Six-Ton Prairie Dog
Cactus Flat, South Dakota
The giant concrete Prairie Dog outside the Ranch Store was built by Harold Zundel and set into place on July 1, 1959. We know this because Harold scratched it into the wet cement of the Prairie Dog's base, and it's still visible today.
Back then, however, the Prairie Dog and Ranch Store were 23 miles east in Kadoka, along old Hwy 16. That lasted until 1971, when the completion of I-90 rerouted traffic and forced the Ranch Store and its six-ton, 12-foot-tall mascot to move west to its current spot, closer to an exit.
The Prairie Dog, although frequently repainted, still closely resembles his original color scheme as seen on old postcards. And he still lords over a real prairie dog town, which is free to visit. Prairie dog chow is available for a modest price inside the Ranch Store.