Hedrick Family Westward Expedition - Summer 2024

Hedrick Family Westward Expedition
Summer 2024
It was a journey through America's 1700's, 1800's and 1900's...
- Mount Rushmore and an evening program there, which featured a recap of America's early journey to independence. I'm one proud mama that my kids could tell you why each one of the men on Mount Rushmore are important and honored.
- Lewis and Clark's Expedition: We traveled parts of their exact journey. The kids hiked to the top of "Pompey's Pillar" and saw where Clark himself carved his name into the rock. We also visited Sacajawea's gravesite.
- Parts of the Oregon Trail and visiting Chimney Rock, an icon for the pioneers moving West.
- An original Pony Express site. Buffalo Bill Cody may have stepped foot inside that building himself!
- 3 Laura Ingalls sites: The kiddos walked on the prairie where Laura ran wild and free and they stepped foot on original flooring in the school house that Laura attended growing up.
- We stood where Custer's Last Stand happened and where so many laid down their lives, both white men and indians at the Battle of Little Bighorn.
- 4 National Parks in America's great West where it's still vast and wild and rugged. Rock climbing in the Badlands, watching bison roam majesticly in Yellowstone and riding horses in the Grand Tetons were trip favorites.
- Other fun things included the Corn Palace, Crazy Horse monument, Devil's Tower, scenic drives, picnics and hand feeding prairie dogs. Oh! And a bear crossing the road and jumping a guard rail in front of us.
The kids kept journals and we made a million memories. We grew in character and practiced grace... all important things.
You could say that American History came alive for us on this journey. We are thankful and humbled. The good things in life will always come with sacrifice.... Freedom, and even travel. It's all worth it.
#hedrickfamily #adventure #familytravels #wildwest #southdakota #lauraingalls #homeschoolhistory

[@seasonsofwonder]

Beautiful places you visited. Thank you so much for sharing! 💗☺️