The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-03-18
WOULD MARK
HISTORICAL
SITES IN N. D.
Dana Wright Tells Interest
ing Stories of "Sibley's
Crossing" at Aslitabula
NEAR VALLEY CITY

Fargo, N. d., March 1S.-'"Toka
nom hiya hanpe!!"--Two enemies
climb on top Of the hill.
This was the warning shouted to
her camp by an Indian woman as
two white men appeared on top OF
bluff near Valley City, long, long
ago, says Dana Wright, James
town, parks committee chairman
Of the state historical society, in
his second letter to the Associated
Press today. Mr.. Wright is doing
field work in the interest Of mark
ing some of the historical sites in
North Dakota.
The history Of wedding in the
"chaste moonlight" on the North
Dakota prairie, solemniZed by the
pledge of the young pair to live as
man and wife until death do Us
part" and the reading of chance
ritual that was found in the COM
pany of intrepid plain travellers
and celebrated by dance on the
open green to the music of violin
was told by the historian.
Mr.. Wright's letter follows:
'There is story among the
Sioux that "in the old days" as
they call the time before the white
people came; that a large camp OF
Indians were located on one of the
streams of our state. These peo-
pie were in valley along the
stream with high bluffs to the
northwest. Two enemies appeared
on top of these bluffs one day and
were seen by a woman in the camp
who gave warning in loud voice
"'Toka nom hiya hanpe, mean.
ing Two enemies climb on top OF
the hill" Since that day this par
ticular place has been known
among the Indians by an abbrevia
ton of the above and is now called
L ka va he.
These legends are interesting
links between the days of the In
dian and his white successor but
how more interesting and valuable
if we knew the location where
these things took place and who
took part in the incidents. 1t SO
happens that this particular place
has been identified, and is now
known as Valley City. There are
endless other spots scattered over
the state that are not known OF
identified and the state historical
society, through its officers and
field men are trying to get THEN
old stories and traditions and iden-
tify the places where they occurred
During the week some work has
been carried OH in Barnes county
and in spite of unfavorable wea-
Their and road conditions, arrange
ments were made for erection o.
a marker on the farm Of Tom Gas
man few miles southeast Of Val
! ley City where General Sibley made
his camp on the nights of July II
and Is, 1868. The Sibley expedi-
ton was on it's way from Mime
sofa to the Minnewaukan region
and from day to day they named
their camps for some officer of the
expedition. At the Gasman farm
the camp was named for Samuel
3. SheardoWn, surgeon of the 10th
Minnesota Infantry. This camp
was located on a hill south of the
"Greentail" about a half mile
west Of the present Gasman farm
buildings and remains of the rude
sod Notifications can still be seen
"Mr. Gasman has generously Of
fered to donate a small piece of
ground along the road near the
camp site where a huge prairie
boulder is to be placed; on the face
Of this the Daughters of the Amer
lean Revolution are to place beau
tiful bronze marker with appropri-
ate inscription.
"a local committee consisting o.
Charles Noltemier, w. E. Wem-
NETT and Mrs. DIR. Zimmerman
have charge of the details of COM
pleting this park project and it is
planned that it will be completed
and dedicated by Decoration Day.
The ground will be under the pro-
lection of the state historical So
ciety but will be administered by
the local committee.
Sibley's army left Camp Shear
down at daylight on July Is and
marched a few miles northeast