South Dakota

Gene and I spent five days in eastern South Dakota, but it seems like more because I fell in love with the area. Not that the campground was so great. It was okay, but it was very noisy since it was right next to the Interstate. I think it was the calming scenery (very soothing color pallet) and the people we met who were so nice and very helpful. Also, the interpretations of the Lewis and Clark and native cultures were very well done.

Spirit Mound

The Spirit Mound was believed by the Omaha, Otoe, and Yankton tribes to be bewitched. They thought it was inhabited with tiny people who shot at anyone who came near. Even today there are those who think the area is haunted. 

Clark described the mound on August 24, 2004:

"in an imence Plain a high Hill is Situated, and appears of a Conic form and by the different nations of Indians in this quarter is Suppose to be the residence of Deavels. that they are in human form with remarkable large heads and about 18 Inches high, that they are Very watchfull, and are arm'd with Sharp arrows with which they Can Kill at a great distance; they are Said to Kill all persons who are So hardy as to attempt to approach the hill; they State that tradition informs them that many Indians have Suffered by those little people and among other three Mahar men fell a Sacrefise to their murceyless fury not many years Since-- So much do the Maha, Souis, Ottoes and other neighboring nations believe this fable that no Consideration is Suffecient to induce them to approach the hill."

But, like Lewis and Clark, who actually stood on the same mound we did; we did not feel the least bit uneasy, and nobody was shooting at us. That does not alter the fact, however, that the spot has an important history for the Native Americans and now to all Americans because of all the places along the Lewis and Clark Trail, there are very few that we know for certain it is the same place they stood. And this is one of those places.

On August 25, 1804, Clark recorded their experience at the mound:

"Capt Lewis & my Self Concluded to go and See the Mound which was viewed with Such turrow by all the different Nation in this quarter...this mound appears of a Conic form...The reagular form of this hill would in Some measure justify a belief that it owed its Orrigin to the hand of man; but as the earth and loos pebbles and other Substances of which it was Composed, bare an exact resemblance to the Steep Ground which border on the Creek in its neighbourhood we Concluded it was most probably the production of nature...The Surrounding Plains is open void of Timber and leavel to a great extent: hence the wind from whatever quarter it may blow, drives with unusial force over the naked Plains and against this hill; the insects of various kinds are thus involuntaryly driven to the mound by the force of the wind, or fly to its Leward Side for Shelter; the Small Birds whoes food they are, Consequently resort in great numbers to this place in Surch of them...

 "One evidence which the Inds Give for believing this place to be the residence of Some unusial Spirits is that they frequently discover a large assemblage of Birds about this mound-- is in my opinion a Suffient proof to produce in the Savage mind a Confident belief of all the properties which they ascribe it. from the top of this Mound we beheld a most butifull landscape; Numerous herds of buffalow were Seen feeding in various directions, the Plain to North N. W & N E extends without interuption as far as Can be Seen..."

A major difference for us, of course, we did not see the buffalo.

Chamberlain, South Dakota, Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center

Welcome Center Tipi

I was so excited to see the Interpretive Center at the Visitor Center that Gene and I drove over to it the evening we arrived in Chamberlain. We were so glad we did because the sun was setting just when we got there. The large Tipi is a trademark of the rest areas along I-90 in South Dakota. In the picture, you can also see the Missouri River below. It was a gorgeous site to see. The Visitor Center was closed already, but there were some trails that looked like they would give me a better view. I started to walk down a trail and heard an elk bellowing in the bushes to my left. It didn't sound like it was very far away. I thought, "Hmm, isn't that interesting." I walked a little further, and I heard another elk bellowing, still pretty close. I thought, "Hmm, maybe I should go back."

Corps of Discovery Disc

The next day we returned to go through the Interpretive Center, and we were pretty impressed with the exhibits they had. Plus, the way the building was constructed was quite interesting. The second floor was built like a keel boat, and the boat extended to the outside so that it was an excellent overview of the river. The site also had one of the medallions that were used to mark many of the official Lewis and Clark sites during the bicentennial. Chamberlain is one of the hundreds of places the Corps of Discovery made camps during the journey.

Akta Lakota Museum and Cultural Center

The Entrance to the Museum

Also located in Chamberlain is the Akta Lakota Museum and Cultural Center, which is located at the St. Joseph's Indian School. The museum has three parts: one part tells the story of the St. Joseph's Indian School and how the principles of educating and caring for the children have changed over the years, another part tells the story of the local history and culture from pre-history through the present, and the final part is an outdoor medicine garden. All three parts are exceptionally well done. We took at least two hours to go through the museum, and it was time well spent. Since it is located right next to the Missouri River, we also took a stroll to enjoy the weather and the view.  

Quilt Exhibit

One of my favorite exhibits at the St. Joseph's School section was this one that shows how the girls in the school were taught to use old clothes to make quilts. The younger girls would cut the fabric, and the older girls would sew the quilts.

The Medicine Garden

The medicine garden is surrounded by large panels shaped like buffalo skins with prayers written out on the other side of the skin. The center of the garden is the medicine circle used by the Lakota.




Fischers Lilly Park, Site of the Confluence of the Bad River, and Ill Humered Island

The Flag a Fischers Lilly Park

We visited two sites on September 11. At many of the Lewis and Clark sites, it is customary for the site to fly the 15-star flag used during the time of the expedition. It was a bit eerie to see that flag at half staff, but in a way it tied history together.

In Fort Pierre (pronounced Fort Peer) we visited Fischers Lilly Park, which is a beautiful park at the location where the Bad River flows into the Missouri River and across from Bad Humered Island (today called La Framboise Island).

The park is located where the Corps of Discovery camped and first met with the Teton Lakota nation. The interaction is one of the most important of the journey. For various reasons, the encounter led to an armed confrontation and very nearly endangered the success of the endeavor.

Mouth of the Bad River with Bad Humered Island Beyond

Lewis and Clark had high hopes for a successful meeting with the Lakota chiefs as indicated by Clark's journal entry of September 25, 1804, "a fair morning   the wind from the S. E.   all well, raised a Flag Staff & made a orning or Shade on a Sand bar in the mouth of the Teton River for the purpose of Speeking with the Indians under..."

The Mouth of the Bad River from Bad Humered Island

Despite the hopes of the party, things did not go well with the council, and before it was over, the keel boat's swivel guns were loaded but not used. Clark named the island that they camped on across from the Bad River Bad Humered Island, "as we were in a bad humer."





South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center

Flags at Half Staff at the
Cultural Heritage Center 

The South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center is located atop a high bluff and seems to fade into the landscape. It sits higher than Pierre (pronounced Peer), and boasts a superior view of the city.

The South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center

The building houses the state archives and research area as well as a beautifully-presented gallery of South Dakota's cultural heritage from pre-history through pre-statehood to the present. It took us about 1.5 hours to go through the exhibits in the gallery, and we found them quite engaging.

An Example of a Winter Counts History

I especially admired Cultural Center's exhibit of the story-telling winter-count calendar. A winter count is a history in which major events are recorded by pictures. One picture is used to record a signature event for each year. A single buffalo skin like this one could be used to document hundreds of years.