The Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in central North Dakota, preserves and interprets the historical and archaeological remnants of the culture and agricultural lifestyles of the Plains Indians. The National Park Service-managed site includes traditional earthlodge dwellings and a cultural village, as well as native short grass prairie, exotic grasslands, wetland areas and 450 acres of hardwood forest.
During a visit to the attraction, which is located about an hour northwest of Bismarck near Stanton, groups can learn more about the area’s significance as a trade center and its tie to Sakakawea.
A typical tour includes viewing the exhibits at the museum, visiting a full-scale reconstructed earthlodge, exploring the Hidatsa Garden and taking a walk along the Village Trail that goes past the remains of the Awatixa Xi’e Village and the Awatixa Village.
The latter village is of great significance, as it is where Sakakawea was living when she met Lewis and Clark. She played a vital role in helping the explorers and their party stay safe, which allowed them to continue on west as part of their influential journey.
Visits to the Knife River Indian Villages often are combined with stops at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and the Fort Mandan site in nearby Washburn. Those attractions provide a more complete look at the Corps of Discovery’s time in North Dakota, which included the influential meeting with Sakakawea.
Call +1.701.745.3300 or go to nps.gov/knri to find out more.
Top photo: Reconstructed earthlodge at Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site
Photo by CC Wikimedia Commons/Xerxes2004: bit.ly/2yoov3E
