Knife River Indian Villages - Part 1

Today will be a full day. This morning we head down the Sakakawea (Sac-ka-ga-weigh-a) Scenic Bypass. (Rte 200A). Our first stop was the Knife River Indian Village. The village had become an important trading site by the ealy 1800's. It was in one of these villages that Sakakawea lived with the Hidatsa clan. It was when her husband, Toussaint Charbonneau, was hired as Lewis and Clark's interpreter, that Sakakawea became part of the expedition. Today they were having a cultural festival and both the Hidatsa and Arikara clans were represented. We talked with a grandmother who still follows the "old" ways, while her grandson attends Yale! (Quite a contrast). There were various tents set up and we learned how to make a bow, watched a lady making quill jewelry and Ken played some Indian skill games. The best part was going into the reconstructed Earth Lodge. In the visitor center we watched a video about a woman who grew up in this clan. It was really interesting.

Passing more hay fields we sauntered down scenic Rte 200A to Washburn. We stopped at Cross Ranch State Park so we could canoe the Missouri River. There were no guides available so we couldn't take a canoe. We checked out the boat ramp to see if we could put the fold cat in, but the flow of the river was really fast. We had to experience the Missouri so I stood in the river!

On to Fort Mandan where we took a tour and then on to the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center. (see part 2)