The rest stop outside of Chamberlain, SD, had this statue in the grassy area with picnic tables. She brings honor to the tribes in this area. Inside the rest stop was an interpretative center that had some information about their stop in this area. We learned about what they ate and the flag they raised whenever they met some Native people. You’ll also get to see some of our daily lives in this post.
Her dress, leggins, and moccasins were patterned from 1850s Native dress, and 3 Lakota women were used as models for her face. The statue was built in the Badlands and transported here in 1 piece.
A star quilt is one of the most valued gifts of the Dakota and Lakota people; the 128 diamonds are 4 feet across and covered with 7 coats of paint.
LED lights within her highlight the diamonds on the quilt at night, while flood lights are at the base to illuminate her. Air flows through the sculpture on all levels.
This sculpture is South Dakota’s monument to the Native people in the area. The artist, Dale Lamphere, had a vision to honor the Native Nations of the Great Plains, emphasizing the resilience and beauty of the Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota peoples.
South Dakota is rich in native history and is home to 9 tribes that are commonly referred by treaty as the Great Sioux Nation that is divided into 3 divisions (Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota) with each division having one or more bands.
the expedition stayed here to dry out
This rest stop overlooks a place where Lewis and Clark camped for a couple of nights in 1804. They stopped on the west side of the river, near present-day Oacoma, to dry out their equipment and supplies following several days of rain and cold winds.
No matter how carefully the men packed the boats, some things always got wet from rain.
When the men reached “Camp Pleasant,” they were ready for a break. Sgt. Floyd had died, Private George Shannon had nearly starved to death after being lost for more than 2 weeks. The expedition had had its first meeting with Yankton Sioux, and had seen large herds of bison, swift pronghorn, sprawling prairies, and river bluffs that appeared to be on fire.
After a long day of fighting the current and maneuvering around sandbars, the men worked up an appetite. In fact, each man ate about 9 pounds of meat, usually elk or deer, per day. Fish provided another source of food.
With the hungry men each night after struggling to pull and paddle the pirogues upstream all day, cooks had to hurry to build a campfire and get a meal started. Sgt. John Ordway issued rations every day, and the cooks made enough at night for breakfast and lunch the next day.
Day 2: salt port and flour
Day 3: salt port and cornmeal
If hunters brought in fresh meat, no pork would be issued. Luckily the hunters were good marksmen. The expedition was able to get corn, beans, squash, and edible roots from the Indians.
the expedition’s flag
The captains often raised a flag as part of their official peace talks with Native Americans. It was a symbol of the United States’ power in the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase.
They shortened a 15-stripe flag and added a triangular banner of white to represent their mission of peace.
hanging out in Chamberlain
The town of Chamberlain where we stayed is just across the Missouri River from Oacome where we were in the first part of this post.
Now we’re ready to drive straight north to Bismark, ND, where the Louis & Clark expedition spent the winter.
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.