The Black Hills of South Dakota
The Black Hills area, covered by majestic pine, has a rich cultural
heritage. Tribes such as the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Dakota and
Lakota, have always considered these hills as sacred. Paha Sapah
Exploration of the Black Hills trappers began in the 1840s. In 1868, a
peace treaty was signed recognizing that the Black Hills belonged to the
Sioux in perpetuity. But in 1874, General George A. Custer led his 7th
Cavalry into the hills for exploration, and discovered gold, which created
a gold rush into the hills. Custer's historic campsite is located just east of
Custer.
History. At the time of first European contact, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara,
and Sioux lived in the area. The French Verendrye brothers explored the
region, 1742-43. The U.S. acquired the area, 1803, in the Louisiana
Purchase. Lewis and Clark passed through the area, 1804-6. In 1817 a
trading post was opened at Fort Pierre, which later became the site of
the first European settlement in South Dakota. Gold was discovered,
1874, in the Black Hills on the great Sioux reservation; the “Great Dakota
Boom” began in 1879. Conflicts with Native Americans led to the Great
Sioux Agreement, 1889, which established reservations and opened up
more land for white settlement. The massacre of Native American families
at Wounded Knee, 1890, ended Sioux resistance.
Tourist attractions. Black Hills; Mt. Rushmore; Needles Highway;
Harney Peak, tallest E. of Rockies; Deadwood, 1876 Gold Rush town;
Custer State Park; Jewel Cave Natl. Monument; Badlands Natl. Park
“moonscape”; “Great Lakes of S. Dakota”; Ft. Sisseton; Great Plains Zoo
& Museum, Sioux Falls; Corn Palace, Mitchell; Wind Cave Natl. Park;
Crazy Horse Memorial, mountain carving in progress.
Famous South Dakotans. Sparky Anderson, Black Elk, Bob Barker, Tom
Brokaw, Crazy Horse, Thomas Daschle, Myron Floren, Mary Hart, Cheryl
Ladd, Dr. Ernest O. Lawrence, George McGovern, Billy Mills, Allen
Neuharth, Pat O'Brien, Sitting Bull.
heritage. Tribes such as the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Dakota and
Lakota, have always considered these hills as sacred. Paha Sapah
Exploration of the Black Hills trappers began in the 1840s. In 1868, a
peace treaty was signed recognizing that the Black Hills belonged to the
Sioux in perpetuity. But in 1874, General George A. Custer led his 7th
Cavalry into the hills for exploration, and discovered gold, which created
a gold rush into the hills. Custer's historic campsite is located just east of
Custer.
History. At the time of first European contact, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara,
and Sioux lived in the area. The French Verendrye brothers explored the
region, 1742-43. The U.S. acquired the area, 1803, in the Louisiana
Purchase. Lewis and Clark passed through the area, 1804-6. In 1817 a
trading post was opened at Fort Pierre, which later became the site of
the first European settlement in South Dakota. Gold was discovered,
1874, in the Black Hills on the great Sioux reservation; the “Great Dakota
Boom” began in 1879. Conflicts with Native Americans led to the Great
Sioux Agreement, 1889, which established reservations and opened up
more land for white settlement. The massacre of Native American families
at Wounded Knee, 1890, ended Sioux resistance.
Tourist attractions. Black Hills; Mt. Rushmore; Needles Highway;
Harney Peak, tallest E. of Rockies; Deadwood, 1876 Gold Rush town;
Custer State Park; Jewel Cave Natl. Monument; Badlands Natl. Park
“moonscape”; “Great Lakes of S. Dakota”; Ft. Sisseton; Great Plains Zoo
& Museum, Sioux Falls; Corn Palace, Mitchell; Wind Cave Natl. Park;
Crazy Horse Memorial, mountain carving in progress.
Famous South Dakotans. Sparky Anderson, Black Elk, Bob Barker, Tom
Brokaw, Crazy Horse, Thomas Daschle, Myron Floren, Mary Hart, Cheryl
Ladd, Dr. Ernest O. Lawrence, George McGovern, Billy Mills, Allen
Neuharth, Pat O'Brien, Sitting Bull.
Map by theblackhills.com
| Crazy Horse Monument, just north of Custer. |
| Bison, Custer State Park. Free roaming. Do not leave your vehicle |
Big horn in Custer State Park.
