History

The scene of the first attack of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, this site was a U.S. government administrative center for the Mdewakanton and Wahpekute Bands of Dakota. In the months leading up to the war, the U.S. government failed to pay annuity payments owed to the Dakota and refused to provide food and supplies. These actions contributed to the growing unrest that led to the war in the summer of 1862. As tensions mounted, a reluctant Taoyateduta (Little Crow) led an attack on the Lower Sioux Agency on August 18, 1862, killing 18 traders and government employees. The Dakota then attacked settlements along the Minnesota River Valley, killing white settlers and compelling thousands to flee in the first few days in a strategic effort to reclaim their homeland.

Resources for Further Investigation

U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 website