Knife River Indian Villages Center
Stanton, North Dakota
Knife River Indian Villages near Stanton, North Dakota, is a collection of five villages located alongside the Knife River. The villages did not belong to only one tribe; instead there were five villages comprising the Hidatsa, the Mandan and the Arikara tribes, now known as the Three Affiliated Tribes. The Omaha and the Pawnee tribes also lived in the area.
Before the river changed course, the villages for these tribes lived along its banks. As a result of their easy accessibility, the group of villages at Knife River became a major trade center with goods like beaver pelts, metals, beads and pottery from fur traders and foreign tribes alike passing through their borders.
The most famous figure to come from these villages was Sacagawea, who aided Lewis and Clark as they explored the Louisiana Purchase. The Lewis and Clark expedition built Fort Mandan and spent the winter of 1805-1806 near the group of villages where Sacagawea and her family lived. Groups visiting today can explore the remains of the villages along the Two River Trails, see what life was like for the Lewis and Clark expedition, and walk through a reconstruction of Fort Mandan.
Washita Battlefield National Historic Site
Cheyenne, Oklahoma
The Washita Battlefield National Historic Site is a part of the Black Kettle National Grassland near Cheyenne, Oklahoma. The site was established to memorialize the battle between Custer’s 7th U.S. Cavalry and peace chief Black Kettle’s band of Northern Cheyenne on November 27, 1868. This altercation, along with the Sand Creek Massacre and the Battle of Little Bighorn, were three of the most important events of the Indian Wars and served as a turning point that led to the removal of the Plains tribes to reservation lands.
In the years following the battle, the area was turned into ranchland and farms; it was added to the National Park system in 1996. Several archaeological digs at the site have uncovered artifacts that are on exhibit at the visitor center. Today, there are trails through the park that allow visitors access to locations where the attack took place, and they can also explore the beautiful surroundings and working windmill.
An interesting feature groups can also see at the site is a traditional garden. Washita Battlefield National Historic Site partnered with the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes to create the Washita Native Garden. The circular garden is designed to look like a medicine wheel and is divided into four sections. Each section is made up of more than 20 species of trees and plants that were used by the area’s tribes for things like cooking, medicine and ceremonies.
Fort Smith National Historic Site
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith National Historic Site can be tied to more than 80 years of federal Indian policy and many historical events during the time the fort was active. When the fort was first built in 1817, the area was occupied by the Osage and later the Cherokee. Today, it is a designated site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, which spans nine states.
With the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the federal government began the forced removal of the eastern tribes by multiple land and water routes. Two of these routes pass near Fort Smith. The popular River Trail at the park overlooks the Arkansas River where more than 2,800 Cherokee traveled by steamboat on their way to their new homes in Indian Territory.
Though the original fort is no longer standing, groups can still see its foundations, as well as the parade grounds where park staff perform living-history demonstrations for guests. The courthouse, which was once used by Judge Isaac Parker, has been converted into a visitor center and a museum that features interactive cultural exhibits and artifacts from the site.
To enhance their experience, park guests can download the new Experience Fort Smith app that allows them to customize their visit. Groups can also tour the nearby Fort Smith Museum of History and the Fort Smith Trolley Museum, housed in a restored Jim Crow-era train depot.
