Day 4 Wednesday June 19 Pierre SD- North Dakota

 

We started the day in Pierre.  Picked up some literature in the lobby of the hotel and discovered some things we wanted to check out today.

Buck and I took a long walk in the morning.  There is a beautiful park that follows the Missouri River bank.  We saw a “swing” bridge.  It was built 1906-1907 by the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Company.  The railroad had come this far and built the bridge to allow them access to the rich source of minerals coming out of the Black Hills.   A portion of the bridge “swings” out to allow river boats to continue up and down stream.  Today, it is the only swing Bridge left in South Dakota and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Our first stop was Fort Pierre Choteau (pronounced Show-Two).  It was built in 1832 and was named for the man that ran the Western Department of   AFC.

Friends Namaste - Seaman - Snort

 When you hear Fort most people think of the fortified place that the US Army used to fend off the Indians.  But that is not what the forts were first established for.   This fort was made by the American Fur Company.  They established forts all across the upper Missouri River in order to trade with the Indians.  The forts were used to protect the trade goods they gave to the Indians for the hides they brought in.  It also protected the men doing the work.  The Indians were not allowed to enter the fort, most had a small room that the Indians could come in to and this is where all the trade goods were stored. The Indians bargained with the employees and traded hides of beaver, buffalo, wolfs, etc for pots/pans, cloth, colored beads, knives/axes, etc.  At many of the forts, the Indians established camps around the fort to facilitate trading. 

We next drove out to the Oahe Dam.  This dam was built to provide electric power.  The resulting body of water is called Oahe Reservoir and extends many miles upstream.

We would never have found this next unique feature if we hadn’t looked through the literature at the hotel.  It is a Turtle Effigy.  The story is that a Sioux warrior was wounded and ran back to warn others.  Unfortunately, he dies.  The Sioux admired his bravery and placed a rock for each drop of blood he lost and built a cairn.  They signed it with the tribal band insignia – the turtle.  The site is on private property, but they allow you to walk through two gates and along a fence to the gated off effigy on a high bluff overlooking the Missouri River.  A fitting tribute!

Back in town, I decided to visit the State Capital building.  The interior of the building is beautiful.  It has a large rotunda and lots of murals depicting the settling of South Dakota. The stained glass ceiling has corn motifs.  Nothing was in session, but I did peek into the Senate chambers.

Left town and headed north following the east side of the Missouri River.  Wasn’t long before we passed into the Standing Rock Indian Reservations.  Saw several large casino/resorts on high bluffs.  

We crossed over the Missouri River at Mobridge and climbed the bluff to visit Sitting Bulls gravesite.  Sitting Bull was a Sioux warrior that was born close to here 1834 and died in 1890.  He fought against Custer and the US Cavalry at the Little Bighorn.  He was chased to Canada, but returned to the US.  He told the story that he did not surrender to US Officers.  He gave his gun to his Grandson who gave it to the Officers.  So,in his telling, he did not surrender his gun did.   Sitting Bull also toured the world with Buffalo Bill’s Wildwest Show.

I see a lot of things when I travel, but one thing I consistently see when I am close to Indian reservations is the statement written “Water is Life”.  Brings me pause when I see it.

We continued traveling on the west side of the Missouri River entering North Dakota and leaving the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.  We came to Huff Indian Village.  When most people think of Indian Villages they think of teepees, but that is not typical for most Indians.  Teepees were used when they traveled to hunt, but that is not where they lived year round.  The Indians of the northern plains lived in Earth Lodges.  They were arranged in rows or semi-circles.   In this part of the country, they are mostly established along the banks of the Missouri River.  It is difficult to see the depressions in the photos, but when you walk the village, it is easy to detect where they were located. 

After we left here, we visited the On-a-Slant Indian village south of Bismarck and then the Double Ditch Indian Village north of Bismarck.  This one is by far my favorite and this is the third time I have walked the grounds.  It is on the east bank of the River, with a commanding view north and south.  It is named Double Ditch because the original village was lined with a ditch for protection, but as the village grew they had to expand and make a second ditch.  It is a lot easier to see the depressions and mounds in the photos. 

Our last stop of the day was Cross Ranch State Park.  This is a beautiful property with campsites right next to the river and a nice hiking path.  The campground is filled with large Cottonwood trees.  Before they dammed the river, the cottonwood trees were huge, because when the river flooded it provided much needed nutrients for them to grow.   The trees are still large, but not as they once were.  The damming of the river has greatly impacted the land in the area.