Bismarck - Lewis and Clark Caravan - Part 6 (STR-2022-7)
Monday, 30 May - Day 20
Today was a designated travel day - to travel from Pierre, SD to Bismarck, ND, the capital of North Dakota. The route generally follows Lake Oahe, a large reservoir formed by the Oahe Dam on the Missouri River. By volume, it is the fourth-largest reservoir in the US and has a length of approximately 231 mi from Pierre, SD to Bismarck, ND. When we crossed the lake near Mobridge, the lake looked to be about 10 feet down from normal. Either they expect more snowmelt, or this years snowmelt was less than normal.
Later, we learned that some of the roads we drove today, 1804 (east of the lake) and 1806 (west of the lake) were named for the years Lewis and Clark traveled through the region - 1804 on the way upstream, 1806 for the return.
Along the way, we stopped at Sitting Bulls Grave and Sakakawea Monument near Mobridge, SD.
"Sakakawea won her place in history as it indomitable guide of Lewis and Clark on their trip to thePacific in 1805. She was a member of the Shoshone tribe dwelling near the Big Horn mountains in Montana. . ."
The Sitting Bull Grave/Monument was a short distance away.
The etchings in the stone placard state in part, "Sitting Bull was originally buried at Fort Yates, ND on April 8, 1953. Surviving relatives with the aid of the Dakota Memorial Association moved his remains to the present location and dedicated the memorial burial site April 11, 1953."
As we got ready to turn onto SD1806 North, we saw a historical marker on the side of the road. We learned that we were about to drive the Standing Rock National Native American Scenic Byway.
Also at the site was a Jedediah Smith Monument.
As we laid in our route to the state park campground, we noted the Sitting Bull Burial Site in Fort Yates, ND and decided to check it out.
As we were pulling out of the Sitting Bull Burial Site, we noticed a sign to the Standing Rock Monument and decided to check it out.
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| Standing Rock Monument |
The Standing Rock is a stone held sacred by the Dakota/Lakota people.
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| Lakota, Nakota and Dakota People |
We then proceeded on to the campground at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park in Mandan, ND.
Tuesday, 31 May - Day 21
With our nights stay at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, Sprinty has officially added North Dakota to the list of states camped in. North Dakota is Sprinty's 45th state camped in since being adopted in February 2017.
Similar to our stay in Fort Pierre, it was a windy, blustery night. Nestled down in the trees in the campground, instead of on a cliff, we could hear the wind in the trees. And hope that the trees were accustomed to the 30-50mph wind.
Today was an early ride share day. Again, we rode with Bob and Debbie from California. Bob and Debbie put Darrell in charge of navigating - we suspect Debbie enjoys the break from navigating. We lined up at 8:30am to drive downtown to the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum parking lot, then walked the four blocks to the North Dakota State Capital for a guided tour. The first state capital building burned down in 1930, and the current building was constructed a couple of years later.
Just as we found the South Dakota State Capital building interesting, most liked the North Dakota State Capital building even better. Maybe because we had a top notch guide. The building is a subdued Art Deco design, and much thought went into the design and materials.
A beautiful building, enriched by our guide. We got to go into the Senate and House cambers, and the 18th floor where you could see in all directions. Guided tours are offered daily - highly recommended.
After the tour, we walked to the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum (statemuseum.nd.gov/exhibits) across the street, passing the Sakakwea statue.
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| Sakakwea Statue |
The North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum was another well done museum. The museum was made up of four principle galleries. From the museum brochure:
- Adaptation Gallery: Geologic Time
From the sea creatures living in ancient oceans to the rise and extinction of dinosaurs to the end of the ice age, this gallery tells the fascinating story of geology and life in North Dakota beginning 600 million years ago
- Innovation Gallery: Early Peoples
This fascinating gallery, devoted to the earliest peoples of North Dakota, highlights the beauty of the State Museum's collections. The story of the early peoples began more than 13,000 years ago. Enjoy artifacts from prehistoric cultures, the international story of the fur trade, oral histories, and stunning collections from prehistoric tribal life to the 1860s.
- Inspiration Gallery: Yesterday and Today
Enjoy captivating stories illustrating North Dakota's unique characterfrom the mid 1800s to contemporary times. Learn the ongoing story of our state and its people through a variety of themes that continue to shape history.
- Governors Gallery
This gallery hosts traveling exhibits, programs, and StateHistorical Society of North Dakota collections.
We were able to spend time in the first three galleries before departure for lunch. With many museums under our belt for the month, we found the Early Peoples gallery the most interesting, perhaps because it was more unique.
The staff had provided Olive Garden gift cards for the group, so we all headed that way. Alas, with staffing challenges, it was going to be nearly an hour wait. We decided to eat at the nearby Space Aliens Grill & Bar. No wait, interesting atmosphere, and the food was okay.
As the winds were 20+mph, gusting to over 40, the Lewis & Clark Riverboat Cruise was rescheduled for tomorrow. After lunch we made our way back to the state park, then took Sprinty out for fuel, groceries and a new dash cam. The winds were fierce enough that even on the short drive to Bismarck, the Electric Stability Program and associated functions in Sprinty shut down with the associated dashboard lights. We both remembered the first time we got those warnings, which are accompanied by the message "Visit Workshop", back in March 2017 in Texas under similar wind conditions. Fortunately, it is just temporary and it reset itself when we stopped for fuel.
Wednesday, 1 June - Day 22
A more relaxed start as we ride shared the 0.5 miles from the campground to General George Custer's Prairie Mansion. (bismarcktribune.com/custer-house/article_19572b50-11e0-11e4-8a8e-001a4bcf887a.html).
We chose to ride share as the second tour of the morning was right after the first, affording minimal time for walking.
Some history of Fort Abraham Lincoln from a website:
In June 1872, Fort McKeen was established on a bluff above the confluence of the Heart and Missouri Rivers. This two company post sat above the ruins of the On-a-Slant village, which the Mandan had abandoned a century earlier, and offered sweeping views of the surrounding landscape. In preparation for the Northern Pacific Railroad to lay its track to the west through the Missouri River basin, the military dispatched these companies of Infantry to the area to provide protection for the survey and construction crews. The name Fort McKeen was short-lived; the designation was changed to Fort Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1872. In 1873 Congress authorized the addition of a cavalry post and its construction was mostly completed the same year.
By 1874, Fort Abraham Lincoln housed three companies of the 6th and 17th Infantries and six companies of the 7th Cavalry, making the fort a nine-company command. With a total complementof about 650 men, the fort was among the largest and most important forts on the Northern Plains.
Lt. Colonel (Brevet Major General) George Armstrong Custer was the first commander of the enlarged fort and served here from 1873 until the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876.Upon completion of the railroad to Montana, Fort Abraham Lincoln had fulfilled its primary purpose. Consequently, the fort gradually declined in importance in 1891 it was decommissioned. In its heyday, the fort encompassed 78 separate buildings.
Photo of fort layout (from visitor center):
All of the original buildings were dismantled by area settlers and the materials used in the construction of area homes and farms.
Today, due to efforts by former Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation, reconstructed Commanding Officer's Quarters, Central Barracks, Granary, Commissary, and Stables now stand on the site.
Our tour of the General George Custer's Prairie Mansion was by a 1875 Corporal in period dress. The Corporal provided an introduction and said that once we went inside the house, his role was 1875. So he was not aware that General Custer died at Little Big Horn as that was in June 1876.
Our guide was very good and made the house come alive. He also shared that Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park was the oldest and most visited state park in North Dakota. Well worth doing the tour when you visit.
After our visit to the Custer Mansion, we made our way to the On-A-Slant Indian Village located near the park visitor center. (www.nps.gov/places/on-a-slant-village.htm)
The Mandan village, named On-a-Slant because of it being built on a sloping plain toward the river, contained about 85 Earthlodges with a village population of around 1500.
Unlike most Plains Indian tribes, the Mandan lived in sedentary communities in permanent homes called Earthlodges.
The Mandan relied upon a mixture of fishing, hunting, and agriculture for subsistence. The men hunted and fished while the women tended crops, prepared animal hides and meat, gathered wild berries, wove baskets, and made pottery. The Mandan had advanced skills in village design and defense, which were economic centers where nomadic tribes came to exchange animal skins for agricultural products.
After prospering on this site for two centuries, a smallpox epidemic hit in 1781 and virtually eliminated the Heart River region Mandan. The survivors moved north along the Missouri River, eventually joining the Hidatsa near the Knife River. When Lewis and Clark discovered the deserted On-A-Slant Village in late 1804, it was already in an advanced state of decay, for they reported that the remains included fallen heaps of earth, which had covered the houses.
A park Ranger guided our group through the reconstructed earthlodges and shared what life was like in the Mandan village.
Again, another great guided tour.
After lunch, we made our way to Keelboat Park for the Lewis & Clark Riverboat Cruise (lewisandclarkriverboat.com) postponed from yesterday due to weather.
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| Photo from Riverboat Website |
Our group were the only passengers. The boat cruised upriver. At times, the Captain was moving gingerly along due to shifting sandbars. At one point, the river went from 12 feet deep to 4 feet deep abruptly, which was the draft of the riverboat.
A nicer day to be on the river, although the boat ride itself was just a cruise up the river. We enjoyed being on the water.
An interesting sign on the building recently completed by the riverboat landing:
Tomorrow we proceed on up the Missouri, initially traveling north, then west.
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