US ResearchConflictsIndian Wars and Frontier ConflictsSouth DakotaWounded Knee Occupation
Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts

Wounded Knee Occupation

1973
South Dakota
Era
Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts
Year
1973
Location
South Dakota
Status
Verified engagement
The Battle

History & Significance

The Wounded Knee Battlefield was the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 in South Dakota, United States. An 870-acre (350 ha) area was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1965. Along with all other National Historic Landmarks, it was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places when that program was inaugurated in 1966, listed as "Wounded Knee Battlefield". A museum at the site interprets the massacre.

The National Historic Landmark nomination was drafted by 1990 with a latter consultation with Indian representatives. Following the suggestion that the Indian representation should be increased, oral history interviews were conducted with four descendants. The interview summaries were included in the revised nomination.

The NRHP listing included one contributing site and one contributing object, and also 14 non-contributing buildings and 12 non-contributing sites. The non-contributing elements are fairly small and scattered so do not detract greatly from the setting. The contributing site is the area of the massacre itself, including the probable location of the post office and Mousseau's store. The contributing object is the 1903 monument. Non-contributing buildings include a log church built in 1975, a small frame dwelling, a concrete block visitors center from 1989, a log dwelling, a frame Church of God, a mobile home serving as that church's parsonage, three more frame buildings in the church complex, two other dwellings, and a concrete block building. Non-contributing sites include two cemeteries from the Catholic Church and from the Church of God, the Catholic Church foundation and basement from 1913 (burned in 1973), foundations and rubble of a 1930 store and gas station complex (burned in 1973), foundation of a concrete building, foundation of a metal building.

The National Historic Landmark program provides some monitoring. As of January 17, 2010, its webpage noted: "The area suffers from neglect." The program's recommendation (change since last report) was that "The owners need to provide regular maintenance at the site."

List of National Historic Landmarks in South Dakota

National Register of Historic Places listings in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Wounded Knee Occupation take place?
Wounded Knee Occupation took place in 1973.
Where was Wounded Knee Occupation fought?
Wounded Knee Occupation was fought in South Dakota, United States.
What was the significance of Wounded Knee Occupation?
The Wounded Knee Battlefield was the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 in South Dakota, United States. An 870-acre (350 ha) area was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1965. Along with all other National Historic Landmarks, it was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic
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This page covers Wounded Knee Occupation. A full Aubrey report for the area pulls together this battle alongside historic sites, land records, and everything else the record holds within a few miles:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Protected heritage nearby

Historic Sites near Wounded Knee Occupation

Inland Theater
Industrial · 1.8 mi
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Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Wikipedia source.

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