About this property
Bear Butte is a geological laccolith feature located near Sturgis, South Dakota, United States, that was established as a State Park in 1961. An important landmark and religious site for the Plains Indians tribes long before Europeans reached South Dakota, Bear Butte is called Matȟó Pahá, or Bear Mountain, by the Lakota, or Sioux. To the Cheyenne, it is known as Noahȧ-vose ('Giving Hill') or Náhkȯhe-vose ('Bear Hill'), and is the place where Ma'heo'o (Great Spirit) imparted to Sweet Medicine, a Cheyenne prophet, the knowledge from which the Cheyenne derive their religious, political, social, and economic customs. The mountain is sacred to many indigenous peoples, who make pilgrimages to leave prayer cloths and tobacco bundles tied to the branches of the trees along the mountain's flanks. Other offerings are often left at the top of the mountain. The site is associated with various religious ceremonies throughout the year. The mountain is a place of prayer, meditation, and peace. The park includes a campsite west of South Dakota Highway 79 where horseback riding, fishing, and boating are permitted. On the summit side of Highway 79, a moderately sized herd of bison roams the base of the mountain. An education center and a summit trail are available. Official park policy advises visitors to Bear Butte to respect worshipers and to leave religious offerings undisturbed. Park fees are waived for those undertaking religious activities. Some nearby land was also obtained by some Native American tribes in later years as well. The summit of the butte is the northern terminus of the South Dakota Centennial Trail.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Bear Butte
This page lists Bear Butte. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Bear Butte listed on the National Register?
Bear Butte was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 18, 1973.
What type of historic resource is Bear Butte?
Bear Butte is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Bear Butte a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Bear Butte has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Bear Butte?
The period of significance for Bear Butte is recorded as the modern era, specifically around 1961.
Can I research the history near Bear Butte?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Bear Butte will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Meade County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Meade County.
Explore MeadeCounty ›More historic places in South Dakota
Browse all historic places in South Dakota.
View South Dakotahistoric sites ›South Dakota history
Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.
South Dakotahistory ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Bear Butte will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.