New exhibit takes visitors back to the Dust Bowl

By Ariana Schumacher Agweek

BROOKINGS, S.D. — There’s a new exhibit on display at the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum, taking visitors back in time nearly 100 years for a closer look at life in the state during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression.

The exhibit shares the story of one of the first soil scientists in South Dakota, Joseph Hutton. You can now take a look at his life and the impact his research had on soil science practices in the state.

“Unlike other scientists, Joseph

Hutton really believed that soil was the source of all life, and he was passionate about conserving it,” said Gwen McCausland, director of the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum. “He wanted it to be an endless resource through sustainability for farmers to be able to be prosperous.”

The display features Hutton’s personal research, poems he wrote, clips from his radio program and several photographs taken by Hutton.

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