mexico City. As another cross-South-Dakota route, Interstate 90, travels the continent from Boston and Seattle, the part of the route of 81 and overlaps with 90 may be one of the most significant free-trade roads in the Continent.

The Meridian Bridge conserves space by having two levels, one (single lane) for northbound and the other (single lane) for southbound. I have no idea, other than neatness, why this design decision was made.

A riverside park gives some cool views of the international traffic.

Enough bridges? Relax with cold beer…. here!

Or enjoy a pleasant day boating.

Anyhoo, turning around on US 81…

one soon comes to the US 81 / SD 50/52 interchange. Though unassuming now. In 1876 in Deadwood, Dakota Territory, William Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok was murdered by Jack “Crooked Nose” McCall. After acquittal in Deadwood, Jack fled to Wyoming Territory. Arrested again by federal marshals (with the justification that Deadwood was Great Sioux Nation treaty land), Jack was executed on this spot.