Lower Sioux Indian community to manage historic site

The Minnesota Historical Society and the Lower Sioux Indian Community have reached a management agreement under which the two entities will work together to present the Lower Sioux Agency historic site to the public.

The Lower Sioux Indian Community will be responsible for day-to-day management of the site that is nine miles east of Redwood Falls and 1.5 miles east of Jackpot Junction Casino and Hotel. The Society will retain ownership of and responsibility for the site’s capital needs and will provide technical assistance. The transfer will take effect April 1. Hours, fees and programs scheduled for the summer 2009 season remain unchanged at this time.

The Lower Sioux Agency is an important historic site with a crucial story that needs to be preserved and told. The U.S. government administrative center for the Dakota in the mid-19th century, it was the scene of the first attack in the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862.

This management agreement represents an opportunity to expand the use of the site by operating the facility as a year-round cultural center, as well as a seasonal historic site open to the public as it is now. The arrangement also will allow the site’s interpretation to broaden, encompassing expanded aspects of the area’s history, including present-day Dakota culture.

The historic site is open Hours: Memorial Day Weekend through September
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; Holidays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Kay Johnson is a staff writer at the Leader. She can be reached at johnson@hutchinsonleader.com