Pipestone quarry at Pipestone National Monument

PARK OVERVIEW

Pipestone National Monument in Pipestone, Minnesota, preserves a 300-acre section of tallgrass prairie and a deposit of catlinite, commonly known as pipestone. This soft, clay-like material is perfect for carving, and American Indians have been quarrying the rock at various locations for over 3,000 years. Usually buried deep in the ground between thick layers of quartzite, the pipestone came closer to the surface in this area as the result of earthquake activity. There are other pipestone deposits in the United States, but the pipestone at the park is considered to be the best quality and the easiest to quarry—which is still back-breaking work.

In 1858, the Ihanktonwan Oyate (aka Yankton Sioux) leader, Struck by the Ree, signed a treaty giving American homesteaders 11 million acres once he realized there was no stopping their emigration into his territory. This land was in exchange for money, agricultural training, land on a 500,000-acre reservation 150 miles away, and continued usage of the pipestone quarries within a 1-square mile area, subsequently called the Pipestone Indian Reservation. However, once at their new home, it was difficult to get to the quarries due to distance and the need for permission from American Indian agents to travel.

As far back as the 1880s, there was talk of turning the Pipestone Indian Reservation into a park of some sort, be it on a city, state, or federal level. Early efforts were based on protecting the pipestone quarrying rights of the Indians, but as time went on, the idea of protecting the beauty of the area from commercial quartzite quarrying, illegal homesteading, and other damaging activities stemming from the federal government’s failure to protect the reservation as required by law also became considerations. In the early 1900s, park talk often centered on recreational activities such as swimming pools and picnicking grounds. However, all efforts failed.

In 1899, the Ihanktonwan Oyate began legal proceedings seeking compensation for physical damages to and illegal use of the Pipestone Indian Reservation by homesteaders and the federal government, which in the early 1890s erected an Indian boarding school on the property. This went on for years, and it wasn’t until 1928 that the federal government finally paid the Ihanktonwan Oyate nearly $340,000, but in the process took title to the land, as the deal was essentially a land purchase. This again renewed interest in creating state and city parks on the reservation since the land was now open to being sold by the federal government.

In 1932, the National Park Service conducted a study of the land and history of the reservation. Federal efforts to create a National Monument began in 1934, and in 1937 Congress established Pipestone National Monument with the express intent of preserving the quarrying rights of all federally recognized tribes, not just the Ihanktonwan Oyate. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the bill into law on August 25, 1937.

As established, Pipestone National Monument was only comprised of 115 acres of the original 640-acre reservation. In 1956 it was expanded to the current 301 acres with land taken from the boarding school, which was closed in 1953. Much of the remaining acreage is now part of the Pipestone Wildlife Management Area (now a federal refuge), the Minnesota West Community & Technical College, and the city of Pipestone.

Today there are 56 active quarries at Pipestone National Monument. Only members of federally recognized tribes can get a permit to quarry, and those who obtain one can keep it as long as they quarry at least once a year and renew their permits on an annual basis. Many of the quarries have been operated by the same families for generations. For a newcomer to get a permit, someone with an existing quarry has to quit quarrying and fail to renew the permit. The current wait list is eight to ten years.

Of the smaller National Park Service properties, Pipestone National Monument is one of the more interesting to visit. There is not a lot to do, and a couple hours is all it takes to see the park. Be sure to first stop by the Visitor Center to watch the park film and peruse the exhibit area. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, Indian artists are on hand in the Demonstration Area carving pipes, jewelry, and other items. Visitors can watch them work, and they are happy to answer any questions. Items other than pipes are on sale in the park’s gift store. Pipes cannot be sold at the park, but many artists have shops in town where their pipes are for sale.