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As early as 1911, Hutton began issuing warnings that the soil would not stand up to the abuse of intensive cultivation. Farming, he urged, “must be adapted to the soil and rainfall conditions for the area.” Not all land should be plowed but left for pasture.
Hutton documented with photographs the damaged done by drought and soil damage done by improper farming practices. His notes for this photo are: “Serial No. 33-126:- NE Corner of NE1/4 Sec. 36-112-64, Allen township. Arthur C. Stegeman Farm, Wolsey Area, South ��ֱ����. Cattle eating oats on listed land. Blowing on this particular field was stopped by listing at right angles to the prevailing winds, but the sand from the neighboring Geister place is beginning to fill it in. Oats, listing and pigeon grass have stopped the blowing away of his land and the farmer is getting some returns by grazing cattle on it. (9/19/35)"
The exhibit Drowning in Dirt: Joseph Hutton and the Dust Bowl is opening at the South ��ֱ���� Agricultural Heritage Museum on February 27, 2023. Come visit the Museum and learn more about Professor Hutton’s work, the 1930s Dust Bowl and its effects on South ��ֱ����.

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Black and white photo from the J.G. Hutton Collection showing an advancing sandbank burying Russian Thistle in front of an abandoned farmhouse. Typewritten caption below photo reads "Serial No.33- 127:- SW corner of SW1/4 Sec. 30-112-63. Lenna M. Jefferson Farm. Wolsey Area, South ��ֱ����. Sand "drowning out" and killing Russian Thistle which grew up after spring blow had covered that part of the farm to a depth of one or more feet deep. The sand came in from the barren blowing area to the south (Geister place) and is again burying the farm; this time to a depth of about 4 feet in this place. The bank has already advanced about 100 feet from the fence and when this picture was taken (windy day) it could be seen to be advancing rapidly. Farm building abandoned. (9/19/35)".

The exhibit Drowning in Dirt: Joseph Hutton and the Dust Bowl is opening at the South ��ֱ���� Agricultural Heritage Museum on February 27, 2023. Come visit the Museum and learn more about Professor Hutton’s work, the 1930s Dust Bowl and its effects on South ��ֱ����.

• Throwback Thursday

Joseph Hutton’s depth of knowledge of soil science and contemporary farming practices allowed him to foresee the destruction of the soil more than 20 years before the Dustbowl happened. He strongly believed that soil was the source of all life and warned of its misuse.

• Throwback Thursday

magine a stretch of Land that is completely quiet and has been mostly undisturbed. Something like that is almost unimaginable in today’s world, but back in the early 1900s reality was far different than we know. This image is from a glass lantern slide from the J. G. Hutton Collection at the museum.

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This photograph shows a young man, Charles Lewis, Fedora,SD sitting on his father’s new tractor. tractor. Charles is just 10 years old in this photo and is on top his dad’s 1936 CC Case tractor which he bought new for $1,050. This tractor brought so much attention at the time that the local school dismissed early so that all the kids could come and admire such a wondrous machine.

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One of the many incentives to move westward during the mid-19th century 1800s was the 1862 Homestead Act. This congressional act made it possible for anyone who is at least 21 years of age and head of household to “stake your claim.” A claim was 160 acres of land. To obtain this land would have to first file for an application. Then you would improve the land by building a house, planting crops and trees and maintain them showing you could manage it. Finally, you would receive the deed to your land certifying it as yours. The photo above shows a sod shanty on a claim of land near Arlington in 1884.

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This photograph pictures the South ��ֱ���� Brotherhood of Threshermen Band on June 13, 1931. Thirty-four individuals are pictured here all dressed in a uniform of bib overalls, straw hats and bandanas.

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The workers are wearing aprons that say Vienna Lumberyard, so we assume this inthe Vienna, South ��ֱ���� area. Vienna had five elevator companies.

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This photograph from the Pennington County Extension Homemakers scrapbook caption reads:

Eager for Christmas suggestions, a large group of Extension Club representatives flocked to the Home Service Dept. of the Black Hills Power and Light Co. for a demonstration arranged by the county Extension service. Showing the prettily packaged candy for the holidays is “Nancy Haven” (Dorothy Carlson) of Minneapolis, Minn., regional home economist for Western Beet Sugar Producers, Inc.

The women had the opportunity to sample the candies during the demonstration. Extension club members tasted, compared and “took home tidbits for the small fry.”

• Throwback Thursday

On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. The first American infantry soldiers landed in France on June 26, 1917, to begin training for combat. American men either drafted or enlisted to fight in Europe for the duration of the war.

• Throwback Thursday