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Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site

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421: 682: 95: 379: 120: 412:. Exotic plants first appeared when Native Americans and Euro-Americans cleared the forests. Many exotic plants are introduced accidentally but a few were planted deliberately. Exotic plant species include leafy spurge, Canada thistle, and sweet clover. The park is currently conducting an inventory and monitoring program to gather information on the plant and animal species present within the park. From this information, the managers will be able to best decide how to manage and control the exotic invasive plants. 330:
grass layer was covered by about 4 inches of earth - hence the name. Many were once large enough to house up to 2 families. Their most valued horses were kept overnight in a coral by the door. The dwellings were constructed at ground level, but daily sweeping created a floor somewhat lower than the ground outside. The fireplace was in the center and a hole in the roof allowed the smoke to get out. As the dwellings were abandoned, the walls and roof collapsed and created the visible outer circular rim.
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bottomlands were rich and fertile. This fertile area was cleared and used by the Native Americans in the cultivation of such crops as corn, beans, squash, and sunflowers. Trees such as green ash, cottonwood, American elm, and box elder were common in the bottomlands. Other smaller trees and shrubs such as sandbar willow, red osier dogwood, and buffalo berry were also common.
296:, 1 hour north west of Bismarck, and 1 ½ hours south west of Minot, North Dakota. The Knife River is a tributary to the Missouri River. Scenic sights such as broad plains, river bluffs, and river bottom forests can all be seen along the two rivers. The national park borders both sides of the Knife River, and is made up of a forested peninsula along the length of the river. 401:
here include turkeys, pheasants, Canada geese, and mourning doves. Raptors such as owls, red-tailed hawks, bald eagles and kestrels can be spotted. Other birds surrounding the rivers that can be viewed here are white pelicans, snow geese, and great blue herons. The Missouri and the Knife Rivers are home to twenty–six known species of aquatic mollusks within the park.
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The Knife River Villages served as an important major central trading and agricultural area. The Native Americans served as middlemen in a trading network that stretched from Minnesota, to the Great Plains and Gulf Coast, and the Northwest Pacific Coast. Their trading largely consisted of furs, guns,
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was extremely crucial to the safety and guidance of the party and the success of their mission. In addition to her ability to translate for them, tribes who encountered the party believed that the presence of the young woman and child indicated they were not a threat. This is due to the fact that war
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During the summer months, the temperature may reach the upper 80's with relatively low humidity and variable winds. The annual average temperature is 40 °F (4 °C). The winter months may bring below-zero temperatures. This area receives approximately 16 inches (410 mm) of precipitation
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Within the park limits, insect species are being collected and analyzed. Over 200 different species of invertebrates have been identified. The most common order of insects found here include Coleoptera (beetles), Diptera (flies), Hemiptera (true bugs) Homoptera (leaf hoppers), and Hymenoptera (bees,
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The various vegetative communities within the park are home to many species of wildlife. The surrounding forests are home to white tailed deer, coyotes, beavers, skunks, prairie pocket gophers, and thirteen-lined ground squirrels. The park is also home to a large variety of birds. Game birds found
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epidemic was largely spread through the trading business. Despite warnings of outbreaks, Native Americans still visited trading posts and became exposed to the virus. Once the infected Mandan villages were empty, neighboring peoples raided the village for goods but suffered after carrying back the
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trails. The remains of the earth-lodge dwellings can be seen as large circular depressions in the ground. These dwellings were as large as 40 feet in diameter and 14 feet high. They were made entirely of wood, covered by a layer of willows which was, in turn covered by a layer of dried grass. The
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is known as the "Big Muddy" due to its high sedimentation loads. The Missouri River drains approximately one-sixth of the United States and its basin encompasses 529,350 square miles (1,371,000 km). During the pre-development period, the Missouri River represented one of North America's most
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Over the hundreds of years that the Native Americans occupied this area, a very different landscape existed than what can be observed today. When occupied by the tribes, the upland areas were a mixed prairie region that contained a minimal number of trees. The floodplain forests in the river
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In 1974, as an effort to preserve the historic value and beauty as it once appeared, the area surrounding the park was transformed back to how it originally looked when the Native Americans occupied the area. The area now contains native short grass prairies, exotic grasslands, 450 acres
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Within some areas of the park, the forest composition has changed very little. A few prairie areas contain wheatgrass, needlegrass, grama, and big bluestem grasses, and many forbs and flowers. Native wildlife feed on plants such as choke cherry, wild plums, buffaloberry and Juneberry.
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The Knife River villages thrived until 1837 when a series of smallpox outbreaks nearly wiped out the population; they suffered a 50% loss in population. Gradually survivors of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara villages migrated north and developed the village of
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and metals such as copper, but the Hidatsa and Mandan also traded corn and other agricultural products. They raised corn, beans and squash as well as sunflowers in their extensive gardens which were managed by the women.
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villages that had been in contact with Lewis and Clark suffered the horrific effects of the virus. The smallpox outbreak lasted from 1837 to 1838 and, out of 1,600 Mandan villagers, 31 survived. The
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5. "Knife River Indian Villages National Historical Site North Dakota." Knife River Indian Villages NHS. April 2004. National Historical Site. 19 Mar 2008 <
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4. "Knife River Indian Villages." Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service). National Park Service. 18 Mar 2008 <
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3. "Knife River Indian Village – Earthlodge Interior." Lewis & Clark in North Dakota. State Historical Society of North Dakota. 18 Mar 2008 <
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1. "Climate of North Dakota." Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. 3 August 2006. United States Geological Society. 19 Mar 2008 <
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The Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site is located in central North Dakota, at the confluence of the Knife River with the
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6. Salley, Shawn. "Knife River Indian Villages National Historical Site North Dakota." Knife River Indian Villages . 18 Mar 2008 <
336:(Sacagawea) was a Shoshone captive who lived in one of the villages of the Knife River. The presence of Sakakawea and her son on the 325:
At the Knife River Indian Villages National Historical Site there are the visible remains of earth-lodge dwellings, cache pits, and
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area. In general, these three villages are known as Hidatsa villages. Broken down, the individual villages are
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2. Eddins, O.. "Plains Indians Smallpox." Smallpox Native American Plains Indian Genocide. 19 Mar 2008 <
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https://web.archive.org/web/20080226071134/http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/student/salley4/index.htm
868: 671: 277: 534: 1348: 355: 569: 555: 378: 256:, which was established in 1974, preserves the historic and archaeological remnants of bands of 1343: 1303: 1293: 1232: 456: 293: 147: 589:
8. "The Missouri River Story." The River. United States Geological Society. 18 Mar 2008 <
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The smallpox outbreaks from 1837 to 1840 had a 90% death rate among the Mandan. The two
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wasps, and ants). Many of these insects are crucial to the diet of park wildlife.
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https://web.archive.org/web/20060923025250/http://infolink.cr.usgs.gov/The_River/
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Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in North Dakota
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Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in North Dakota
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National Register of Historic Places listings in Mercer County, North Dakota
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As with everywhere else, the park struggles with the management of exotic
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Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site Archeological District
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Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site Archeological District
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a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan
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National Register of Historic Places in Mercer County, North Dakota
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http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/habitat/climate/figlist.htm
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http://www.geospectra.net/lewis_cl/knife_riv/k_river.htm#kite
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http://www.nd.gov/hist/lewisclark/attractions_KnifeRiver.html
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Former Native American populated places in the United States
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parties did not allow women and children to accompany them.
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National Historic Site of the United States in North Dakota
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The Knife River just south of the main village complex
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List of National Historic Landmarks in North Dakota
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Stanton. 18 Mar 2008 < 463: 1450:Museums in Mercer County, North Dakota 1417: 447:"National Register Information System" 788: 624: 652:National Register of Historic Places 452:National Register of Historic Places 348: 1465:1974 establishments in North Dakota 1455:Protected areas established in 1974 439: 13: 727:High Butte Effigy and Village Site 373: 14: 1491: 722:Fort Clark Archeological District 596: 680: 125: 118: 100: 93: 732:Knife River Bridge near Stanton 218: 1: 432: 134:Show map of the United States 283: 21:United States historic place 7: 859:Knife River Indian Villages 656:Mercer County, North Dakota 321:Interior of the Earth Lodge 58:U.S. National Historic Site 10: 1496: 1259:International Peace Garden 742:St. Paul's Lutheran Church 664:National Historic Landmark 603:Official Park Service site 415: 338:Lewis and Clark Expedition 312: 307: 1397: 1357: 1281: 1272: 1251: 1223: 1190: 869:National Wildlife Refuges 867: 844: 826: 766: 750: 707: 689: 678: 662: 584:http://www.stantonnd.com/ 272:(lower Hidatsa village), 242: 234: 229: 217:NRHP reference  216: 206: 198: 190: 153: 143: 87: 68: 64: 55: 46: 37: 30: 26: 672:Big Hidatsa Village Site 563:http://www.nps.gov/knri/ 109:Show map of North Dakota 854:Fort Union Trading Post 846:National Historic Sites 517:. National Park Service 495:. National Park Service 473:. National Park Service 425: 385: 322: 175:47.35417°N 101.38583°W 49:U.S. Historic district 1225:U.S. Wilderness Areas 457:National Park Service 423: 381: 320: 294:Stanton, North Dakota 194:1,758 acres (7.11 km) 148:Stanton, North Dakota 1299:Fort Abraham Lincoln 304:diverse ecosystems. 180:47.35417; -101.38583 1264:North Country Trail 1192:National Grasslands 1077:School Section Lake 278:Big Hidatsa village 243:Designated NHS 171: /  1243:Theodore Roosevelt 836:Theodore Roosevelt 691:Historic districts 616:Aerial Photography 547:2008-04-16 at the 426: 386: 323: 1412: 1411: 1393: 1392: 782: 781: 758:Hazen High School 737:Fred Krause House 349:Smallpox epidemic 250: 249: 230:Significant dates 1487: 1375:Little Metigoshe 1365:Butte Saint Paul 1358:Recreation areas 1279: 1278: 809: 802: 795: 786: 785: 709:Other properties 684: 645: 638: 631: 622: 621: 527: 526: 524: 522: 511: 505: 504: 502: 500: 489: 483: 482: 480: 478: 467: 461: 460: 443: 410:invasive species 246:October 26, 1974 238:October 26, 1974 220: 186: 185: 183: 182: 181: 176: 172: 169: 168: 167: 164: 135: 129: 128: 122: 110: 104: 103: 97: 73: 24: 23: 1495: 1494: 1490: 1489: 1488: 1486: 1485: 1484: 1415: 1414: 1413: 1408: 1389: 1370:Crow Flies High 1353: 1339:Little Missouri 1334:Lewis and Clark 1268: 1247: 1219: 1210:Little Missouri 1186: 1177:Wintering River 967:J. Clark Salyer 962:Hutchinson Lake 927:Cottonwood Lake 863: 840: 822: 816:Protected areas 813: 783: 778: 762: 751:Former listings 746: 703: 685: 676: 658: 649: 599: 549:Wayback Machine 531: 530: 520: 518: 513: 512: 508: 498: 496: 491: 490: 486: 476: 474: 469: 468: 464: 459:. 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Retrieved 509: 497:. Retrieved 487: 475:. 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Index

U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
U.S. National Historic Site

Hidatsa
Earthlodge
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site is located in North Dakota
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site is located in the United States
Stanton, North Dakota
47°21′15″N 101°23′09″W / 47.35417°N 101.38583°W / 47.35417; -101.38583
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site
74002220
Hidatsa
Plains Indians
Knife
Big Hidatsa village
Missouri River
Stanton, North Dakota
Missouri River

travois
Sakakawea
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Like-a-Fishhook
Mandan
smallpox

Prairie Rose
invasive species

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