Booth Fish Hatchery

I copied and pasted this next part from a google search.
It explains much better than I can about the Booth Hatchery.


Established in 1896, D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery and Archives, formerly Spearfish National Fish Hatchery, is one of the oldest operating hatcheries in the country dedicated to fish culture and resource management. The hatchery was constructed to propagate, stock, and establish trout populations in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. After a very successful fish production history, the hatchery ceased operations in the mid-80's and reopened with a new mission and partnerships to help preserve the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's historic and cultural heritage.







Today, D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery and Archives serves as a living fishery museum to the public and many organizations. Still rearing trout for the Black Hills through a cooperative effort with the State, the hatchery also serves to protect and preserve fishery records and artifacts for educational, research, and historic purposes, and provide interpretive and educational programs for the public.

Entrance to the historic Booth Fish Hatchery located next to the city campground of Spearfish SD.  This is also a great place to workamp. You get full hook-ups, cable tv, & WiFi for 25 hour volunteer work.

If you click on this photograph, you will be able to read it better. It helps explain the following photos.

 When you see this hook-like lower jaw on a trout, it defines an older male trout. All of the trout seen in the next few images are now "retired" from breeding and now get to show off in front of the tourists who feed them all day long. There are food machines that feed you a hand full of food for a quarter. The fish all compete for the food!

You leave the ground level and descend down the steps to the viewing area and get to watch all the trout.

 Here, the trout on top is a rainbow trout and below is a brown trout.

This is one of the boats used to release trout fingerlings to the rivers of the west!

 This is a totally refurbished train car that was used to transport the baby trout throughout the western states. They began using milk cans and then advanced to building large boxes with air bubbles, much like modern aquariums. This was much more successful in getting more fish to their destination alive.

 

 
A bronze sculpture of the release of baby trout into a stream.
 
 

There were beautiful purple irises planted all over the park.
 

 
Hope you enjoyed the journey to the fish hatchery! It was the first time for me and I loved it!