A paved road curves through the eroded buttes and striped clay formations of the South Dakota Badlands, with a line of white guard posts marking the outer edge of the bend. The caption, "A Modern Road in an Old Land," sets the new highway against the ancient, heavily eroded landscape. The Badlands' banded layers of volcanic ash and sediment were laid down millions of years ago and carved by wind and water. By the 1930s, improved roads and rising auto tourism were bringing travelers to scenic western landscapes like this.
Linen-textured stock with a white border; Curt Teich production numbers 251-B and 1B-H1324 (1931) printed at lower right. Printed caption "A Modern Road in an Old Land, Bad Lands, So. Dak."; publisher imprint "GENUINE CURTEICH-CHICAGO 'C.T. ART-COLORTONE' POST CARD (REG. U.S. PAT. OFF.)"; distributor imprint "SOLD BY L. B. HOLLISTER, IMPORTER & JOBBER, LEAD, SO. DAK." Postmark: none. Divided back with printed "POST CARD" heading and "PLACE ONE CENT STAMP HERE" box; linen-textured Curteich "C.T. Art-Colortone" stock with white border. No handwriting, no damage.
Cite this card
A Modern Road in an Old Land, Badlands, SD, 1931, postcard, c. 1931. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/a-modern-road-in-an-old-land-badlands-sd-1931. Accessed November 2, 2026.
