MURDO — Driving along Interstate 90 through central South Dakota, few things are as eye-catching as the Geisler family’s Pioneer Auto Show.
Since the spring of 1954, the museum that houses hundreds of iconic vehicles has stood adjacent to the interstate, tempting weary travelers with a reason to kick their vacation off a bit early before reaching the Black Hills.
But since May, Pioneer Auto has taken on a different feel, missing its beloved owner of more than four decades.
David Geisler, who took over operation and ownership of the museum in 1984, died in May at the age of 86, leaving a significant void in the small town. Hundreds of Jones County residents, and out-of-town friends and family – including Murdo native Sen. John Thune, gathered Saturday to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the museum.
In addition to marking the opening, the day was meant to give Mr. Geisler one last show before the family officially laid him to rest Sunday.
“We try to do a celebration every five years,” said David Geisler Jr., one of Geisler Sr.’s surviving six children. “Probably started with our 50th.”
Aptly nicknamed “your friend on the side of the road” in his obituary, the Geisler family embodied the pioneer spirit of early South Dakota. In March 1942, David’s father, A.J., moved the family from California to Blunt. On the trip they were snowbound eight days in Kadoka, seven days in Murdo and six days in Fort Pierre before they made it to their destination. In Blunt, the Geisler family lived with no electricity or running water, becoming homesteaders that attended school in a one-room schoolhouse.
In 1945, A.J. bought the John Deere Chevrolet dealership in Murdo, and moved his family there. That’s where Dave discovered his love of automobiles — he sold his first car at the age of 9. After a rotation throughout the country obtaining an education, Geisler eventually become the nation’s youngest Ford dealer at the age of 26.
As impressive as Dave’s journey was the collection of vehicles that he had come to amass. Among the hundreds of motorcycles, cars and trains housed in Pioneer Auto’s garages is the world’s largest Roadster, the original “Dukes of Hazzard” General Lee, and at one point in time, Elvis’ Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
That collection — paired with Geisler’s outgoing personality — earned him local, state and national recognition. Geisler served on the Jones County School Board for several years, the state tourism board, and brought the History Channel’s “American Pickers” to Murdo twice. He was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2004.
“He was a showman, he loved to entertain, and he loved to have parades,” Geisler Jr., now mayor of Murdo himself, said. “It’s like our last parade ride for him.”
Dating from the 1920s to modern day, dozens of cars peeled out of their respective spots in the lot toward Murdo. As the procession of classic cars roared to life, rolling down Main Street in tribute to the man who brought them together, Thune reflected on the legacy Geisler left behind and the role his hometown had played in his. Thune and his brother, who grew up in a house about a block away from the exhibit, had worked in the museum throughout various parts of their childhood.
“Every small community kind of has people that keep the town going,” Thune told The Dakota Scout. “For Murdo, for the last 70 years, it’s kind of been Dave Geisler.”
As the state’s population increasingly concentrates in the eastern and western extremes, small communities like Murdo, population 460, will continue to face ongoing challenges with declining numbers. Through his dedication and passion for his hometown, Geisler played a vital role in keeping Murdo vibrant and resilient — a message his family hopes to continue to lean into in the decades to come.
“It is getting harder and harder to keep these small towns viable,” his son explained. “People know all about Wall Drug and what it means to Wall. Pioneer Auto is kind of similar. We promote Murdo and try to get people off the highway.”
