Mandan Village Historic Site

Point Of Interest

Contact

4482 Fort Lincoln Rd, Mandan, North Dakota

parkrec.nd.gov/fort-abraham-lincoln-state-park

Description

The Mandan village, named On-a-Slant (Miti O-pa-e-resh) because of it being built on a sloping plain toward the river, contained about 85 Earthlodges with a village population of around 1500. Unlike most Plains Indian tribes, the Mandan lived in sedentary communities in permanent homes called Earthlodges. The Mandan relied upon a mixture of fishing, hunting, and agriculture for subsistence. The men hunted and fished while the women tended crops, prepared animal hides and meat, gathered wild berries, wove baskets, and made pottery. The Mandan had advanced skills in village design and defense, which were economic centers where nomadic tribes came to exchange animal skins for agricultural products. After prospering on this site for two centuries, a smallpox epidemic hit in 1781 and virtually eliminated the Heart River region Mandan. The survivors moved north along the Missouri River, eventually joining the Hidatsa near the Knife River. When Lewis and Clark discovered the deserted On-A-Slant Village in late 1804, it was already in an advanced state of decay, for they reported that the remains included fallen heaps of earth, which had covered the houses. Today On-a-Slant Village is a state historic site and has six reconstructed Earthlodges including a large Council Lodge. Tours take you through the village and give visitors an insight into the lives of the Mandan people who once lived at On-a-Slant.

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Features

Location

Lat: 46.767385 Lng: -100.846742