Wall Drug, a Mother of Roadside Attractions

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Wall Drug vaulted to a tourist destination by virtue of three little words: free ice water.

Ted and Dorothy Hudstead purchased the drugstore in the little town of Wall, South Dakota in 1931. Economic and weather conditions had taken their toll, and business was slow. Neighbors, a pastor, and acts of goodwill kept it going, but a long-term solution was needed.

On a hot summer afternoon in 1936, with two children at home and no relief in sight, Dorothy had an epiphany. Travelers were driving across miles of prairie in the heat and must be thirsty. Wall Drug had water and ice. The couple could offer free ice water. To get the word out, they’d put up clever signs along the highway encouraging travelers to stop by. Just like that, an idea was born.

Soon signs sprouted up along Route 16A: “Get a soda…Get a root beer…turn next corner…Just as near…To Highway 16 & 14…Free Ice Water…Wall Drug.”

Within hours, they came – for ice water, ice cream, directions. And that was the promising beginning of what has since become a tourist mecca.

Free ice water fueled the business, but it’s the signs that today make Wall Drug known the world over. You can find them on every continent, even Antarctica, with each displaying the corresponding mileage. On this trip I’ve seen Wall Drug bumper stickers on RVs and even on a metal railing guarding an overlook in the Yosemite area.

Wall’s population is a little under a thousand people, and has only grown by about 100 since 1970. But it’s not unreasonable to think that Wall Drug is responsible for keeping it a town. After all, the hamlet had its largest percentage increase in population in the same decade that Dorothy and Ted Hudstead hatched their “Free Ice Water” idea. And while there certainly may not be much more to do in Wall, a hub of surrounding businesses cater to tourists, and without this roadside attraction it’s just hard to say how much of a town there would be.

On the first visit to Wall Drug, you may be confused because it appears to be an indoor shopping mall. A conglomerate of what appears to be separate stores is actually one. Western Wear, a bookstore, a pharmacy, a gift shop, a diner…yep, they’re all a part of Wall Drug. As is the giant rabbit, kiddie rides, and piano-playing and singing gorilla in the courtyard, and the T-Rex straight out of Jurassic Park that comes to life every 10 minutes in a show of steam, roars, and lit-up eyes. There’s also statues of the Wild West saving a seat for you on benches, walls and walls of family and community-related photographs, and a mini-chapel.

In between Rapid City and Wall on Interstate 90, they pop up every quarter-mile or so. They may state the mileage, have simple words like “It’s Cool,” remind you of the exit number, advertise something they sell, or slap the name of an entertainment outlet on which they’ve been featured. Most of the signs have a picture, often creatively combined with the language. For example, the one that reads “Dig It! Wall Drug” features a miner, and “Wall Drug A National Treasure” includes a treasure chest. The mileage ones dwindle as you near, and it’s impossible for the kid not to come out in you just a little bit – 105, 62, 29, 14…

Whether it’s a fun stop to stretch your legs, a dire need for Pepto-Bismol, a Buffalo burger you’re craving, a tacky souvenir, a fine pair of boots, free ice water, or yes, just about anything else under the sun that draws you off the highway, you’re far from alone. Like bees to honey, they come in droves. And if you are one such case, don’t be surprised if you walk away with a Wall Drug bumper sticker – or at the very least a silly grin on your face.

Additional material pulled from the store's website, www.walldrug.com