Inside History 7-6

Many people call it one of the most beautiful places in North Dakota. The Killdeer Mount...  More »

Many people call it one of the most beautiful places in North Dakota. The Killdeer Mountains have a long historyincluding a battle that took place in July of 1864. Tom Gerhardt has more. General Alfred Sully's forces attacked Sioux tribes camped at the location. The battlefield site is on land owned by the Dvirnak familywho have collected hundreds of artifacts through the years. In this months edition of Inside History, I'll show you where much of the collection is now on display. These are the ruggedand beautifulKilldeer Mountains. On a clear day you can see a couple dozen miles from the top. Around the time of the dust bowlthe Diamond C Ranch became Alick Dvirnak's home. Alick:In 1929 my dad purchased the ranch. I was ten years old. And from that day on I just looked for artifacts. Years of working and exploring the land turned up hundreds and hundreds of artifacts. Alick now has much of his collection on loan to a new exhibit at Dickinson State University. Alick: I enjoyed it, and my family enjoyed it, and now these artifacts we've had them brought here for the people to watch and enjoy. Clay Jenkinson is the Theodore Roosevelt Scholar in residence at DSU. He says the collection is one of a kind. Clay:It's certainly as interesting of a collection of artifacts as exists in North Dakota and in the region and it's very interesting because it marks the meeting of two cultures. The clash of the two cultures left two US soldiers deadand an unknown number of Sioux dead. Clay:The mismatch of technology was profound and eventually the indians realized we can't win this battle and they scattered west of the Killdeer Mountains and they disappeared to fast that it led to the myth of the Medicine Hole that they somehow went down that hole in the mountain. Jenkinson says Dvirnak's respect and appreciation for the land and its history and the people that lived that history makes him an extraordinary North Dakotan. You can see the Alick Dvnirnak Collection at the Stoxen Library at Dickinson State Universityfree of charge. Taking you Inside History, I'm Tom Gerhardt.  « Less