"Hidatsa Village Site - Knife River Indian Village National Historic Site" Waymark

From North Dakota: A Guide to the Northern Prairie State - Survey of the State -History Section

President Jefferson for some time had been eager to have a party explore the Missouri, cross the Rockies and reach the Pacific. In 1803 the Louisiana Purchase facilitated completion of his plans, and his secretary, Capt. Meriwether Lewis, with a friend, Capt. William Clark, started out on the journey of exploration.

On October 13, 1804, the expedition came up the Missouri River into what is now North Dakota. Near the present site of Stanton, where the Knife River joins the Missouri, Lewis and Clark discovered villages of the Mandans and Hidatsa. Having been well received, they decided to establish winter quarters. Fort Mandan was built and the flag of the United States of America raised for the first time on North Dakota soil. It was here that the explorers secured the services of Charbonneau, the French interpreter, and his wife Sakakawea, the Shoshone Indian girl who guided them successfully through the Rockies to the Pacific.

After spending the winter with the friendly Indians, the expedition in April 1805 set out along the river again, following its course into Montana. Their journey through the mountains to the Pacific, led by Sakakawea, is one of the most thrilling adventures in American history.

The party returned in September 1806 to the Hidatsa village on the Missouri where Lewis and Clark, taking leave of their faithful guide, set out for St. Louis and home. The careful observations recorded in the journals of their party are a valuable contribution to the history of this region.

The Hidatsa village where Sakakawea was from has been now identified as the Awatixa Village.  The village site along with two others are located in the Knife River Indian Village National Historic Site.  The site has many earthlodge location disks showing as a result of earthlodges collapsing leaving an outline of their locations.  The circles can be seen when viewing the satellite view in Google Maps.

You are allowed to walk around and explore the village site. You may see many artifacts, it is against Federal law to disturb or remove artifacts.

The trailhead to reach the location is located at the visitors center for the Knife River Indian Village National Historic Site at N 47° 19.886 W 101° 23.142.  At the visitors center there is a replica earthlodge where the rangers conduct interpretive talks.

If you do not have the option to provide an image, please provide a detailed description of your visit so we can form a 'mental image'.