On page 70 of "Vayland Memories; In Broken Down Yard" by Lora B. Karinene-Venjohn, the author shares a story back in 2007 when Clarence and Norma McGirr (Mom's first cousin) and the former Supterintendent of Belle Fourche High School came through the yard looking for Vayland Road. Clarence's grandfather, Sam McGirr, purchased a farm 3 miles north of Wessington back in 1901.
Clarence writes, "Vayland has always held a favored segment of my being. It is still my 'Home Town' having lived Wed. and Sat. nights on the street in front of Vayland Store. Surely my ghost must lurk near the site of the elevators where I dumped grain for a threshing season back in the late 30s or near the Borkhuis Blacksmith and Parts Store waiting to have plow shares sharpened and pointed. Then if one listens intently, strains of the Vayland Vagabonds practicing for the many nights furnishing dance music to gigs from Simmons' barn, west of Wessington, to halls, many places as far west as the Gray Goose north of Pierre..."
Lora says, "Vayland, like other small towns faced extinction. Those small towns were the backbone of the rural community. And yes, they will surely be missed."
She also writes, "In our childhood, we all had a favorite place...a place where the family congregated; that spot we will never forget... When these rare moments of history go unrecorded...our oral history can be easily lost to our children and the next generations. So I suggest you find someone in your family to put a Memory Book together or much of your valuable memories will be swept under the carpet. Write it down, however mundane and you may discover that you have a wealth of information to share with family and community." These are important words to think about for all of us.
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