Harry Putnam grew up on a farm near Ft. Pierre with dreams of leaving it all behind and going to Oregon. After serving in the Navy during World War Two, he returned to South Dakota and found a job working construction in Pierre. When the crew moved on to Rapid City, he went with them. He met the boss's daughter, married her and stayed in Rapid City to raise a family. Although Harry Putnam never made it to Oregon, he told his son Kenny in a StoryCorps interview that he has had a good life.
StoryCorps: Harry and Kenny Putnam
