Abraham Lincoln State Park is the oldest State Park in North Dakota (opened in 1907). Not only does it have a nice campground, but it has several great historical sites. The Park is located in Mandan, North Dakota, which is across the Missouri River from Bismarck. The Visitors Center has some wonderful historical displays.
From the Visitors Center it's a short walk to the "On-a-Slant" village that once held 75 Mandan earth lodges. The village was occupied for an estimated 200 years, or greater, until the smallpox epidemic of 1781. Lewis & Clark visited the site and learned of its history from an Indian guide. The park service has recreated a few of the earth lodges, and inside there are some displays telling of the culture, lives and history of the people.
The Mandan people were members of the Hidatsa tribe. They had a matriarchal society with each earth lodge being "owned" by the eldest female of the family. The lodges held 10-15 people, the grand parents, sons and their wives and their children. Caches were dug into the floor for storage of dried vegetables. Pits were also used for trash and sometimes burial.
A few recreated Mandan lodges on the site of the original village.
The village was situated on a bluff near the Missouri River. It had a natural ravine along one side, and the Indians built a wood barricade along the other exposed sides of the village for protection from other Indians.
A cross section of what a cache might look like.
Buffalo skins would have been used to block of the entrance when it was cold. Some beds may have been made out of logs and placed along the perimeter of the lodge. Children would most likely sleep on the floor in buffalo skins. We were told that in the larger lodges in another nearby village, horses were even brought in during inclement weather. The On-a-Slant village was decimated by smallpox. Survivors moved north and rebuilt in smaller villages.
This lodge had interesting, informative displays printed on "hides"
One display talked about storytellers. This was an amusing story they shared.
In the early 1870's Fort McKeen was constructed on a hill overlooking the Missouri the infantry built a fortified post with blockhouses on three corners, having palisades of cottonwood walls or rugged hillsides to protect them from attack. From this vantage point they could see any action around them. The fort was renamed Fort Abraham Lincoln.
The plan of the fort
Congress authorized the addition of cavalry to the post in 1873. George Custer was the first commander of the expanded facility. His house and some of the buildings of the cavalry unit have been rebuilt on the site where they originally stood.
Our tour guide at the house pointed out some furnishings that were original to the house, and that have been returned to park. The curtains in the living room were in the original Custer home.
Custer practiced taxidermy and had many examples of local animals in his house.
A rocking chair from Custer's original home.
Custer's field desk
A view of one of the barrack buildings across the parade grounds.
The kitchen and mess hall are situated behind the barracks.
Custer led the 7th cavalry and his men were part of a 3-pronged attack on the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho. From what I have read, it isn't clear exactly what happened, but the US Cavalries were hugely outnumbered. The only survivor of Custer's 7th Cavalry was a horse name Comanche.
I wonder if you stopped by the Veterans Cemetery, my husbands best friend is buried there. It is a beautiful spot.
ReplyDeleteCuster is despised by the Native communities. He was a narcissistic vain leader. His actions that led up to Little Big Horn were incredibly unwise. Museum seems quite complete with his belongings.
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