Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village - Lewis and Clark Trail Experience

Information

April to May & September to October 31st Monday – Saturday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm (last tour is 5:30 pm) (Closed Sundays in April and after Labor Day September through November) Summer - Memorial Day to Labor Day Monday - Saturday 8:00 am – 7:00 pm, Sunday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm November 1ST to March 31st Appointments are recommended, weather permitting. Hours may vary for special scheduled events. See Facebook for more information.

(605) 996-5473

Adults $6, Senior Citizens (60+) $5, Students (13-18) $4, Children (12 & under) FREE Group (10 or more people) Adults $4, Students (2) School Tours - Please call for rate and to schedule tour

We know that your pets are a part of your family and that it is not fair to leave them in your vehicle. That's why we welcome well-behaved pets! All pets must be leashed.

lat: 43.7421489 long: -98.0332606

Over 1,000 years ago a prehistoric Native American community had settled along what is now Firesteel Creek, SD. Today archaeologists have been able to reconstruct what life in this prehistoric village may have looked like. But discoveries are still being made at this excavation site turned museum. Visitors can watch archaeologists search for pottery, arrowheads, jewelry, and more at the Thomsen Centre Archeodome. Guests are even encouraged to be part of the site’s mission to further exploration and learning by helping wash and sort artifacts that were recently unearthed.

Complete with state-of-the art exhibits, educational and cultural events, tours, a shop, this site truly has it all. Enjoyable to all ages, the chance to visit South Dakota’s only archaeological site open to the public, is one you do not want to miss.

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village Dig-site

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village Dig-site

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village Student researchers

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village Student researchers

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village digging for artifacts

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village digging for artifacts

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village student researchers

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village student researchers

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village student researchers

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village student researchers

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village museum

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village museum

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village black and white dig-site

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village black and white dig-site

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village black and white dig-site

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village black and white dig-site

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village archaeological grid-system

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village archaeological grid-system

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village researcher in excavation site

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village researcher in excavation site

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village close up of student researcher from above

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village close up of student researcher from above

Nearby Attractions

Distance Unit:

South Dakota Tractor Museum

South Dakota Tractor Museum

117 Cemetery Rd, Kimball, SD 57355, USA
Distance: 46.24 Away

Museums and Interpretive Centers

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Wagner Labor Day Celebration

Wagner Labor Day Celebration

Wagner, SD 57380, USA
Distance: 47.59 Away

Festivals and Events

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Buffalo Ridge Ghost Town

Buffalo Ridge Ghost Town

Buffalo Ridge Ghost Town, South Dakota 38, Buffalo Ridge, SD, USA
Distance: 58.08 Away

Museums and Interpretive Centers

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Snake Creek Recreation Area

Snake Creek Recreation Area

Snake Creek State Recreation Area, South Dakota 44, Platte, SD, USA
Distance: 59.56 Away

Outdoor Experiences

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Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center

Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center

1301 North Main Street, Chamberlain, SD, USA
Distance: 64.61 Away

Tribal Experiences Museums and Interpretive Centers

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Silver Dollar Bar

Silver Dollar Bar

Silver Dollar Bar, North Main Street, Chamberlain, SD, USA
Distance: 64.84 Away

Food and Drinks

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American Creek Recreation Area & Campground

American Creek Recreation Area & Campground

American Creek Recreation Area, North Main Street, Chamberlain, SD, USA
Distance: 64.85 Away

Outdoor Experiences Shopping RV and Camping Lodging

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A Bridge View Inn

A Bridge View Inn

115 North River Street, Chamberlain, SD, USA
Distance: 65.04 Away

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Upper Crust Pizza & Wings

Upper Crust Pizza & Wings

Upper Crust Pizza & Wings, West King Street, Chamberlain, SD, USA
Distance: 65.04 Away

Food and Drinks

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Dignity Statue

Dignity Statue

Chamberlain SD Rest Area facility, Interstate 90, Chamberlain, SD, USA
Distance: 65.25 Away

Tribal Experiences

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South Dakota Hall of Fame

South Dakota Hall of Fame

South Dakota Hall of Fame, South Main Street, Chamberlain, SD, USA
Distance: 65.39 Away

Museums and Interpretive Centers

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Mead Cultural Education Center

Mead Cultural Education Center

82 Mickelson Drive, Yankton, SD 57078, USA
Distance: 65.42 Away

Galleries and Venues

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Check out our YouTube Channel! We have some great

Check out our YouTube Channel!

We have some great content being posted there every Saturday - you’ll see videos related to personal stories and adventures on the trail, special reports on various trail locations, and much more!

Be sure to subscribe and share with friends as well!

https://www.youtube.com/@lewisandclarktrailalliance

Our new APP is now available! Check it out if you

Our new APP is now available! Check it out if you haven’t yet to bring the adventure and magic of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail on your mobile device. Scan the QR code here or find it on your app store.

Site of the Week: Pompey’s Pillar National Monum

Site of the Week: Pompey’s Pillar National Monument

William Clark christened the rock formation “Pompey’s Tower” on July 25, 1806, as he and his party descended the Yellowstone River. Clark gave the huge monolith the nickname that he himself had fondly bestowed upon Sacagawea’s young son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. Nicholas Biddle, as he edited the journals upon Lewis and Clark’s return, changed the name to “Pompey’s Pillar.”

Pompey’s Pillar is known for being the only site with visible physical evidence of Lewis and Clark’s journey: Clark carved his name and the date onto the rock’s face. Now covered by a clear panel, the signature is protected from the elements while still being visible to visitors willing to climb up the steps to see it. Visitors can continue up the steps to the top of the rock where they can enjoy a 360-degree view of the landscape surrounding the site. There is also a highly informative and very well-designed visitor’s center at the base of Pompey’s Pillar, along with several outdoor educational structures and hiking trails.

Photos credited to Cait Clark.

#lewisandclark #history #adventure #travel #pompeyspillar #Montana #pompeyspillarnationalmonument

Check out our YouTube Channel! We have some great

Check out our YouTube Channel!

We have some great content being posted there every Saturday - you’ll see videos related to personal stories and adventures on the trail, special reports on various trail locations, and much more!

Be sure to subscribe and share with friends as well!

https://www.youtube.com/@lewisandclarktrailalliance

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Here’s a summary of a recent video you can find there:

“The phrase "Point of Departure" originates from Captain Meriwether Lewis himself. On May 14, 1804, he wrote in his journal: "The mouth of the River Dubois is to be considered as the point of departure." That spring day, as the Lewis and Clark Expedition set out from what is now Wood River Creek, they embarked on a journey that would reshape the future of the United States.

After more than a year of preparation, the Expedition launched from Camp River Dubois on May 14, 1804. The crew included Captain William Clark, Clark’s enslaved servant York, interpreter George Drouillard, Seaman the dog, 34 enlisted men, and several French engagés—all traveling in a barge and two large pirogues. Their destination: uncharted territory up the Missouri River, starting with a stop in St. Charles where Captain Meriwether Lewis joined them after traveling overland.

Preparation began in December 1803, with winter quarters built at Camp River Dubois, across from the Missouri River’s mouth. Lewis gathered intelligence from St. Louis traders and secured supplies and gifts for diplomacy with Native nations. Meanwhile, the soldiers trained under strict military discipline, preparing for the immense challenges ahead.

A pivotal moment came in March 1804, when Lewis and Clark witnessed the transfer of Upper Louisiana from Spain to France—and then, just one day later, to the United States. This marked the dawn of a new American frontier, and the Expedition was ready to set forth into the unknown.”

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yvhg1Gs3cvs)

Site of the Week: Knife River Indian Villages Nati

Site of the Week: Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site

The Knife River area, according to archaeological studies, has been inhabited by people for over 11,000 years. For hundreds of years it was a significant place of trade for the local tribes, a characteristic that would eventually be used to the advantage of fur traders starting in 1750. It remained a place of trade and mixing cultures until a smallpox epidemic decimated the population in 1837. Following this, the local Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara moved north and established another village.

During the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Knife River villages were flourishing, providing a booming trading economy in what is modern-day North Dakota. It was from one of these villages that a young woman by the name of Sacagawea would emerge and take her place in the history of the expedition. She was Shoshone and had been taken captive by the Hidatsa during a raid against her tribe before she was won or otherwise purchased by French Canadian fur trader Toussaint Charbonneau.

Today, Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Park has a visitors center as well as a rebuilt earthlodge which holds replica artifacts in the summer months. Knowledgeable park rangers are available for tours, and there are multiple trails of varying lengths that are available to hike. There are birding checklists available in the visitors center, so make sure to pick one up so you can keep an eye out for the various bird varieties that are present at the site.

https://www.nps.gov/knri/index.htm

Photos credited to Cait Clark

#lewisandclark #history #adventure #travel #kniferiver #kniferiverindianvillagesnationhistoricsite #nationalparkservice #northdakota