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List of archaeological sites in South Dakota

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According to the South Dakota State Historical Society's Archaeological Research Center, over 26,000 archaeological sites have been recorded in the U.S. state of South Dakota.[1]

This list is broken down by county and encompasses sites across all of what is now South Dakota. Only notable sites are listed. Each table consists of the site's common name; the nearest locality; if given, its Smithsonian trinomial (SITS) and National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) reference number; associated period or culture; and any further notes, including where a property is listed on the NRHP as a National Historic Landmark, or part of a Multiple Property Submission (MPS), Multiple Resource Area (MRA), or Thematic Resource (TR).

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Beadle

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Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39BE2 #93001063 Wessington Springs Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39BE3 #93000802 Wolsey Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39BE14 #84003199 Huron James River Basin Woodland Sites TR
39BE15 #84003201 Huron James River Basin Woodland Sites TR
39BE23 #84003206 Huron James River Basin Woodland Sites TR
39BE46 #84003208 Huron James River Basin Woodland Sites TR
39BE48 #84003210 Huron James River Basin Woodland Sites TR
39BE57 #84003212 Yale James River Basin Woodland Sites TR
39BE64 #84003215 Yale James River Basin Woodland Sites TR

Buffalo

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Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
Crow Creek Site 39BF11 #66000710 Chamberlain Middle Missouri National Historic Landmark relating to Crow Creek massacre
Farm School site 39BF220 Fort Thompson Site partially lost under the Missouri River[2]
Fire Cloud site 39BF237 Fort Thompson Cache pit containing ceramics, likely early 18th century[3]
Fort Thompson Archeological District #86002738 Fort Thompson Big Bend Area MRA
Fort Thompson Mounds Fort Thompson Plains Woodland National Historic Landmark District
Old Quarry Mound 39BF234 Burial mound complex[4]
Side Hill site 39BF233 Burial mound complex[4]
Sitting Crow site 39BF225 Burial mound complex[4]
Talking Crow Archeological Site 39BF3 #03000505 Fort Thompson
Two Teeth site 39BF204 [3]

Campbell

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
Vanderbilt Archeological Site #97000342 Pollock National Historic Landmark

Corson

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Cultures Notes
39CO39 #93000765 Mahto Cairn and rock art site;[5]: 379, 425, 427, 643  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS

Custer

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39CU70 #93001039 Custer Rock art site;[5]: 379  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
Scored Rocks 39CU91 #82004759 Protohistoric (Lakota) Rock art site, depicts guns;[5]: 379, 586  Rock Art in the Southern Black Hills TR
39CU510 #82004752 Rock art site;[5]: 379  Rock Art in the Southern Black Hills TR
39CU511 #82004754 Rock art site;[5]: 379  Rock Art in the Southern Black Hills TR
39CU512 #82004753 Rock art site;[5]: 379  Rock Art in the Southern Black Hills TR
39CU513 #82004755 Rock art site;[5]: 379  Rock Art in the Southern Black Hills TR
39CU514 #82004756 Rock art site;[5]: 379  Rock Art in the Southern Black Hills TR
39CU515 #82004757 Rock art site;[5]: 379  Rock Art in the Southern Black Hills TR
39CU516 #82004758 Rock art site;[5]: 379  Rock Art in the Southern Black Hills TR
39CU890 #93000803 Hermosa Rock art site;[5]: 379  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39CU1619 #99000679 Custer Cairn and stone circle site[5]: 403, 424, 427, 601 
39CU2565 #16000047 Dewey Rock art site[5]: 379 
39CU3178 #16000048 Dewey Rock art site[5]: 379 
39CU3393 #16000049 Dewey Rock art site[5]: 379 
39CU4164 #16000050 Dewey Rock art site[5]: 379 

Davison

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
Mitchell Site 39DV2 #66000712 Mitchell Mississippian culture Open to the public
39DV9 #84003275 Riverside James River Basin Woodland Sites TR
39DV24 #84003260 Mitchell James River Basin Woodland Sites TR

Fall River

[edit]

Numerous archeological sites in Fall River County were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in batches in 1982, 1993, 2005 and 2016. These were deemed significant for their information potential. In most cases, the specific locations of these sites are not disclosed, but their general regions are.

Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39FA86 #93000804 Edgemont Plains Village Rock art site including inscription(s) by member(s) of the 1874 Black Hills Expedition;[5]: 380, 603  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA88 #93001040 Edgemont Ponca Rock art site; rock shelter and cave site;[5]: 392, 603  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA89 #93000806 Edgemont Rock art site;[5]: 379, 603  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA90 #93001041 Edgemont Rock art site, rock shelter and cave site;[5]: 379, 602, 603  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA99 #93001042 Edgemont Rock art site;[5]: 379, 603  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA243 #93001043 Edgemont Rock art site, rock shelter and cave site;[5]: 379, 391–2, 603  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA244 #93001044 Edgemont Rock art site;[5]: 379, 603  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA316 #93001045 Edgemont Rock art site, including painted rock art;[5]: 375  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA321 #93001046 Edgemont Ponca Rock art site;[5]: 343 / II-278  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA395 #93001047 Edgemont Middle Archaic (McKean complex) "Pecked Realistic" rock art; a rock shelter and cave site;[5]: 143, 371, 391–2  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA446 #93001048 Edgemont Rock art site;[5]: 379  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA447 #93001049 Edgemont Rock art site;[5]: 379  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA448 #93001050 Edgemont Rock art site; rock shelter and cave site;[5]: 379, 391  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA542 #93001051 Edgemont Rock art site;[5]: 379  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA678 #93000801 Edgemont Rock art site;[5]: 379  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA679 #93001052 Edgemont Rock art site;[5]: 379  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA680 #93001053 Edgemont Rock art site;[5]: 379  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA682 #93001054 Edgemont Rock art site;[5]: 379  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA683 #93001055 Edgemont Rock art site; rock shelter and cave site;[5]: 379, 391  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA686 #93001056 Edgemont Rock art site; rock shelter and cave site;[5]: 379, 391  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA688 #93001057 Edgemont Rock art site; rock shelter and cave site;[5]: 379, 385, 391  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA690 #93001058 Edgemont Rock art site;[5]: 379, 382  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA691 #93001059 Edgemont Late Prehistoric Rock art site;[5]: 199, 379  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA767 #93001060 Edgemont Rock art site; rock shelter and cave site;[5]: 199, 379, 391  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA788 #93001061 Edgemont Rock art site;[5]: 379  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA806 #93000790 Hot Springs Rock art site;[5]: 379, 404, 535  Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA819 #93001062 Edgemont Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA1010 #93001063 Hot Springs Late Archaic Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS
39FA1013 #93001064
39FA1046 #93001065
39FA1049 #93000791
39FA1093 #93001066
39FA1152 #93001067
39FA1154 #93001068
39FA1155 #93001069
39FA1190 #93001070
39FA1201 #93000792
39FA1204 #93001071
39FA1336 #05000690
39FA1337 #05000689
39FA1638 #05000691
39FA2530 #16000051
39FA2531 #16000052
39FA7 #82004771
39FA58 #82004765
39FA75 #82004760
39FA79 #82004772
39FA91 #82004773
39FA94 #82004774
39FA277 #82004761
39FA389 #82004762
39FA554 #82004764
39FA676 #82004766
39FA677 #82004767
39FA681 #82004769
39FA684 #82004768 Pecked rock art[6]: 19, 33 
39FA685 #82004906
39FA687 #82004770
39FA1303 #05000587
39FA1639 #05000586

Hand

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39HD22 #84003296 Danforth

Hanson

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
Bloom Site 39HS1 #66000714 Bloom National Historic Landmark
39HS3 #84003294 Mitchell
Fort James 39HS48 #84003290 Rosedale Colony Historic (1865–1867) U.S. Government fort
Sheldon Reese Site 39HS23 #84003292 Mitchell

Harding

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
Ludlow Cave 39HN1 #94000108
A multiple-component ceremonial rock art site in North Cave Hills including projectile points, a rock shelter/cave, turtle effigies, and petroforms (now destroyed).[5]: 107, 202, 382, 383, 388, 389, 391, 433, 436, 487, 494 
39HN5 #94000109
39HN17 #93000805
39HN18 #94000088
39HN21 #94000124
39HN22 #94000123
39HN26 #94000122
39HN30 #94000121
39HN50 #94000119
39HN53 #94000118
39HN54 #94000120
39HN121 #94000117
39HN150 #94000114
39HN155 #94000115
39HN159 #94000116
39HN160 #94000113
39HN162 #94000091
39HN165 #94000093
39HN167 #94000092
39HN168 #94000129
39HN171 #94000128
39HN174 #94000127
39HN177 #94000126
39HN198 #94000125
39HN199 #94000110
Lightning Spring 39HN204 #82003930 Ludlow
In Sandstone Buttes area[7][5]: 144, 152, 216, 414, 488 
39HN205 #94000095
39HN207 #94000094
39HN208 #93000794
39HN209 #94000107
39HN210 #94000106
39HN213 #94000105
39HN217 #94000104
39HN218 #94000103
39HN219 #94000102
39HN227 #94000111
39HN228 #94000112
39HN232 #94000101
39HN234 #94000100
39HN484 #94000098
39HN485 #94000099
39HN486 #94000097
39HN487 #94000096

Hughes

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
Arzberger site #66000715 National Historic Landmark, on bluff above McClure site
Cedar Islands Archeological District #86002739
Fort George Creek Archeological District #86002741 Part of Big Bend Area MRA
McClure site 39HU7 #86002732 Part of Big Bend Area MRA
Medicine Creek Archeological District #86002740 Has 21 contributing sites including a village site. Partially in Lyman County
Old Fort Sully 39HU52 #86002731 Historic (1863–1866) U.S. Government fort
39HU66 #84003297 Part of the Petroforms of South Dakota Thematic Resource (TR)
39HU189 #84003307 Part of the Petroforms of South Dakota TR
39HU201 #84003308 Part of the Petroforms of South Dakota TR

Hutchinson

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39HT14 #84003320 Olivet Plains Woodland Mound site[5]: 162, 455, 710, 712 
39HT27 #84003323 Plains Woodland Mound site[5]: 162, 455, 710, 713 
39HT29 #84003325 Clayton Plains Woodland Mound site[5]: 162, 455, 710, 713 
39HT30
39HT202 		#84003327 Clayton Plains Woodland (Randall phase) Mound site[5]: 162, 189, 455, 710, 713 

Hyde

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39HE331 #93000793 Holabird

Jackson

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
Lip's Camp 39JK84 #75002104 Wanblee Historic (Upper Brule Lakota) In White River Badlands. Lakota site of the "Early Reservation Period", it was occupied 1880–1904 by the Wazhazha band of the Upper Brule.[5]: 613, 617, 619 

Jerauld

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39JE10 #84003336 Wessington Springs
39JE11 #84003337 Gann Valley

Lincoln

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
Blood Run Site #70000246 On the Iowa/South Dakota border along the Big Sioux River, a National Historic Landmark

Lyman

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
Burnt Prairie Site 39LM207 #86002735 Lower Brule
Crazy Bull site 39LM220 Lower Brule [8]
Deerfly site 39LM39 Oacoma Dakota Late 19th century occupation[9]
Dinehart Village Archeological Site #03000501 Oacoma
Fort Lookout IV #90001940 Oacoma
Jiggs Thompson Site 39LM208 #86002734 Lower Brule
King Archaeological Site #03000502 Oacoma
Langdeau Site 39LM209 #66000717 Lower Brule National Historic Landmark
Meander site 39LM201 Oacoma [10]
Medicine Creek Archeological District #86002740 Has 21 contributing sites including a village site. Partially in Hughes County

McCook

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39MK12 #93000796 Bridgewater

McPherson

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39MP3 #93000795 Long Lake Rock art panel likely depicting bison heads[6]

Meade

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39MD1
39MD20 		#93000798 Rock art site; has stone circle. The site is in the eastern foothills of the Black Hills "lying in a deep arroyo"; the "rimrock above the arroyo contained a stone circle and a scatter of chipped stone artifacts"; the stone circle was "test excavated" and found, however, to have very little "chipping debris".[5]: 379, 397, 538 
39MD81 #93000818
39MD82 #93000797

Minnehaha

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
Brandon Village #01000664 Brandon

Pennington

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39PN57 #82004778 Rock art site[5]: 379–80 
39PN108 #82004775 Rock art site[5]: 58, 379–80 
Ice Cave 39PN376 #93001072 Paleoindian, Middle Archaic, Late Archaic, Late Prehistoric, Historic Rock shelter cave site with red-painted hand prints[5]: 391–92, 467 
39PN438 #82004776 Rock art site[5]
39PN439 #82004777 Rock art site[5]

Potter

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39PO63 #93000800 Gettysburg
39PO205 #93000799 Gettysburg

Roberts

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
Thunderbird Rock 39RO71 #05000588 Sisseton

Sanborn

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39SB15 #84003384 Mitchell
39SB18 #84003397 Forestburg
39SB31 #84003399 Forestburg

Spink

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39SP2 #84003408 Frankfort
39SP4 #05000590 Tulare
39SP12 #84003403 Ashton
39SP19 #84003405 Spink Colony
39SP37 #84003411 Crandon
39SP46 #84003413 Crandon

Stanley

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
Antelope Creek Site 39ST55 #86002737 Fort Pierre Big Bend Area MRA
Bloody Hand Site 39ST230 #86002736 Fort Pierre Big Bend Area MRA
Fort Pierre Chouteau #76001756 Fort Pierre Historic National Historic Landmark
Fort Pierre II 39ST217 #88000732 Fort Pierre

Sully

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
Cooper Village Archeological Site #03000504 Onida

Turner

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
39TU5 #84003417 Freeman At Turkey Ridge. Petroform site, includes a thunderbird effigy "said to mark the campsite of a leader named Swan, according to Northern Cheyenne oral tradition" in 1750–1825 era.[5]: 429, 749–50 

Walworth

[edit]
Name SITS NRHP Nearest locality Associations Notes
Gravel Pit Site 39WW203 #86000834 Mobridge

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Some Early Archaic projectile points were recovered, but they seem to have been carried to the site by later peoples.[5]: 42 

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "South Dakota State Historical Society Archaeological Aesearch Center". South Dakota State Historical Society. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  2. ^ Neuman, Robert W. (1961). "Salvage Archaeology at a Site Near Fort Thompson, South Dakota". Plains Anthropologist. 6 (13): 189–200. JSTOR 25666355. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via JSTOR.
  3. ^ a b Karklins, Karlis (1970). "The Fire Cloud Site (39BF237), Buffalo County, South Dakota". Plains Anthropologist. 15 (48): 135–142. JSTOR 25666924. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via JSTOR.
  4. ^ a b c Neuman, Robert (1962). "Field Season, 1961". Plains Anthropologist. 7 (16): 81. JSTOR 25666415. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via JSTOR.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be Sundstrom, Linea (April 2019). South Dakota State Plan for Archaeological Resources, 2018 Update (PDF). South Dakota State Historical Society.
  6. ^ a b Linea Sundstrom (February 25, 1993). "National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation: Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota MPS". National Park Service. Retrieved February 28, 2021. (with 11 rock art sketches) (from partly NPS-funded project directed by Linea Sundstrom)
  7. ^ James D. Keyser; John L. Fagan (1993). "McKean Lithic Technology at Lightning Spring". Plains Anthropologist. 38 (145): 37–51. doi:10.1080/2052546.1993.11931644. JSTOR 25669181.
  8. ^ Frantz, Wendell (1962). "Crazy Bull Site (39LM220), Big Bend Reservoir, South Dakota". Plans Anthropologist. 7 (15): 36–42. JSTOR 25666399. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via JSTOR.
  9. ^ Lees, William B. (1985). "Dakota Acculturation During the Early Reservation Period: Evidence from the Deerfly Site (39LM39), South Dakota". Plains Anthropologist. 30 (108): 103–121. JSTOR 25668523. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via JSTOR.
  10. ^ Husted, Wilfred M. (1965). "The Meader Site (39LM201) in Fort Randall Reservoir, South Dakota". Plains Anthropologist. 10 (29): 152–165. JSTOR 25666640. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via JSTOR.
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