World United States South Dakota Mitchell

Trevor's Graduation Trip 2010

Prehistoric Indian Village, Corn Palace, Antique Shops downtown, Dakota Discovery Museum Aug 9, 2010

Aug. 9 Mitchell, SD Prehistoric Indian Village, Corn Palace, Antique Shops downtown, Dakota Discovery Museum We pulled into our campsite and got set up; walked inside and it started to sprinkle. Not even 5 min. later we got a thunderstorm. It lasted about a half hour then cleared the rest of the night. Great timing. We asked the lady at the registration desk what all the noise of bugs was and she said the locust are really bad this year. We asked when Bike Week is at Sturgis and it’s all this week with the biggest part this weekend. Glad we’re headed in the opposite direction. This morning we went to the Prehistoric Indian Village. It didn’t look like much when we drove up and we weren’t sure we were in the correct place. There are two buildings with different people’s names on them (in memory of) separated by a large field and nothing saying the Indian Village except a sign in the parking lot. The man who greeted us at the Visitor’s Center was very knowledgeable. We saw a short movie about archeologists finding a minden or dump site of a group of Indians. They now know it’s the Mandan’s. Now our ears perked up! We had just come from another site at Ft. Mandan and Knife River who said they were Mandan????? Yes, the same people. They started out here and it was great to learn how much things had changed from this place of origin to the next. The earth lodges here were rectangular. Many died from smoke inhalation from the carbon dioxide from the fires inside. (May be the reason they changed to round?) The Visitor’s Center exhibits told their story and showed how they lived. It was very similar to the other site except the shape of the lodge. They had over 80 lodges here. They talked about the use of dogs here before there were horses. They had between 200 and 400 dogs that worked. They stored food the same way, hunted, etc. The women worked their gardens the same way. The system is called 3 sisters. They plant the corn with the beans and squash. The stalk of the corn is the pole for the beans and the large squash leaves cover the roots of both plants to keep the moisture in the soil. All working together as 3 sisters would. Archeologist built a moveable building over a dig site. A group of students from England & local colleges come every summer and help uncover bones, pottery, arrowheads, etc. They had a display showing what this year’s group found. They have dug down 12 ft. already to just scratch the surface of the old village remains. It’s estimated that they have another 50 yrs to dig before they have to move the building. A professor from the local college has been leading the groups since the early 80’s. Like Knife River NHS, you can see the indentions in the field rectangular in shape where the lodges were and a distinct line around the outside of the village like a moat. They are not sure of the reason for the trench. We went back and talked with the man at the Visitor’s Center and shared what we had learned from the other sites that he had not visited yet in ND. It was great learning from each other. Next we went to the famous Corn Palace. We really weren’t sure what to expect. It’s a large building with murals on the outside walls made from corn cobs of every color, barley, hay and other natural grains from the area. It was started back in the 1920’s to attract more homesteaders there than the other 2 closer towns. They wouldn’t come unless they could grow corn so this showed them that corn was plentiful there and it worked. They came. During the depression, they didn’t have enough corn to decorate so they painted the murals on. Each year the town comes together in celebration of the crops and help decorate the building. It cost $130,000 to do it and it takes corn from over 100 acres. They only choose the best ears. They use several different colors and even keep them separated while growing so they won’t go hybrid and lose their true color. They cut the cobs in half length-wise and put them on the building. It was really neat to see. They use the building for high school basketball, civic programs, concerts, etc. Then we drove downtown to see the Unique Shopping areas the pamphlet talks about. We found a wonderful Antique Mall and a Ben Franklin Store in some wonderful old buildings. We came home for lunch then went to the Dakota Discovery Museum. They had artwork done by local artists, a museum showing life in the 1800’s of a homesteaders and the Indians. Then we got a tour of a beautiful home owned by the guy who started the Corn Palace and just a few other buildings of the era. (a church, school house & train depot.) The Museum is housed on the Dakota Weslyan University grounds. Across the street is the Mc Govern Library named for Mr. & Mrs. George McGovern who both went to this Univ. We got home early today and got a chance to relax. Just starting to read some of the 200 emails I haven’t been able to get to. I try to check each day for urgent messages then leave the rest till I have time????? Love to all who are reading this. Love you and miss you.

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