"A detailed and personal perspective of Ben Millard. Father of them Badlands, A Grandson's View is based on historical archives, family letters and years of Badlands short and extended visits. Born in 1872 on farm a near Crystal Lake, Minnesota he moved to Decatur, Nebraska during a changing time in the West. At 14 years old, he began working on a river boat on the Missouri river. At 19 years, as a sophomore in college, he accepted an offer to work in a bank in Lesterville, South Dakota. His near meteoric rise through ...
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"A detailed and personal perspective of Ben Millard. Father of them Badlands, A Grandson's View is based on historical archives, family letters and years of Badlands short and extended visits. Born in 1872 on farm a near Crystal Lake, Minnesota he moved to Decatur, Nebraska during a changing time in the West. At 14 years old, he began working on a river boat on the Missouri river. At 19 years, as a sophomore in college, he accepted an offer to work in a bank in Lesterville, South Dakota. His near meteoric rise through promotions, enabled him to own the Artesian State Bank by 1900. He was larger than life, and, with Mr. R. E. Dowdell, bought the famous Ruskin Park in 1910, and was on his way to amass a large fortune by 1919. In the '20s, he went 'bust.' In that time of crisis and suffering, Ben Millard found the Badlands, and the Badlands found their greatest champion. With the help of the like-minded U.S. Senator Peter Norbeck, Ben took on the challenge of protecting the Badlands with national park designation. In 1929, the area of the White River Badlands was given protected status. Ten years later, the area was a national monument, and in 1978, The Badlands National Park was established. Ben Millard's trek was significant for his family and for future generations of visitors." --Amazon.com.
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