The Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, which was established in 1974, preserves the historic and archaeological remnants of bands of
Hidatsa
The Hidatsa are a Siouan people. They are enrolled in the federally recognized Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota. Their language is related to that of the Crow, and they are sometimes considered a parent t ...
, Northern
Plains Indians
Plains Indians or Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies are the Native American tribes and First Nation band governments who have historically lived on the Interior Plains (the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies) of N ...
, in North Dakota. This area was a major trading and agricultural area. Three villages were known to occupy the
Knife
A knife ( : knives; from Old Norse 'knife, dirk') is a tool or weapon with a cutting edge or blade, usually attached to a handle or hilt. One of the earliest tools used by humanity, knives appeared at least 2.5 million years ago, as evidenced ...
area. In general, these three villages are known as Hidatsa villages. Broken down, the individual villages are ''Awatixa Xi'e'' (lower Hidatsa village), ''Awatixa'' and
Big Hidatsa village. Awatixa Xi'e is believed to be the oldest village of the three. The Big Hidatsa village was established around 1600.
Geography
The Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site is located in central North Dakota, at the confluence of the Knife River with the
Missouri River. The village is located ½ mile north of present-day
Stanton, North Dakota
Stanton is a city in Mercer County, North Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Mercer County. The population was 368 at the 2020 census. Stanton was founded in 1883 and became the county seat when Mercer County organized in 1884.
St ...
, 1 hour north west of Bismarck, and 1 ½ hours south west of Minot, North Dakota. The Knife River is a tributary to the Missouri River. Scenic sights such as broad plains, river bluffs, and river bottom forests can all be seen along the two rivers. The national park borders both sides of the Knife River, and is made up of a forested peninsula along the length of the river.
The
Missouri River is known as the "Big Muddy" due to its high sedimentation loads. The Missouri River drains approximately one-sixth of the United States and its basin encompasses . During the pre-development period, the Missouri River represented one of North America's most diverse ecosystems.
History
Village
At the Knife River Indian Villages National Historical Site, there are the visible remains of earth-lodge dwellings, cache pits, and
travois
A travois (; Canadian French, from French , a frame for restraining horses; also obsolete travoy or travoise) is a historical frame structure that was used by indigenous peoples, notably the Plains Aboriginals of North America, to drag loads ov ...
trails. The remains of the earth-lodge dwellings can be seen as large circular depressions in the ground. These dwellings were as large as in diameter. Many were once large enough to house up to 20 families, a few horses, and dogs. The dwellings were constructed at ground level. As the dwellings were abandoned, the walls and roof collapsed and created the visible outer circular rim.
Sakakawea
Sacagawea ( or ; also spelled Sakakawea or Sacajawea; May – December 20, 1812 or April 9, 1884)[Sacagawea]
...
(Sacagawea) lived in one of the villages of the Knife River. The presence of Sakakawea and her son on the
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. The Corps of Discovery was a select gro ...
was extremely crucial to the safety of the party and the success of their mission. In addition to her ability to translate for them, tribes who encountered the party believed that the presence of the young woman and child indicated they were not a threat. This is due to the fact that war parties did not allow women and children to accompany them.
The Knife River Villages served as an important major central trading and agricultural area. The Native Americans served as middlemen in a trading network that stretched from Minnesota, to the Great Plains and Gulf Coast, and the Northwest Pacific Coast. Their trading business largely consisted of furs, guns, and metals such as copper, but the Hidatsa and Mandan also traded corn and other agricultural products.
Smallpox epidemic
The Knife River villages thrived until 1837 when a series of smallpox outbreaks nearly wiped out the population;
they suffered a 50% loss in population. Gradually survivors of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara villages migrated north and developed the village of
Like-a-Fishhook.
The smallpox outbreaks from 1837–1840 had a 90% death rate among the Mandan. The two
Mandan
The Mandan are a Native American tribe of the Great Plains who have lived for centuries primarily in what is now North Dakota. They are enrolled in the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation. About half of the Mandan still res ...
villages that had been in contact with Lewis and Clark suffered the horrific effects of the virus.
The smallpox outbreak lasted from 1837–1838 and, out of 1,600 Mandan villagers, 31 survived. The
smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...
epidemic was largely spread through the trading business. Despite warnings of outbreaks, Native Americans still visited trading posts and became exposed to the virus. Once the infected Mandan villages were empty, neighboring peoples raided the village for goods but suffered after carrying back the virus via blankets, horses, and household tools.
Flora and fauna
![North Dakota Knife River Village Prairie Rose](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/North_Dakota_Knife_River_Village_Prairie_Rose.jpg)
Over the hundreds of years that the Native Americans occupied this area, a very different landscape existed than what can be observed today. When occupied by the tribes, the upland areas were a mixed prairie region that contained a minimal number of trees. The floodplain forests in the river bottomlands were rich and fertile. This fertile area was cleared and used by the Native Americans in the cultivation of such crops as corn, beans, squash, and sunflowers. Trees such as green ash, cottonwood, American elm, and box elder were common in the bottomlands. Other smaller trees and shrubs such as sandbar willow, red osier dogwood, and buffalo berry were also common.
In 1974, as an effort to preserve the historic value and beauty as it once appeared, the area surrounding the park was transformed back to how it originally looked when the Native Americans occupied the area. The area now contains native short grass prairies, exotic grasslands, of hardwood forest, cultural village sites, wetland areas and sandbars.
Within some areas of the park, the forest composition has changed very little. A few prairie areas contain wheatgrass, needlegrass, grama, and big bluestem grasses, and many forbs and flowers. Native wildlife feed on plants such as choke cherry, wild plums, buffaloberry and Juneberry.
The various vegetative communities within the park are home to many species of wildlife. The surrounding forests are home to white tailed deer, coyotes, beavers, skunks, prairie pocket gophers, and thirteen-lined ground squirrels. The park is also home to a large variety of birds. Game birds found here include turkeys, pheasants, Canada geese, and mourning doves. Raptors such as owls, red-tailed hawks, bald eagles and kestrels can be spotted. Other birds surrounding the rivers that can be viewed here are white pelicans, snow geese, and great blue herons. The Missouri and the Knife Rivers are home to twenty–six known species of aquatic mollusks within the park.
Within the park limits, insect species are being collected and analyzed. Over 200 different species of invertebrates have been identified. The most common order of insects found here include Coleoptera (beetles), Diptera (flies), Hemiptera (true bugs) Homoptera (leaf hoppers), and Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, and ants). Many of these insects are crucial to the diet of park wildlife.
As with everywhere else, the park struggles with the management of exotic
invasive species
An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...
. Exotic plants first appeared when Native Americans and Euro-Americans cleared the forests. Many exotic plants are introduced accidentally but a few were planted deliberately. Exotic plant species include leafy spurge, Canada thistle, and sweet clover. The park is currently conducting an inventory and monitoring program to gather information on the plant and animal species present within the park. From this information, the managers will be able to best decide how to manage and control the exotic invasive plants.
Climate
![Stantan North Dakota Knife River Village south to the village](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Stantan_North_Dakota_Knife_River_Village_south_to_the_village.jpg)
During the summer months, the temperature may reach the upper 80's with relatively low humidity and variable winds. The annual average temperature is . The winter months may bring below-zero temperatures. This area receives approximately of precipitation a year.
References
1. "Climate of North Dakota." Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. 3 August 2006. United States Geological Society. 19 Mar 2008
.
2. Eddins, O.. "Plains Indians Smallpox." Smallpox Native American Plains Indian Genocide. 19 Mar 2008 .
3. "Knife River Indian Village – Earthlodge Interior." Lewis & Clark in North Dakota. State Historical Society of North Dakota. 18 Mar 2008 .
4. "Knife River Indian Villages." Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service). National Park Service. 18 Mar 2008 .
5. "Knife River Indian Villages National Historical Site North Dakota." Knife River Indian Villages NHS. April 2004. National Historical Site. 19 Mar 2008 .
6. Salley, Shawn. "Knife River Indian Villages National Historical Site North Dakota." Knife River Indian Villages . 18 Mar 2008 .
7. "Stanton." Stanton. 18 Mar 2008 .
8. "The Missouri River Story." The River. United States Geological Society. 18 Mar 2008 .
External links
Official Park Service site
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20060701063727/http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/student/salley4/ Aerial Photography
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National Historic Sites in North Dakota
Native American museums in North Dakota
Former Native American populated places in the United States
Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in North Dakota
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in North Dakota
Museums in Mercer County, North Dakota
Protected areas established in 1974
Protected areas of Mercer County, North Dakota
1974 establishments in North Dakota
National Register of Historic Places in Mercer County, North Dakota
Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation
Indian Villages National Historic Site