Spring Meeting

You are invited to join us for an evening with author Cindy Wilson as she discusses her new book, We Suffered Much.

Cindy Wilson is the author of The Beautiful Snow: The Ingalls Family, the Railroads, and the Hard Winter of 1880–81, which won a gold medal in the Midwest—Best Regional Non-Fiction category at the 2021 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPYs).

During the early research stage for The Beautiful Snow, Cindy delved into the diaries of surveyor Charles Wood Irish and found them to contain a captivating story. This inspired her to write We Suffered Much.

Using photography, historic documents, and drone footage, Wilson will share some fascinating experiences from Irish and his crew’s surveying work for the Chicago & North Western Railroad from 1879 to 1881. Their adventures reflect various aspects of life in Dakota Territory during that time, including negotiations with the Lakota for permission to scout their land. Their work was hampered by the Hard Winter of 1880-81, but they endeavored to continue despite the blizzards for the first few months.

This event will take place on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at the Elks Club #838, located at 600 West Kemp, Watertown, SD.

Tickets for the dinner and presentation are $30, and reservations and ticket purchases can be made at the Museum or on our website

Click here to purchase Tickets.

Tickets are required by April 8th.

Schedule:  

5:00 p.m. Social Hour  

6:00 p.m. Dinner  

7:00 p.m. Presentation