Last updated: September 27, 2020
Place
Circle Trail - Exhibit Quarry
NPS
Quick Facts
Location:
South side of the Visitor Center (to the right as you view the Visitor Center from the parking lot)
Significance:
The only quarry that general visitors are permitted to enter. Clearly reveals the various layers of the quarry pits.
Amenities
2 listed
Audio Description, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
If the stones are wet upon entering, be extremely cautious! Quartzite is like ice when it’s wet.
In the 1940s, this quarry was renovated by quarriers so you can also physically experience being in a quarry. This quarry represents the historical, cultural, and geological significance of the site. For many American Indians who quarry, the process of quarrying is spiritual. The hard, physical labor involved is a commitment of the spirit that tests all quarriers, creating a sense of connection. The very bottom layer of rock is pipestone, and above is Sioux Quartzite and soil, which must be removed by hand to expose the pipestone.
In the 1940s, this quarry was renovated by quarriers so you can also physically experience being in a quarry. This quarry represents the historical, cultural, and geological significance of the site. For many American Indians who quarry, the process of quarrying is spiritual. The hard, physical labor involved is a commitment of the spirit that tests all quarriers, creating a sense of connection. The very bottom layer of rock is pipestone, and above is Sioux Quartzite and soil, which must be removed by hand to expose the pipestone.