Before the early 1900s, the northern edge of the eroded White River
Badlands was virtually impenetrable except for the precarious horseback
trails that reached the plain below. The Badlands Wall is an escarpment
that separates the upper prairie from the lower prairie for 60 miles. In
1907, the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad pushed west from
Chamberlain and reached the lower plains of the Badlands. Small towns
sprang up to provide water for the steam engines and trade centers for
the cattlemen and homesteaders moving into the area. These towns
flourished for a time, but when they were no longer needed, they
disappeared or became ghost towns. Meanwhile, settlers clamored for
roads from the north into the interior. When the Badlands became
accessible, tourists traveled to see them. Two towns, Kadoka and Wall,
accommodated the tourists and became promoters as the gateways to the
Badlands.