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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 8, 2007
CONTACT: Matthew Reitzel, (605) 773-3615, Matthew.Reitzel@state.sd.us
Historical Society displays FortPierre-to-DeadwoodTrail map
PIERRE, S.D. – A new display at the South DakotaCulturalHeritageCenter details a trail from FortPierre to Deadwood that was used in the 1800s.
The FortPierre-to-DeadwoodTrail display is located in the Research Room of the South Dakota State Historical Society-Archives. The display is free to the public.
Carol Jennings and Matthew Reitzel of the State Archives compiled a map of the FortPierre-to-DeadwoodTrail using survey plat maps dating from the 1870s to the 1890s. The surveyors marked the trail through every township and section between FortPierre and Deadwood, making it one of the most detailed maps of the trail.
The FortPierre-to-DeadwoodTrail was the main line of transportation between central and western Dakota Territory in the later half of the 19th century.
“It was the Interstate-90 of its day,” notes Reitzel.
The trail connected the Black Hills with the Missouri River, before the arrival of railroads in western South Dakota. Horse, mule and ox teams carried passengers, supplies and cargo across the Dakota prairie. A number of stage companies arose to meet the increasing demand for transportation to and from the Black Hills after the discovery of gold in the mid 1870s.
The FortPierre-to-DeadwoodTrail was roughly 200 miles long. Several roadhouses and stage stations were set up along the trail. In 1887, 20 oxen pulling three wagons with 20,000 pounds of freight made the trip in 15 days.
The display map itself is 14 feet long. The map is accompanied with archives photos and stories concerning the trail. Jim Carlisle of FortPierre donated a wagon wheel for the display.
Archives hours are 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and the first Saturday of each month. The museum in the CulturalHeritageCenter is open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-4:30 p.m. on Sundays and most holidays. Call (605) 773-3458 for more information or visit www.sdhistory.org
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The South DakotaState Historical Society, an office of the Department of Tourism and State Development, is headquartered at the South DakotaCulturalHeritageCenter in Pierre. The center houses the society’s world-class museum, the archives, and the historic preservation, publishing and administrative/development offices. Call (605) 773-3458 or visit www.sdhistory.org for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call (605) 394-1936 for more information.