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Harpers Ferry Center 
Image description: Sakakawea Village site along the Knife River Image description: Traditional corn from 200-year-old seeds Image description: Hidatsa Village, Earth-Covered Lodges, on the Knife River, George Catlin, 1832 Image description: Bison shoulder-blade hoe Image description: Compilation of map by Sitting Rabbit (Mandan), ca. 1906–7, showing the five villages
That’s how Buffalo Bird-Woman remembered her home, in a bustling earthlodge settlement perched on a bluff above the Knife River. For over 300 years these villages thrived, full of Hidatsa families living with the land, trading their products, and welcoming travelers of all backgrounds. Things began to change in the mid-1800s. Reduced in number by devastating smallpox outbreaks and forced out of their villages by unfair government policies and actions, the people moved. But still they remain connected to this place, to their home. What makes a home? Is it the people you live with? The place where you live? For members of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation—the descendants of the people who once lived here—a home is that and more. It is the connection to this land, to the sacred place where their people originated. Part of the National Park System since 1974, Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site protects their home and offers opportunities to study and learn about life in the earthlodge villages. Image description: Fancy shawl dancer Meeting of Cultures Hidatsa, Mandan, and Arikara opened their villages, their homes, to visitors. From the mid-1700s on, explorers like David Thompson and Prince Maximilian of Wied and artists like Karl Bodmer and George Catlin brought news and exposure to new cultures and traditions while documenting village life. The Lewis and Clark Expedition spent winter 1804–5 at nearby Fort Mandan (map, far right). Sacagawea was living among the Hidatsa when she was asked to accompany the expedition along with her husband Toussaint Charbonneau, hired as a guide and interpreter. Sacagawea’s experience with the people, languages, and lands farther west made her a valuable member of the expedition. Visitor records add important detail to our understanding of the history and culture of Northern Great Plains peoples. But the interactions also led to tragedy. Smallpox outbreaks in 1780 and 1837 devastated Hidatsa and Mandan populations and caused residents to abandon several villages. In 1845 they moved to Like-a-Fishhook Village, their last traditional earthlodge village, on the present-day Fort Berthold Reservation. They were joined in 1862 by the Arikara, who had suffered another smallpox outbreak in 1856. Communities were forever changed as people adjusted to life in a new home. Sacagawea, here with son Jean Baptiste, became a symbol of peace for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Sacagawea, 1805. This map shows the course of the Missouri River in the 1890s with the historical location of MéɁchiɁaashish Awadí, “the five villages.” The Tribal language is Hidatsa unless indicated by M (Mandan) or A (Arikara).
From about 1525 to 1845 the five villages near the confluence of the Knife and Missouri rivers teemed with life. Up to 3,500 residents lived here. Children played. Dogs barked. Horses roamed. Adults cooked, sang, visited, and protected the villages from rival Tribes. Hidatsa families, joined later by Mandan and Arikara, made their home in semi-permanent earthlodge communities (map). They hunted bison and grew corn, beans, squash, and sunflowers in the fertile ground. They quarried high-quality Knife River flint to make projectile points, blades, and other tools. Part of a vast trading network stretching from the Gulf Coast to the Rocky Mountains, they traded their abundance for animal hides and furs. It was a time of prosperity for the villages and, eventually, drastic change. Image description: Point made of Knife River flint Image description: Traditional varieties of corn and squash in the Hidatsa garden Image description: Eh-toh’k-pah-she-pée-shah, Black Moccasin, aged Chief [Hidatsa], George Catlin, 1832 One of about nine fur-trading posts in the area, Fort Clark (below and map, far right) was built in 1831 to encourage trade with the five villages to the north. The fort was next to the village of MíɁti [U][u]tahąkt (Awatinataka, or “end village,” in Hidatsa). First Mandan and then Arikara lived in the village. Both Fort Clark and the village were abandoned in 1860. Image description: Mih-Tutta-Hang-Kusch [MíɁti [U][u]tahąkt], Mandan Village, Karl Bodmer, 1834 Today The people of the earthlodge villages are not gone. Their descendants, members of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, are forever connected to this land, to this sacred place where their people originated. It is their home too. Their traditions, stories, and songs—passed from generation to generation—link them. The Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara are survivors—of disease, colonization, unfair policies. They adapt and evolve. They remain as vibrant and resilient as the corn that grows from 200-year old seeds (photo at top). Discovered in an early 1800s food cache, this corn, once a dietary staple, passed through the hands of Tribal members to a seed bank in Iowa. Now it grows again on the banks of the Knife River. Image description: Young members of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation Explore Knife River Indian Villages Tribal Connections Tribal members come to the park to hold ceremonies and share their traditions through music, storytelling, and demonstrations. Students participate in land-restoration projects. Tribal members share heirloom seeds and plant and harvest traditional crops in the Hidatsa garden. Their connection to this land remains strong. Image description: Animal and plant names are in English and Hidatsa. Bullsnake, íixiita Bison, midéegaadi, once essential to village inhabitants, no longer roam wild in the park. Archeological evidence shows people have lived here since the Paleo-Indian period beginning around 11,000 BCE (before common era). Artifacts tell the story of Northern Great Plains Indigenous culture and lifestyle. Image description: Above, left to right: Hidatsa tchung-kee game stone; reproduction bison-hide basket, clay pot, Four Bears Exploit robe, and copper potEastern amberwing dragonfly, mawúaʔidaahga Choosing Present . . . or Past? Flooding and erosion of the banks along the Knife River, northern pocket gopher activity, and growing vegetation expose artifacts, making them vulnerable to weather damage and looting. With over 50 documented archeological sites in the park, how do we choose what to protect? Can we let nature take its course and still save this irreplaceable evidence? Today scientists use state-of-the-art techniques to identify areas for further study and protection so we can continue to learn from the past. Image description: Eroded bluffs along the Knife River Northern pocket gopher, náagcahci Eastern kingbird on buffaloberry, maahishí Mixed-grass prairie Black-billed magpie, Íihbe Knife River, MéɁchiɁaashish Eastern cottonwood, máhgu Prairie rose, micgabá Earthlodges, built and owned by village women, were the center of family life. Multiple generations cooked, ate, visited, and slept inside. Earthlodges themselves mirror family life. The four center poles, made of cottonwood, and surrounding upright posts work together to keep the earthlodge strong. If one falls, the lodge can fail. Considered living beings, earthlodges remain sacred places where families come together to share traditions, stories, and songs. Today Tribal members honor the reconstructed earthlodge, ensuring it will continue to stand strong like the people themselves. Visit the Park Map: Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site The park is 60 miles northwest of Bismarck, North Dakota. Stop at the visitor center for a film, bookstore, and exhibits. The park is open sunrise to sunset daily. The visitor center is closed Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1; check the park website for hours. Earthlodge and Village Sites Visit the reconstructed earthlodge (below) near the visitor center. Ask a ranger for a 20-minute guided tour. Walk the 1.3-mile Village Trail to Lower Hidatsa(Awadixáá Xíe) and Sakakawea (Awadixáá) villages. Stop at the Hidatsa garden, open seasonally, to learn about the crops and techniques village residents used. Visit Big Hidatsa Village (Mirahací Awadísh). Programs Park staff and Tribal members demonstrate traditional practices. Check the park website for a schedule. Hiking Experience native prairie and bottomland forest on nature recreation trails. North Forest Trail: 2.2-mile loop. Two Rivers Trail: 6.2 miles roundtrip. Crosscountry ski or snowshoe trails in winter. Birding Get a bird checklist at the visitor center. Fishing Fish for northern pike, walleye, catfish, and trout in the Knife and Missouri rivers. Follow North Dakota state regulations. Explore More Use the official NPS App to guide your visit. Accessibility We strive to make facilities, services, and programs accessible to all. For information go to the visitor center, ask a ranger, call, or check the park website. Regulations and Safety Federal laws protect all natural and cultural features in the park. • For firearms regulations check the park website. • Using remotely piloted aircraft like drones is prohibited. • Be careful on uneven and slippery trails and walkways. Emergencies call 911 More Information Knife River Indian VillagesNational Historic Site PO Box 9 Stanton, ND 58571-0009 701-745-3300www.nps.gov/knri Follow us on social media.Knife River Indian Villages is one of over 400 parks in the National Park System. Learn about national parks at www.nps.gov. National Park Foundation. Join the park community. www.nationalparks.org |
Last updated: February 18, 2025