Welcome to Mobridge, SD.
This is not a park we will stay a long time at again, but there are areas of interest around town, and just across the Missouri River.
Our first excursion was to the Sitting Bull / Sakakawea monuments.
This is not just a memorial to Sitting Bull. I will delve more in depth into Sitting Bull later. Sitting bull was born only a few miles from Mobridge, on the Grand River. He was killed in 1890, and originally buried in North Dakota. His surviving relatives, with the aid of the Dakota Memorial Association, had his remains moved to the current location in 1953.
Sakakawea was of the Shoshoni tribe dwelling near Little Big Horn mountains in Montana. During one of the frequent tribal conflicts, she was captured and taken to North Dakota as a war captive. A French fur trader, Tousant Charbonneau purchased her, and she became his wife by customs.
Lewis and Clark were looking for an interpreter for the expedition west, and asked Charbonneau to help. Tousant agreed under one condition, that his wife, Sakakawea come along. It was a very good decision Lewis and Clark made allowing Sakakawea to come along, because her courage, endurance, and unerring instinct helped guide the expedition through insuperable obstacles. Lewis and Clark very often gave Sakakawea the credit for their success.
After returning east, Tousant and Sakakawea settled in what is now Kenel, SD. about 30 miles north of Mobridge. 1812 was not a good year for Sakakawea, as she contracted a putrid fever (typhus), where she died at Fort Manuel. This event was recorded in the fort journal, but there is nothing else known about her burial, it is presumed that she was buried somewhere near the fort.
After our stop at the monuments we popped into the local casino for a walk around. The casino was small, but it did have a bar, restaurant, and attached hotel. Outside they had a small RV sites with electric only.
Leaving the casino on our way back to town, we passed a memorial paying homage to Jedediah Smith.
He was a religious man, trapper, trader, and explorer. In 1822, at age 23, he headed to St. Louis and signed on with General William Ashley as an employee of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. While out that same year, General Ashley, 90 trappers, traders, and boatmen were attacked by the Arikara Indians, which at one time were considered friendly.
After the bloody event the group got back to their boats, but many of the group refused to try and pass the Indian villages, and the forced General Ashley to contact his partner, warning him of the treachery by the Arikara Indians. When General Ashley ask for a volunteer to pray for the slain, Jedediah stepped up to the occasion. Jedediah's prayer was not only for the slain, but for success on his mission. One of the surviving members described it as a "powerful prayer". This is possibly the first known record of Christian worship in what is now called South Dakota. After this event Jedediah was made captain of the trappers and traders.
In 1826 General Ashley sold his interest in the Rocky Mountain Fur Company to Smith, Jackson, and Sublette. As a member of this new combination they charted the way from the Missouri River to the west coast, helping the expansion of the American empire.
In efforts to find new streams to trap beaver, Smith discovered a central route from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. There were a lot of firsts for him: a white man crossing the Black Hills, traversing Nevada, Utah, and Sierra, traveling overland to California, a white man exploring the Pacific Ocean from Mexico to Canada. In all this exploring, he found many streams in the Salt Lake area that showed signs of beaver everywhere.
He sold his interest in the partnership and began investigating the southwest, and if you remember, I said he died there. In the efforts to find water for his party, he was killed by Comanche arrows at a scooped-out mudhole in the Cimarron, and died at the age of thirty-two.
Remember I mentioned that he was a religious man. He was Methodist, carrying a bible wherever he went, and was the example of a Christian. One of the many daily struggles was being around rough men, and their habits. One memorable example was from one of his letters to his brother... "As it respects my spiritual welfare, I hardly durst speak. I find myself one of the most ungrateful, unthankful creatures imaginable. O, when shall I be under the care of a Christian church! I have need of your prayers. I wish our Society to bear me up to the throne of grace." His worth as an explorer, leader, and mountain man are only surpassed by his faith and integrity.
Little stories of an era gone by.
There was much Native American Indian memorabilia throughout the museum. 
What is the message this photo is relaying? They are American Indians dressed in ceremonial garb, yes, but what is the defining factor in the photograph. Look at the breastplates. Both breastplates are made of bone, however, a man's breastplate had bones running horizontally, while the woman's ran vertically.
This garment was worn by Rattling White Face at Wounded Knee, in 1890, during the Indian Ghost Dance. Rattling White face and her husband Chase White Face, were both wounded during the battle of Wounded Knee in December, 1890, and managed to escape, they were found about three miles away in a log cabin, suffering from their wounds and exposure; both of their daughters died at Wounded Knee during the battle. They survived their wounds; Chase White Face died in 1904.
The U.S. government did not understand the Indian Ghost Dance, they thought it was a sign of rebellion by the Indians. The truth of the matter is that it was a 19th-century Indian spiritual movement started with the Nevada Piute Nation around 1869. A series of visions by Wovoka, showed the extinction of white people, and the return to the old ways. What Wovoka really was saying is that he saw the end of colonial expansion in the west, while preaching goals of clean living, an honest life, and cross-culture cooperation by Native Americans.
Back to Rattling White Face, Sitting Bull, and Wounded Knee. It all started with assumptions that if you took the Indian spirit out of the Native American, he would become a "white" man. With these assumptions, the "Dawes Act" was created in 1887.
This Act broke up reservation land, and it was to be allocated to individual Native American Indians, in essence the act was tearing down the tribes in the attempt of treating each Indian as an individual, vice a part of a group, or community.
We need to go back in time a bit. Sitting Bull brought the dance to the Lakota people around 1881, and was not a participant at Wounded Knee. It was believed that the Ghost Dance in 1890, misunderstood as it was, was a rebellion of the Lakota people to assimilation by the U.S. government. What that means in Matt terms, is that the U.S. government was trying to eradicate the Native American culture.
What happened on the Lakota Sioux Reservation, at Wounded Knee was a military action against the spread of the Ghost Dance. These Indians were traveling from one reservation to another when they were arrested, and imprisoned at a camp near Wounded Knee. The following day the soldiers were trying to collect weapons from the prisoners, a gun went off, and the soldiers started shooting. What the military managed to do was slaughter hundreds of men, women, and children, indiscriminately.
So, lets talk some about Sitting Bull.
Sitting Bull was born in 1831, on the Grand River near Mobridge. As a youth he was known as Hunkesnis, which meant "slow". Because of his bravery in a fight against the Crow Indians, his father gave him the name Tatanka Iyotanka, or better known to us, Sitting Bull.
Sitting Bull was a legendary medicine man and leader of the Hunkapa Indians. Many people believe that he lead the Battle of Little Big Horn, but the fact, he was the medicine man, and lead his fellow Indians in the Sun Dance. He also told them that they needed to change their ways of warfare, from that of proving bravery, to fighting to kill.
After the Battle of Little Big Horn, Sitting Bull and his followers went to Canada, returning in 1881. Once they returned they were confined to the Standing Rock Reservation, here in South Dakota. 
The Indian Ghost Dance craze was now very popular throughout the Indian Nation, and Sitting Bull helped get it started on the Standing Rock Reservation. The good ole government thought this was an attempt to start an uprising, so they sent military to handle the situation; the incident did not end well. Originally Sitting Bull was going to submit himself peacefully, but was taunted by his son. Sitting Bull called on his followers to release him from custody... and here is where it became tragic. Sitting Bull was shot twice. Along with Sitting Bull, his son, seven tribe members, and six Indian police died on that day, December 15, 1890. After Sitting Bull's death, it is believed that many of his followers fled to the Cheyenne River Reservation, seeking refuge with Chief Big Foot.
WIFE, SON, DAUGHTER-IN-LAW W/BABY
While restricted to the reservation, Sitting Bull still had visitors from other Sioux leaders. The U.S. government thought this was an issue that was slowing down their efforts to assimilate Sitting Bull and his tribe. In 1885 the government saw an opportunity to make Sitting Bull a "civilized man". Buffalo Bill went to the Indian Bureau and requested permission to have Sitting Bull join his traveling show, which the Bureau gladly agreed to. After traveling with the show, Sitting Bull returned to reservation.
The Indian Ghost Dance craze was now very popular throughout the Indian Nation, and Sitting Bull helped get it started on the Standing Rock Reservation. The good ole government thought this was an attempt to start an uprising, so they sent military to handle the situation; the incident did not end well. Originally Sitting Bull was going to submit himself peacefully, but was taunted by his son. Sitting Bull called on his followers to release him from custody... and here is where it became tragic. Sitting Bull was shot twice. Along with Sitting Bull, his son, seven tribe members, and six Indian police died on that day, December 15, 1890. After Sitting Bull's death, it is believed that many of his followers fled to the Cheyenne River Reservation, seeking refuge with Chief Big Foot.
SITTING BULL WITH MOTHER AND DAUGHT-IN-LAW
TAKE A SHORT BREAK, WE'LL VISIT MORE INDIAN HISTORY
At the Battle of Little Big Horn, he and his 80 warriors attacked Custer from the south, allowing Crazy Horse and Gall to encircle Custer's troops.
This is Low Dog (Xunka Kuciyedan). He was a powerful and respected warrior that became a war chief at age 14. In 1876 he joined Sitting Bull's hostiles in the attack at Little Big Horn. His account of the battle is one of the best known in history.
https://www.astonisher.com/archives/museum/low_dog_big_horn.html (good reading).
Kicking Bear, Miniconjou Sioux. Kicking Bear, along with Short Bull were the principal leaders of the Ghost Dance religion among the Indians at Pine Ridge and Standing Rock Agencies. The bringing of the Ghost Dance to the region resulted in the final episode of armed conflict with the U.S. government. That last episode... Wounded Knee, December 29, 1890.
Man Afraid of His Horses (Tashunkopipape), Oglala Teton. His name is an inaccurate translation of the Teton phrase which means, "the man of whose horse we are afraid", and was handed down from father to son.
Young Man Afraid of His Horse was an active leader of the Oglala (Og lala). He was considered progressive, but when it came to signing the 1889 treaty, he sided with the old chiefs, and refused to sign it.
During the height of the Ghost Dance craze he decided to go on a long hunting expedition. He did not want any part of the dangerous situation that was brewing, and after the Wounded Knee massacre he decided to work on a peaceful settlement of the whole affair.
Rain-In-The-Face (Itomagaju), Hunkpapa Sioux chief. He was a warrior in the truest sense, and was associated with many coups during the Red Cloud wars. He came into the public eye after escaping from the Fort Lincoln stockade. After escaping he united a band of hostiles that later helped defeat Custer at Little Big Horn.
Time to move on again to other areas in the museum.
That Northern Pike came in at 30 pounds, and 48 inches long. As you might see, there is great fishing in the area.
This item was mis identified years ago. Originally it was thought to be a fossil when the finding party collected it... wrong. Back in the mid-1960s the Sitting Bull bust was vandalized, and the top of Sitting Bull's feathers was broken off. In 1984 a local artist/sculpture was commissioned to repair the bust. While the sculpture was visiting the museum, he saw this "fossil" that was actually the original top of the feathers. It is a mystery on how the finder (Mr. Klein) came about it.
This is some memorabilia from the Kleins, who donated the money to build the museum; many of their possessions are part of the museum.
Another potion of this room is their collection of "glowing" rocks...
Visitors walk into an enclosed portion of the big room, turn off the regular lighting, and turn on the black lights... and wow.
Outside we got to walk through a couple of buildings, the first one being the Glencross Post Office...
Besides the original equipment and post office boxes, they have post office boxes from other Post Offices that were decommission in the area. Across the street (walkway really), is a schoolhouse...
This little schoolhouse had its roots somewhere before 1904, which was the earliest records of teacher, or student. The school was named Engebretson, for the family that lived closet to the school. Later there was a vote by the students to change the name of the school to "Hay", for the first U.S. soldier killed in WWI. 1929 found the students climbing around construction material in the hallway. The material was for the new school that would be completed later that year, its first students occupying it in December of that year.
In 1930 the old schoolhouse was sold to a local family in Selby, where they moved it to their property, and made in to a residence for another family.
In 1946 the owners moved the building to Mobridge to use as an office at the Cabin Motel.
1977 saw the building become a museum piece at the museum.
The school had some interesting teachers, with interesting teaching methods, that only a few teachers have today.
MAP OF SOUTH DAKOTA USING POSTAGE STAMPS
The legend for this map reads: 1 inch equal 6 mile, 1,844 cancelled stamps used, $196.90 spent on stamps, 76 feet of braid outlined the state, and 17 1/2 square feet of wood was used for the project.
THE WEIGUM HOUSE
SUN PORCH
LIVINGROOM
DINING ROOM
SEWING ROOM
CLOSET AT TOP OF STAIRS
BEDROOM #1
BEDROOM #2
This was a fun museum, and you got to see a small portion of it. Back to the truck, and off to the next stop today.
PRAIRIE HOME EARLY 1900S (INSIDE)
Now we head to our next stop. Our next stop is one of a sculpture from a local artist, it is called "Walleye Up".
WAS CAROL BAIT?
Carol and I tried to get a little time walking around the campground whenever we get the notion to get up and move some. This was a small park, but it did have things to look at.
SOYBEAN FIELD
I failed to mention that we were hosts to these guys...
WILD TURKEYS
Just down the road is a family of guinea fowl... and they were loud when they were signaling a warning.One day while Carol was beading I took a drive around time to find that second sculpture by the local artist, and I was successful.
There are walking trails along the river and lake, so one day I decided to take a trip to one the close to the campground. The roundtrip hike was about four miles. The trail is an interpretive trail, which made it enjoyable to walk.
The first rest on the walk was at a sign talking about a railroad bridge that was built across the Missouri River, started in 1906, completed in 1908. The bridge is no longer with us, but it is a part of this town's history. You see, the telegraph operator was sending out the message letting the world know the bridge was complete. In his excitement, meaning to say Missouri bridge, the dots and dashes came out MO. Bridge... and that is how the town got its name.
Guess what, there's more Mexican Plum trees along the trail. The trail went by the Walleye Up sculpture too. While I was walking the trail a couple of guys were playing the disc golf course that runs along the trail. I hit my turn around point, and back to the truck I went. During my return walk I got to experience a flyover by two bald eagles, which are prevalent in the area, along with golden eagles.
VIEW FROM THE FIRST REST STATION
The river we see today is far different than what Lewis and Clark saw during their expedition. Many of the islands and sandbars are now under water, as part of Lake Oahe. The flow of the river is different because of six hydroelectric dams, four of which are located in South Dakota. Guess what, there's more Mexican Plum trees along the trail. The trail went by the Walleye Up sculpture too. While I was walking the trail a couple of guys were playing the disc golf course that runs along the trail. I hit my turn around point, and back to the truck I went. During my return walk I got to experience a flyover by two bald eagles, which are prevalent in the area, along with golden eagles.
This was a the warning sign at the entrance to the campground. The road into the campground is gravel, and the dust blows into the neighbors house just before entering the campground.
I kept myself busy experimenting with new recipes...
My version of a stuffed pork chop. I had a butcher at one of past stops cut them special for me. The pork chop happens to be stuffed with ground beef, and drizzled with Bordeaux Cherry balsamic vinegar.
Off on another morning walk in town, I walked through the city park.
They had some interesting plants I had never seen in the memorial garden...
HEALING GARDEN
BLACK PEARL PEPPER
This is an edible pepper that is rated higher than a jalapeno on the Scoville Chart. A lot of people find it pleasing to the eye, and plant it in their landscapes. The leaf ranges from a deep purple, to almost black, and has a purple flower.Across the street is one of the older buildings in the town...
During our visit to the Klein Museum the ladies told us that we needed to visit the murals in town. We didn't ask where, we presumed that they were referring to murals on buildings downtown, not so. A few days later while I was on a stroll through the campground I spoke with the owner, who gave me the skinny as to their location, so off Carol and I went. The murals are located in the town auditorium.
A.H.BROWN PUBLIC LIBRARY
It is still used, but visitors need to enter it from the addition, located to the left, out of the photo. Time to head back home.During our visit to the Klein Museum the ladies told us that we needed to visit the murals in town. We didn't ask where, we presumed that they were referring to murals on buildings downtown, not so. A few days later while I was on a stroll through the campground I spoke with the owner, who gave me the skinny as to their location, so off Carol and I went. The murals are located in the town auditorium.
We made our way to the auditorium, but couldn't get in. Another couple showed up to do the same thing, and we got to talking. The woman called a number, without answer, so the husband gave her another number which worked. The second number was the Chamber of Commerce office (right next door). The lady at the office told us to come to their office to get into the auditorium, though the doors were suppose to be open 24/7, this is a trusting town. We learned later that the city council decided to lock the doors because of vandalism the weekend before our visit, and now the doors open at 8AM.
Anyway...
Anyway...
SAKAKAWEA AND LEWIS &CLARK
The first expedition visiting the region from 1803 to 1806, and meeting the local Native American tribes. Remember, Sakakawea was Shoshoni, not Sioux.
TREATY MAKING
U.S. government acquired a major portion the the Indian lands through the 1851 treaty signed at Fort Laramie. This mural portrays the last treaty signed in 1869, where the government took more land from the Indians.
CHRISTIAN SERVICE
This mural depict one of the services that Pierre Jean DeSmet performed as he was spreading the gospel amongst the Indians. His most productive years were during his time serving the Sioux. He made a great impression on the Indians, and often acted as a mediary between the Indians and the government.
FOOL SOLDIER RESCUE
During the Minnesota uprising in 1862, a band of Santee Indians took women and children captive, and brought them to their camp near the mouth of Grand River. The "Fool Soldiers" were part of what is now the Cheyenne River Reservation tribe. These young soldiers organized a small group to go and rescue the captives. After a lot of negotiating, they obtained the release of the hostages. Once the hostages were released the Fool Soldiers returned them to their families.
RETREAT
The title is used in a religious context. The Indians tended to look at God as a Great Mystery, which was the source of all power. Sun, wind, rain, thunder, and the land itself were seen as manifestations of this great power, and prove of its omnipotence. The Great Mystery spoke to the Indian people during specific ceremonies, beliefs varied between tribes. Common with the Plains Indians was the need to contact and communicate with the mysterious source of life, and that is why many of their ceremonies have religious significance. With that said, the Sioux did not look at group worship so much, they believed in retreating to a quiet place, away from all the noise and confusion, to seek God for solace and comfort when their soul was troubled.
Oscar Howe completed three years of service in the European theatre, where he met his future wife. I say future because they were not able to get married until 1947. Returning home, he went to college and obtained a B.A. 1952, and his M.F.A. degree in 1954. He had the opportunity to teach art at Pierre High School until 1957. In 1957 he became the Artist-in-Residence, and the Professor of Art at the University of South Dakota. He retired from the university in 1980 as Emeritus Professor of Art. It wasn't long after, in 1983, that Oscar passed away. In his 40 year career he earned many awards and honors.
Now, back to the other mural panel.
CALF WOMAN AND THE MYSTIC PIPE
It is common in most Indian tribes that they see mystic properties in some inanimate objects, and the Calf Pipe, is such an example. The tradition says that several hundred years ago the Calf Pipe was presented to one of the local Sioux tribes by the White Buffalo Calf Woman, a beautiful maiden from the celestial regions. It was to be kept in one family, and passed down to the oldest female heir. If it was properly honored and used, the Calf Pipe would slave off bad fortune, bring good hunting and good crops. There were a variety of other benefits it was believed to provide.
THE SUN DANCE
By the ordeal of the Sun Dance, young Indians subjected themselves to excruciating pain, to prove their bravery and devotion, honoring the Great Mystery, and bringing favor on their people. This dance was not for the faint of heart. A pole was erected, there were thongs that reached to the ground, and the participant was pierced through the chest and tied to the thong. The dancers chanted and gazed to the sky at the Great Mystery, and they danced until the thongs tore loose, freeing the participants from their bonds. Our government banned this dance, but did allow the Indians to conduct this dance with some modification (no piercing). Today the government has removed all restrictions on this dance, and it can be experienced in its original form on the Standing Rock, Cheyenne River, Pine Ridge, and other Dakota Reservations.
HUNKA ADO-WARNPI
This mural is a representation of what many tribes did in their leisure times. The Sioux devoted a great deal of their time to sport and amusements. Dancing was one of those such amusements, and generally could be seen in the bear dance, buffalo dance, the scalp dance, and a dozen other dances. Some of these dances were very athletic, with chanting and shouting, others were slower so that everyone could understand the words. Much of their songs contained poetry in perfect meter, but without conventional rhyme.
VICTORY DANCE
These dances were preformed after the young warriors came back from beating their enemies. The dance would usually be followed by a feast. The music for the dance was either a drum or tambourine. The beating of the instrument was in time with the extemporaneous song. All participated in the dance. What would happen during this dance was the young Indians formed two lines, or columns, on either side of their trophies, and danced toward each other, gyrating, with athletic gestures dramatizing their victories, and shouting for extended periods of time. When they took a break from all this celebrating, a participant would step forward and tell a story about their conquest in the victory, whether it be martial, or comical in nature. This all continued until they were too tired to continue.
SOCIAL DANCE
This is a representation of a pre-nuptial ceremony common among the Sioux. Their custom prescribed a well established routine for courtship. This was a definite process. The two side would get together several times, feasting, dancing, and ceremonies, lasting anywhere between four and five days. Gifts were brought by family members wishing to honor both the bride and groom. Part of the brides gifts included adornments, her hair being combed and braided, she received face-paints, and beautiful garment. Besides all these gifts, she may have also received earthenware, and other household articles. The groom would have received from his father a spirited horse, and weapons used in battle, along with other gifts commemorating the union. Something that doesn't happen in our white society... songs were sung to the newlyweds, and gifts were distributed to the old, and needy people of the camp.So who says there is nothing to see in small towns. I encourage you to go find little treasures in the areas that you live in.
See in you in Rapid City.
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