National Historic Landmark

La Verendrye Site

Fort Pierre, Stanley County, South Dakota
Listed
August 6, 1974
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
74001899

About this property

The Verendrye Site is an historical archaeological site off Verendrye Drive in Fort Pierre, Stanley County, South Dakota, United States. Now a small public park, it is the place where the La Vérendrye brothers, the first known Europeans to explore this area, placed a lead plate bearing the coat of arms of France, to claim the territory for their homeland, during their 1742–1743 expedition to the Rocky Mountains. This site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1991. A monument has been erected at the site to explain the history.

Location

Fort Pierre, Stanley County, South Dakota
44.35526, -100.37820

Categories

EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

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.

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Everything a full report reveals about La Verendrye Site

This page lists La Verendrye Site. 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:

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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Nearby Historic Sites

Carr, Jefferson Davis, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Old Fort Pierre School
Early Republic
0.1 mi
United Church of Christ, Congregational
Industrial
0.2 mi
American Legion Community Hall
Industrial
0.3 mi
Stockgrowers Bank Building
Industrial
0.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was La Verendrye Site listed on the National Register?

La Verendrye Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 6, 1974.

What type of historic resource is La Verendrye Site?

La Verendrye Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is La Verendrye Site a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. La Verendrye Site 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 La Verendrye Site?

The period of significance for La Verendrye Site is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near La Verendrye Site?

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 La Verendrye Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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