Summary: Fossil Cycad National Monument, a 320-acre site in South Dakota's Black Hills, was once America's richest deposit of petrified cycadeoid plants. However, due to a lack of infrastructure and protection, the site was subject to theft and vandalism, leading to its eventual abolishment as a national monument in 1957. The story of Fossil Cycad now serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the importance of preserving non-renewable resources such as fossils.