By 1955, New
Town's population had grown to 1,400 residents and the number of businesses in
town exceeded those of Van Hook and Sanish combined. The discovery of oil in the
vicinity led to even further development in the community and throughout the
region.
Van Hook still exists today, although few
year-round residents reside there. It is considered one of the top fishing spots
on the lake. The portions of Sanish that did not move to the New Town site
relocated on a bluff that overlooks the Four Bears Bridge. The site of old
Sanish is now the New Town Marina.
Today, New
Town is located on State Highway 23 near the crossing of Lake Sakakawea by the
Four Bears Bridge and boast a population of nearly 2,000. Progress slowed
slightly over the years but still remains steady today. It is a haven for
recreation opportunities and draws thousands of visitors for hunting, fishing,
and lake activities every year. The construction of Four Bears Casino and Lodge
less than a decade ago also draws people from all over the United States and
Canada each year. Today, New Town is considered
one of the fastest growing small towns in North Dakota. It remains one of the
most popular recreation spots in the state, boasting camping and picnic
shelters, a beautiful 9-hole grass green golf course that overlooks the lake and
a Main Street bustling with business and industry.
Fort Berthold Reservation
Original boundaries established by Fort Laramie Treaty in 1851 about – 13
million acres- the Missouri, the Heart, the Yellowstone, the Powder River and
the Black Hills were the original boundaries. Present land base is about ½
million acres.
Fort Berthold, originally a fur trading post at Like-a-Fishhook Village, was
named after Bartholomew Berthold from St. Louis. He was a member of a prominent
fur trading family in the mid 1850’s. The fort was eventually turned over to
the Government and today the Bureau of Indian Affairs still calls the Agency
Fort Berthold.
The Three Affiliated Tribes
The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara are the three tribes who live on the Fort
Berthold Reservation. The Mandan and Hidatsa have had a long association going
back to the Heart River (Slant Village south of Mandan) in the early 1700’s.
Toward the end of the 1700’s, the Mandan and Hidatsa moved to the Knife River
Area (near Stanton). There were 5 large earthlodge villages there with a
population of over 2,000. This is where the Lewis and Clark Expedition came in
October 1804, and built Fort Mandan, where they stayed over the winter of
1804-1805. This was a great trade area where furs, corn, flint, and other items
were traded.
In 1837, the terrible smallpox epidemic struck and nearly wiped out the
Mandan and Hidatsa Tribes. Those who were left banded together and moved to
Like-a-Fishhook Village in 1845. Several years later, about 1862, the
Arikara moved upstream and joined them. The Three Tribes have been together ever
since.
The Treaty of 1866 (with the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara) provided that the
Government would furnish livestock and farm implements. Since the Three Tribes
were always agricultural, growing large fields of corn and other vegetables, the
quickly became successful farmers and ranchers. Around 1891, the Indian people
began moving to tracts of land upstream in the areas, which would eventually
become Elbowoods, Independence, Lucky Mound, etc. The Fort Berthold Agency moved
from Like-A-Fishhook Village in about 1892 and the new area was called Elbowoods.
A very successful farming and ranching industry was established in the
Missouri River Valley. Most families owned cattle and horses. The Garrison Dam
was built in the late 1940’s. By 1953, 350 families moved out of the Missouri
River Valley to other areas on higher ground. The waters of the Garrison Dam
flooded 155,000 acres of prime agricultural land. This is how the tribes came to
live in the New Town area.
The Three Tribes adopted a Constitution and Bylaws in 1936 and formed their
own Government known as the Three Affiliated Tribes. This constitution provided
for a Tribal Business Council elected by members of the tribe. Today, the Tribal
Business Council still operates under this Constitution. The present Tribal
Administration Office, (built in the early 1980’s) by the 4 Bears Casino &
Lodge, houses many of the Tribal Government programs.
Today, there are about 8,000 enrolled members of the Three Affiliated Tribes.
This is an increase from the 3,000 members we had in 1956 at the time of the
Garrison Dam. About ½ (or 3,500 to 4,000) live on the Reservation. Other tribal
members live in almost every state in the Union and Canada.
The Name “Four Bears”
There were two prominent chiefs named Four Bears. The Mandan Chief Four Bears
lived at the Knife River Village and died in 1837 of the Smallpox epidemic.
There are several famous paintings by George Catlin in 1832 and Karl Bodmer in
1833 of the Chief Four Bears. The Hidatsa chief Four Bears lived at
Like-A-Fishhook. He went to Fort Laramie in 1851 to the Great Treaty Council and
signed on behalf of the Hidatsa people. In the fall of 1861, the Hidatsa
Four Bears, was killed by the Sioux while he was bathing in the river.
Four Bears Bridge
The Four Bears Bridge was built and dedicated in Elbowoods in 1934. It was named
“the Four Bears Memorial Bridge” after both the Mandan and Hidatsa Chiefs.
If you look closely when you drive across the bridge, you can see the plaques on
each side. The bridge was dismantled in 1953 because of the Garrison Dam. It was
moved to its present site shortly there after New Town was established. When it
was built in the early 1930’s, there were very few cars, only Model T’s and
Model A’s, which were quite small and didn’t travel very fast. Most of the
Indian people crossed the bridge with horses and wagons. (Today you would have
to have a pretty fast horse to get across the bridge without getting run over by
someone heading to Bingo at the Casino!).
Four Bears Monuments
In addition to the Bridge, there are two other monuments to Four Bears. There is
a monument to the Mandan Chief Four Bears, which stood on the west side of the
river near the bridge in Elbowoods. This was a tall granite pillar with a plaque
on it. This monument was moved to Twin Buttes and is now in front of the school.
There is a monument to the Hidatsa Chief Four Bears also called the Fort Laramie
Monument. It used to stand in front of the Agency building in Elbowoods.
In 1953 it was moved to a high hill near the site of New Sanish overlooking the
river, however it was vandalized and nearly destroyed. The statue of the Indian
on top of the monument was stolen, as was the wrought iron fence that surrounded
the pillar. After the Museum was built, the monument was moved to the front of
the Museum, where it now stands.
The Four Bears Park Area
In 1953, shortly after the relocation, the Tribal Council asked the Corps of
Engineers, to let them use the land which was in the “taking area” along the
lake, for ceremonial grounds, campsites and rodeo grounds. The land area now
known as Four Bears Park was one of the spots requested by the Tribe since they
owned the adjacent land. That is why the Museum, Pow-Wow grounds, Casino, IHS
and Tribal Office were built in this area. The Museum was always on Tribal land
but the land where the Casino is, was in the “taking area” and under the
control of the Corps of Engineers. For many years, the Tribe worked to secure a
trade of the land where the Casino stands for other lands, which the tribe owned
but were being flooded by the waters of the dam. Finally in 1991, this exchange
was accomplished and the Tribe now owns this land. That is why the Tribe was
able to build the Casino there. If it were still on the Corps of Engineers land,
the Tribe wouldn’t have been able to build a Casino in that location.
The Three Tribes Museum
The Museum was built in 1964 as a place to preserve the heritage of the Three
Affiliated Tribes and to display the culture and history of this area. Some of
the funds to build the museum came form the Helen Gough Estate. Helen Gough was
an enrolled member who owned several oil wells in McKenzie County. Oil was
discovered in the Williston Basin field in the early 1950’s. Shortly
thereafter, several wells were developed on the Reservation. Several of these
belonged to Helen Gough. She passed away in 1963 but left provisions in her will
to build the Museum and for scholarship funds.
The Fort Berthold Veterans’ Monument
The Fort Berthold Indians, like most American Indians, are extremely patriotic.
Two years after the Agreement of 1866 was signed at Like-a-Fishhook Village, Ten
Arikaras joined the Army as Scouts. Several were with General Custer and Reno at
the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876. One of the Scouts, Bloody Knife, was
killed at the side of Major Reno. Many singed up thereafter and served as scouts
at Fort Lincoln and Fort Buford. About thirty members served in WWI and many
others followed in WWII, Vietnam, and so on. The Veteran’s posts on Fort
Berthold are named – the Younghawk Bear Post, the Myron Johnson Post, Badgun
Post and etc. The Fort Berthold Veteran’ Monument was dedicated on May 16,
1987. It is in front of the museum and has been the site of several
military ceremonies.
Hidatsa Earthlodge
The Earthlodge was constructed in 1996 by a number of people in the area. Dennis
Fox Jr. was instrumental in planning and supervising the building. Our tribes
lived in these Earthlodge structures for centuries along the Missouri River.
Indian Health Services
As part of the treaties and agreement between the U.S. Government and Indian
tribes, health services are to be provided to Indian people. This was in
exchange for the many lands given up by the Indian people for things such as the
railroad, homesteading, roads, reservoirs, and etc. The I.H.S. (Indian Health
Services) Clinic (Minne-Tohe) meaning Blue Water was built in the 1960’s.
Before that a small outpatient clinic was maintained at the BIA office in New
Town. A wide range of health services are provided including a dialysis unit,
social services, mental health, specialty clinics such as diabetes, wellness,
and women and child programs.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
As mentioned earlier, Lewis and Clark and their company of about thirty men
arrived at the Knife River Village in October 1804. With the group was York,
William Clark’s servant. He was the first black man seen by the Indians. The
Expedition also had a black lab accompany them on their journey, his name was
Scannon. The white men built Fort Mandan and spent the winter there. In April
1805, they left Fort Mandan and continued up the Missouri River. Along with them
were Sakakawea (the Bird Woman) and her infant son, Baptiste. They passed the
present site of the Four Bears Park on April 15, 1805. When they returned form
their journey to the Pacific Northwest, they split up at Lolo Pass. William
Clark went to the Yellowstone River and Captain Lewis continued on the northern
route. They were to reunite at what is now the Williston area (where the
Yellowstone and Missouri meet). Captain Clark arrived there first, but the
mosquitoes were so bad that he left a note on a tree for Captain Lewis,
therefore they would continue downstream and await his arrival. At about 1
p.m. on August 12, 1806, Captains Lewis and Clark reunited at a point about six
miles south of the Casino. For that reason this area is called Reunion Point.
When they arrived back at the Knife River Village, one of the Mandan Chiefs (Big
White also known as She-he-ke) returned to Washington with them. After about
three years he returned to the Knife River Village.
Crow Flies High Lookout Point
This butte is named after Chief Crow Flies High, who was the last to surrendered
to the U.S. Government from this area. Crow Flies High is from the Hidatsa
Tribe. He led his people in and around eastern Montana, southern Saskatchewan
and western North Dakota before his surrender.
Thunder Butte
This butte is also called Table Butte. The Hidatsa Tribe considers the legend
behind this butte very sacred. It is considered the resting-place of the
Mythical Thunderbird.
The story behind the new 4 Bears logo
4 Bears Casino & Lodge is named after the great Mandan Chief Four Bears. Who
lived in the 1800’s and died of Small Pox. Carl Bodmer a great European
painter of that time depicted Chief Four Bears in his full Ceremonial wear and
robe. In1985, 4 Bears Casino & Lodge commissioned Three Affiliated Tribes
member Kathy Whitman, also known as Elk Woman to recreate the Bodmer painting.
Two key elements from Bodmer and Whitman’s paintings were used in 4 Bears’
new logo.
The bear was originally an element of Four Bears’ Ceremonial robe. Four
Bears was known for his great courage. The ceremonial robe depicted a bear
with a spear in its side. Four Bears once killed a bear with a spear, which
taking great courage as this fierce animal could not be killed with a single
spear by most men.
The red hand was on Four Bears’ ceremonial robe, it honored Four
Bears’ abilities for defeating his enemies in hand to hand combat.
The sun stands for Four Bears’ leadership and care for his people as the
sun brings life to the earth. Four Bears was a life giving force to his Tribe.
Other elements include, background buttes and water which signify the various
Buttes and Lake Sakakawea, which surround 4 Bears Casino & Lodge.
Travel the Lewis and Clark Trail in New Town
 200 years ago, Captains
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were sent by President Jefferson
to “explore the Missouri River” to find a water route to the Pacific
Ocean. This journey took the Corps of Discovery through what is now
New Town where they camped, hunted, mapped the terrain and
waterways, and observed the flora and fauna of the area. They
reported seeing the remains of Assiniboine camps, buffalo, elk,
antelope, bear, wolves, geese and grouse. They described the land
as being “fine, level extensive and
extremely fertile high plains and meadows.”
On April 14, 1805, the Expedition camped 14 miles
south of New Town on the east side of the Missouri and on April 15,
1805, they camped 8 miles north of New Town on the west side of the
Missouri. Captain Clark walked the shore and explored what is now
called the White Earth River. Several days later north of New Town
they dined on the flesh of 3 beaver apparently relished by Captain
Lewis who wrote “I eat very heartily of the
beaver myself and think it excellent; particularly the tale, and
liver.”
The Corps of Discovery included the 2 captains; 3 sergeants; 23
privates; 2 interpreters (Charbonneau and Drouillard); Sakakawea and
her son, Baptiste; and York, Clark’s servant. All would return
safely in August, 1806, after spending the winter on the Pacific
coast near the Columbia River.
Sakakawea was a teenager with 2 month-old-son Baptiste when she
joined the Expedition in April, 1805. When the Corps of Discovery
arrived there in Oct. 1804, she was living in the village of
Metaharta or Awatixa (Village on the Hill) on the bank of the Knife
River near its confluence with the Missouri. This village consisted
of 45 earthlodges and was home to about 500 Hidatsa people led by
Black Moccasin, the Headman or Chief. The Lewis and Clark journals
refer to the Hidatsa people as “Minnetarre” (to cross the water).
In 1832, a portrait of Black Moccasin was painted by the artist
George Catlin just 5 years before the “deadly sickness” (smallpox)
came to the villages on the Knife River. Black Moccasin asked Mr.
Catlin about his friends “Long Knife” and “Red Hair”, the Hidatsa
names for Lewis and Clark. Mr. Catlin told Black Moccasin that
“Long Knife” was dead and “Red Hair” was living in St. Louis.
Today’s
historians credit much of the success of the expedition to the
contributions of Sakakawea and other Indian people they met along
the way. Jefferson Smith, a noted spokesman for the Three
Affiliated Tribes, testified in Washington in 1948 about Lewis and
Clark. He said “these three tribes
welcomed the Lewis and Clark expedition sent by the United States.
They came and camped near our villages. Because of our friendly
feeling and the decree of our chief, Lewis and Clark were provided
with corn, venison, and other provisions throughout the winter.
Later on, Sakakawea, which means the Bird Woman, went with the
expedition in the westward expansion.”
As part of the National Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commemoration, a
Signature Event will be held in New Town on August 17-20, 2006. The
theme for this event is “Reunion at the Home of Sakakawea.” These
dates commemorate the return of the Expedition from the west coast
and their arrival at the earthlodge villages near the Knife and
Missouri Rivers.
As you cross the Missouri River on the historic Four Bears Bridge,
you will see Reunion Bay where the Captains were reunited on August
12, 1806, and where young John Colter met the Illinois fur
trappers. He turned back to the Yellowstone and the Mountains with
Hancock and Dickson and began his trek into history as one of
America’s first mountain men. He would later be the first white man
to see the wonders of what is now Yellowstone Park.
In 1956, during the sesquicentennial (150th
anniversary) of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Tribal Council
took action to have the Garrison Reservoir named “Lake Sakakawea”
and asked Senators Langer and Young to introduce legislation. An
article in the Fort Berthold Agency News Bulletin of that time reads
“to name this large lake for her would be consistent with the
honor and recognition she deserves and would provide the State of
North Dakota a way to record for history the name of one of its most
famous residents.” It was more than 10 years before
Congress on July 4, 1967, enacted PL 90-46 which
reads “the reservoir known as Garrison Reservoir or
Garrison Lake, located above Garrison Dam to “Lake Sakakawea”.
For more
information about the Lewis and Clark journey, contact the City of
New Town, the Three Tribes Museum or the Tribal Council.
Marilyn Hudson - August 22, 2005
Other sites to consider:
www.fortmandan.com -- Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Foundation
www.ndtourism.com
-- North Dakota State Tourism
www.nps.gov/lecl/ -- Lewis and Clark
National Historic Trail
www.state.nd.us/hist/ -- North Dakota State Historical Society
www.ndlewisandclark.com -- Lewis
and Clark Trail information
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