In the Jason Aldean song Flyover States, Aldean croons, who'd want to live down there, in the middle of nowhere. He sings on about the railroads he sees out the window of the airplane. Before there were flyover states, there were drive-through states. It seems one of America's Oldest highways runs through our Land of Great Variety, South Dakota.

I read this morning that Highway 14 is actually one of America's Oldest Highways. Historic Route 14 was established in 1926 and is considered to be one of the oldest highways in America.

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Highway 14 originates in Chicago, Illinois, and runs up to Yellowstone Park in Wyoming. Many of our friends take Highway 14 to work and school in Brookings, Lake Preston, Arlington, and Wessington. Today's tourists can take Highway 14 across our state (when they want to see the world instead of speeding down the interstate) on the historic hardtop. Ironically, Highway 14 is just at '14' hundred miles long.

When Highway 14 pops out of Minnesota it passes through Brookings, South Dakota. DeSmet, Huron, and Harrold are towns it passes through. You run through Pierre at the Missouri River. After that Pierre, you drive through parts of South Dakota that many east river folks have not seen. There are parts of the stretch from Pierre to Sturgis that you will want to make sure your tank is filled up. Then your on to Spearfish and on into Wyoming.

If memory serves me correctly, camping and getting out and seeing America was high on the list of officials when they planned the Highway system. Highway 14 proved to be the shortest route from Chicago to Yellowstone.

How about you? Have you traveled all the way across South Dakota on Highway 14? If not, get that bucket list out and plan a summer drive right now!

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