South Dakota State Historical Society Museum
Wounded Knee Ghost Dance Shirt
In 1999, a rare Ghost Dance shirt that had been housed in a museum in Glasgow, Scotland, for more than 100 years was returned to the Wounded Knee Survivors Association. Under a curation agreement, the Cultural Heritage Center is providing a secure, environmentally controlled setting for the shirt until the Wounded Knee Survivors Association builds its own museum. The garment was taken from a body at the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1891. The Glasgow museum acquired the shirt from a member of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show the following year.
La Verendrye (Ver-en-dry) Plate
The Verendrye Plate is the first tangible record of European presence in this part of the country. French brothers and explorers Francois and Louis La Verendrye buried the plate in 1743 on a hill in what is now Fort Pierre. The plate was discovered by schoolchildren in 1913 and thereby gave tangible proof that the Verendryes had indeed reached this area in their explorations. The plate, found across from the life-size tipi in the museum's American Indian exhibit, has been in the collection of the South Dakota State Historical Society since 1914 and is one of the society's most treasured artifacts.
Medora-Deadwood Stagecoach
This is one of four stagecoaches that were used by the Medora Stage and Forwarding Company, running between Medora and Deadwood, Dakota Territory. The Marquis de Mores owned the line, and it ran from 1884-1886. The 36-hour journey cost passengers $21.50; the line ran daily. The coach, named Kittie and found in the museums pioneer exhibit, is in excellent condition. A new canvas roof was put on in the 1940s and the wheels have been replaced, but otherwise it is thought to be unaltered from its original state. This stagecoach served a number of companies -- before and after the Medora-Deadwood line. It is reputed to have been used by Wells Fargo, Overland Mail, and the Gilmer and Salisbury Stage Company before being purchased by the Marquis de Mores and afterwards was used by a smaller stage line in Northern Minnesota.
Sioux Horse Effigy Stick
This piece, dated around 1875 and found in the museum's American Indian exhibit, is a masterpiece of Sioux horse sculpture. It is one of only two known sculptures of its kind. The Sioux commonly carved horse dance sticks portraying the front half of a horse on a stick that could be carried in a dance, but full-horse sculpture is extremely rare. Horses were honored by Sioux warriors for the battles they had been in, and the sides of the effigy are riddled with holes to show bullet wounds, with red paint for blood. Mary C. Collins (1846-1920), who was a missionary at the Oahe Mission and Standing Rock Reservation, collected this horse effigy. The horse effigy has attracted a great interest nationally and internationally and in 1976 was featured in a major exhibit of American Indian artwork in London.
U.S.S. South Dakota Silver Service
Early warships served a diplomatic function as well as a military one. When a ship was named for a state, that state's legislature often appropriated funds to present a silver service for use on the ship. The armored cruiser U.S.S. South Dakota was launched July 21, 1904, and in anticipation of that event the South Dakota Legislature paid $5,000 to produce this silver service, located in the lobby of the Cultural Heritage Center. The silver service consists of a soup tureen, punch bowl and ladle, 24 punch cups, two candelabra, a large tray, and a creamer and sugar bowl. The pieces are of sterling silver and several are lined with gold. The ornate decorations recall naval and South Dakota motifs: eagles, cattle, buffalo, a Sioux Indian chief, a farm scene, sea shells and serpents.
Gold scale
The scale was used by the First National Bank of Yankton to weigh gold between 1876 and 1887. In 1874 George A. Custer left Bismarck, Dakota Territory for the Black Hills with more than 1,000 soldiers, Sioux and Arikara scouts, a band, scientists, reporters, and a photographer. Officially, he was to site a fort for protecting Nebraska settlers. Unofficially, he was looking for gold. The U.S. said the trip did not violate the treaty of 1868, but the Sioux called his trail that thieves road. On July 29, 1874, miners found gold in French Creek. Custer sent word to Fort Laramie, and in six months prospectors had sneaked into the Hills.
1861 Brass Yard Stick
Given to the state to insure standard measurement.
Burt's Solar compass and accessories, 1880
These items were used by Ellery Channing Chilcott, U.S. Deputy Surveyor of Dakota Territories and SD. The compass took readings from the sun rather than the North Pole, to compensate for iron ore deposits.
Wounded Knee Ghost Dance Shirt
In 1999, a rare Ghost Dance shirt that had been housed in a museum in Glasgow, Scotland, for more than 100 years was returned to the Wounded Knee Survivors Association. Under a curation agreement, the Cultural Heritage Center is providing a secure, environmentally controlled setting for the shirt until the Wounded Knee Survivors Association builds its own museum. The garment was taken from a body at the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1891. The Glasgow museum acquired the shirt from a member of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show the following year.
La Verendrye (Ver-en-dry) Plate
The Verendrye Plate is the first tangible record of European presence in this part of the country. French brothers and explorers Francois and Louis La Verendrye buried the plate in 1743 on a hill in what is now Fort Pierre. The plate was discovered by schoolchildren in 1913 and thereby gave tangible proof that the Verendryes had indeed reached this area in their explorations. The plate, found across from the life-size tipi in the museum's American Indian exhibit, has been in the collection of the South Dakota State Historical Society since 1914 and is one of the society's most treasured artifacts.
Medora-Deadwood Stagecoach
This is one of four stagecoaches that were used by the Medora Stage and Forwarding Company, running between Medora and Deadwood, Dakota Territory. The Marquis de Mores owned the line, and it ran from 1884-1886. The 36-hour journey cost passengers $21.50; the line ran daily. The coach, named Kittie and found in the museums pioneer exhibit, is in excellent condition. A new canvas roof was put on in the 1940s and the wheels have been replaced, but otherwise it is thought to be unaltered from its original state. This stagecoach served a number of companies -- before and after the Medora-Deadwood line. It is reputed to have been used by Wells Fargo, Overland Mail, and the Gilmer and Salisbury Stage Company before being purchased by the Marquis de Mores and afterwards was used by a smaller stage line in Northern Minnesota.
Sioux Horse Effigy Stick
This piece, dated around 1875 and found in the museum's American Indian exhibit, is a masterpiece of Sioux horse sculpture. It is one of only two known sculptures of its kind. The Sioux commonly carved horse dance sticks portraying the front half of a horse on a stick that could be carried in a dance, but full-horse sculpture is extremely rare. Horses were honored by Sioux warriors for the battles they had been in, and the sides of the effigy are riddled with holes to show bullet wounds, with red paint for blood. Mary C. Collins (1846-1920), who was a missionary at the Oahe Mission and Standing Rock Reservation, collected this horse effigy. The horse effigy has attracted a great interest nationally and internationally and in 1976 was featured in a major exhibit of American Indian artwork in London.
U.S.S. South Dakota Silver Service
Early warships served a diplomatic function as well as a military one. When a ship was named for a state, that state's legislature often appropriated funds to present a silver service for use on the ship. The armored cruiser U.S.S. South Dakota was launched July 21, 1904, and in anticipation of that event the South Dakota Legislature paid $5,000 to produce this silver service, located in the lobby of the Cultural Heritage Center. The silver service consists of a soup tureen, punch bowl and ladle, 24 punch cups, two candelabra, a large tray, and a creamer and sugar bowl. The pieces are of sterling silver and several are lined with gold. The ornate decorations recall naval and South Dakota motifs: eagles, cattle, buffalo, a Sioux Indian chief, a farm scene, sea shells and serpents.
Gold scale
The scale was used by the First National Bank of Yankton to weigh gold between 1876 and 1887. In 1874 George A. Custer left Bismarck, Dakota Territory for the Black Hills with more than 1,000 soldiers, Sioux and Arikara scouts, a band, scientists, reporters, and a photographer. Officially, he was to site a fort for protecting Nebraska settlers. Unofficially, he was looking for gold. The U.S. said the trip did not violate the treaty of 1868, but the Sioux called his trail that thieves road. On July 29, 1874, miners found gold in French Creek. Custer sent word to Fort Laramie, and in six months prospectors had sneaked into the Hills.
1861 Brass Yard Stick
Given to the state to insure standard measurement.
Burt's Solar compass and accessories, 1880
These items were used by Ellery Channing Chilcott, U.S. Deputy Surveyor of Dakota Territories and SD. The compass took readings from the sun rather than the North Pole, to compensate for iron ore deposits.