Located approximately 14 miles away from the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe is the beautiful Pipestone National Monument. An ancient site that holds sacred significance for many Native American tribes including the Dakota and Lakota tribes. In the past, the catlinite (pipestone) vein held such high importance that many tribes considered the lands neutral territory for the purposes of quarrying the stone they used to make their pipes which were vital for tribal religious ceremonies. Native Americans have been quarrying pipestone for over a millennia. And, to this day, quarrying for pipestone at the Pipestone National Monument is reserved for American Indians who are enrolled in a federally recognized tribe.
Below, you will find Pipestone's important history in pictures:
