May 04, 2010
How Thunder Butte Got Its Name
I've heard various stories over the years about how Thunder Butte got its name. Here's one from Herman Slides Off that is related on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe website:
"The name Thunder Butte was given to the butte after a mysterious thunder storm originated from the butte. The incident was witnessed by an Indian hunting party. The group camped a few miles west of the butte and early one morning a small, dark cloud was forming on the top of the butte. And as the cloud grew larger, loud thunder was heard until a thunder storm moved out from the butte. Such incidents were witnessed by the Indians between 1850 and as late as 1910. The butte was also known as a sacred place then. Signs of important forthcoming events could be seen on one side of the butte at certain times of the day. Examples of these signs were the coming of enemies or of a hard winter, the location of buffalo herds, and also signs of forthcoming individual mishaps."
Of course, Thunder Butte still is known as a sacred place today by the Lakota who live in the area.
--Mike Crowley
"The name Thunder Butte was given to the butte after a mysterious thunder storm originated from the butte. The incident was witnessed by an Indian hunting party. The group camped a few miles west of the butte and early one morning a small, dark cloud was forming on the top of the butte. And as the cloud grew larger, loud thunder was heard until a thunder storm moved out from the butte. Such incidents were witnessed by the Indians between 1850 and as late as 1910. The butte was also known as a sacred place then. Signs of important forthcoming events could be seen on one side of the butte at certain times of the day. Examples of these signs were the coming of enemies or of a hard winter, the location of buffalo herds, and also signs of forthcoming individual mishaps."
Of course, Thunder Butte still is known as a sacred place today by the Lakota who live in the area.
--Mike Crowley
Mike Crowley Tuesday, May 04, 2010
1 Comments:
Mike, In 1947, my dad, Ira Riley and Mr. Rich Miller brought 500 Texas longhorn steers to South Dakota and pastured them on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation on the Moreau River and Thunder Butte. My dad and I rode on the steers every day. I made a lot of horseback rides to Thunder Butte and Thunder Butte Creek. The steers would roam and we tried to keep them from the Indian's cattle and other cattle that were on the pasture. We had some success, but spent miles in the saddle.
Jim Riley
jriley1@neb.rr.com
Jim Riley
jriley1@neb.rr.com
