Contacts
Julianna Olsen, Marketing and Communication, 651-259-3039, julianna.olsen@mnhs.org
Amy Danielson, Marketing and Communication, 651-259-3020 amy.danielson@mnhs.org
St. Paul, Minn., June 7--A new mobile tour created by the Minnesota Historical Society offers intriguing stories and reflections about historic sites along the Minnesota River Valley. Callers to the Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway Mobile Tour will learn about the people who lived there and the lasting impact of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862.
The tour can be accessed by calling 888-601-3010 from any location. Visit www.usdakotawar.org/mobiletour to download a travel guide that includes a map of the mobile tour. More stops will be added in 2013.
Traverse des Sioux, a stop on the Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway Mobile Tour
Stop #1 Introduction
Hear about the Dakota origins, the settlers who moved to Minnesota, reflections about the war from Dakota today and a poem by Gabrielle Tateyuskanskan.
Stop #2 Traverse des Sioux
Listen to perspectives on the treaty signings of 1851 and 1858 and their lasting impact.
Stop #3 New Ulm, Minnesota
Hear descriptions of European immigrant life on the prairie and the legacy 1862 left with the people of New Ulm.
Stop #4 Lower Sioux Agency
Gain insights into the notion of land and home along the Minnesota River Valley and how the war changed this.
Stop #5 Birch Coulee Battlefield
Hear reflections on the spiritual connection Dakota people have with the land and their fight for survival.
Stop #6 Upper Sioux Agency
Hear reflections on the values and enduring strength of the Dakota.
Stop #7 Camp Release
Hear the story of Mazasa and learn about the mounting tensions among the Dakota leading up to the war.
This year marks 150 years since the U.S.-Dakota War, fought in southwestern Minnesota in the late summer of 1862. The war lasted just six weeks, but its causes began decades earlier and the profound loss and consequences of the war are still felt today. The war ended with hundreds dead, the Dakota people exiled from their homeland and the largest mass execution in U.S. history: the hangings of 38 Dakota men in Mankato on Dec. 26, 1862.
Throughout this year, the Minnesota Historical Society is offering many new ways to learn about the war, how it shaped our state and how its bitter consequences are still felt today. "The U.S.-Dakota War of 1862," an exhibit at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul, opens June 30. Visit www.usdakotawar.org for a list of all initiatives, events and resources for commemorating and learning about the war.
The Minnesota River Valley Mobile Tour is funded by a grant from the National Scenic Byways Discretionary Grants Program administered by the Federal Highway Administration.
The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849.The Society collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, the Society preserves our past, shares our state’s stories and connects people with history.
The Minnesota Historical Society is supported in part by its Premier Partners: Xcel Energy and ExploreMinnesota Tourism.
