Protect Bear Butte

Many of the Plains Tribes including the Cheyenne’s, Lakota, Dakota, Arapahoe and Hidatsa Mandan, have traveled annually to Bear Butte to worship. This ritual has been followed since the beginning of time, and continues today.  

The Cheyenne’s prophet, Sweet Medicine, received the covenants of the bundle and four sacred arrows from Bear Butte, also known to the Cheyenne as Noavose.

The Lakota people received their traditional way of life and star knowledge from Bear Butte.

These covenants hold equal reverence for native people as the Ten Commandments do for those from many other religions.

To Native people, Bear Butte is sacred ground, just as Mount Sinai to Hebrews or the Vatican is to Catholics.  

The religious and historical significance of Bear Butte is also evidenced by the great Sioux chiefs Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse and Red Cloud, each traveling to the mountain for ceremonies throughout their lifetime. Historical encampments were documented, such as the 1857 camp that included many different bands of Lakota, all joining forces at Bear Butte to discuss the invasion of settlers on their homelands.

In 1874 George Armstrong Custer violated the Fort Laramie Treaty by setting up an expedition camp at Bear Butte. He was confirming the rumors of gold in the Hills. Once he discovered gold existed, settlers and miners illegally flooded the Black Hills. 

The Government violated the treaties and began to take back the land from the Sioux Nation. 

In 1890, the Black Hills were opened up for homesteading; the Bovee family settled the land surrounding Bear Butte. 

The Bovee’s honored the Tribes’ beliefs in the spiritual significance of Bear Butte. The family continued to allow the Tribes access to Bear Butte for ceremonial purposes. 

In the 1950’s, when the Bovee family decided to sell, they submitted a request to National Park Service to purchase the land. The Bovees wanted to ensure that the historical and spiritual significance of Bear Butte would continue to be protected. When NPS rejected the proposal to purchase Bear Butte, the family began discussions with State Parks. 

In 1961, Bear Butte was established as a State Park.   

Today, there are four national designations for Bear Butte

• National Historical Landmark, listed on December 21, 1981
• National Historical Places, listed on June 19, 1973
• National Natural Landmark, listed on April 1965
• Registered National Trail (Bear Butte Summit Trail), listed on June 1,1971