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Today
Fort Clark is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been
nominated as a National Historic Landmark. More than 2,200 surface features
represent the ruins of houses, graves, storage pits, and other cultural remains.
The location of houses in Mitu'tahakto's is indicated by a series of
large, shallow, doughnut-shaped depressions. There are approximately 100 depressions
marking the locations of Mandan and Arikara lodges. In the center of the village
near the terrace edge is a flat, central plaza used by the Mandan for ceremonies.
Later, the Arikara built a large, ceremonial lodge in the plaza. It is clearly
visible as the largest earthlodge depression. Small depressions within the village
mark subsurface storage pits, called cache pits, which were used for storing
garden produce. Surrounding the village is a shallow fortification ditch which,
combined with a palisade, protected the village from attack. Unlike palisades
protecting prehistoric villages, the stockade at Mitu'tahakto's was
outside the ditch.
Beyond the fortification ditch are large, irregular pits from which soil was
dug to cover earthlodges. Also visible are several small lodge depressions.
Visitors,
who often came to trade, camped outside the village. The long, low ridges shown
on the map are difficult to see on the ground but are believed to outline horse
corrals.
At the southeastern edge of the village are the remains of Primeau's Post. Between the post and the remains of Fort Clark is a large earthlodge depression, the location of the home of Pierre Garreau. Garreau, the Arikara stepson of a French-Canadian trader, raised vegetables inside a picket fence beside his home to sell to Fort Clark personnel. The fence abuts the palisade that protected Fort Clark from atttack.
Clusters of small, circular depressions and doughnut-shaped mounds near the railroad tracks mark graves. This unmarked cemetery, with approximately 800 graves, testifies to the tragedy of epidemics that nearly annihilated the occupants of the Mandan and Arikara villages.
Fort Clark is open daily May 16 through September 15. No site admission fee. Modern restrooms, a picnic area, and an observation deck are located at the site. A self-guided tour brochure, available in the Civilian Conservation Corps kiosk on-site, interpets archeological features. Interpretive signs provide additional information. For more information, contact drogness@state.nd.us, or the Site Supervisor , Fort Clark State Historic Site, HC 2, Box 26, Center, North Dakota 58530, or call (701) 794-8832. For more information on the region call the Bismarck-Mandan CVB: 1-800-767-3555.