Owanka Truck – South Dakota

Long Exposure Photograph of a mid-40s Chevy dump truck in the ghost town of Owanka, South Dakota. If this unincorporated township’s history isn’t straight out of a dusty, crusty, but beautiful Netflix series, well, it should be. The events that took place in Owanka are not unlike many of the settlements across the west. In the name of either staking their claim or finding a better life, most of these pioneers stood raw against the most extreme events and elements imaginable. From an undrinkable water to bankruptcy and teen marriage controversy and murder, Owanka, which roughly translates to “good camping ground” in Lakota, was mired in bad luck made worse by bad decisions. But through the devastating decades, many within Owanka’s community didn’t give up! Rich in hope and determination, these people did their best to keep up spirits against all odds stacked against them. Using a little of that determined creativity ourselves, we dodged a snowstorm to take this shot of the old truck. The yellow flashlight glow attracted the sole neighbor nearby. We waved in friendly surrender as the pickup truck slowly approached. We asked for a late permission slip to photograph the area, received a confused gaze, but received permission granted. Read more about our adventure here ›

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8″ x 10″ Print will have some cropping. | Print frame not included