Opinions differ on Lower Sioux site

Senate bill

passes 64-1

Monday

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

REDWOOD FALLS -- A variety of points of view and opposing legislative bills were discussed Friday during a two-hour public meeting hosted by Redwood County Commissioners regarding the future of the Lower Sioux Agency Historical Site near Morton.

Representatives from Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) officials, influential Lower Sioux members, and historic site interpreters attended the meeting.

Last May, the Minnesota Legislature and Gov. Tim Pawlenty agreed to cut the Minnesota Historical Society's state funding by more than 16 percent or $4.3 million for fiscal year 2004-2005.

An MHS media advisory said the reduction would likely necessitate closing historic sites, reducing services and cutting 30 percent of its staff.

It called for closing seven historic sites as of July 1, 2003. The list included the James J. Hill House in St. Paul, Comstock House in Moorhead, Oliver H. Kelley Farm in Elk River, Historic Forestville near Preston, Fort Ridgely near Fairfax and the Lower Sioux Agency near Morton.

Meanwhile, grass-roots fund-raising efforts sprung into action for the Lower Sioux and Fort Ridgely sites.

Spearheaded by efforts from the Redwood Area Development Corporation, the Lower Sioux community donated $90,000 to keep its site open. The Friends of Fort Ridgely began raising money. They are currently working to complete a management agreement with the MHS.

The other sites are struggling to find funding to remain in operation but are expected to be open this summer.

Earlier this year, District 21A Rep. Marty Seifert (R-Marshall) helped author House File No. 2065. The bill would convey the 242-acre Lower Sioux Agency site to the Lower Sioux for no consideration and free of any restrictions.

It further specifies that the state needs to convey the property to be used by the community for essential government purposes, including the operation of programs for the interpretation of Minnesota history. The conveyance must be in a form approved by the attorney general. The bill has not reached the House floor yet.

A companion Senate bill passed, 64-1 on Monday.

Dist. 23A Rep. Brad Finstad (R-New Ulm) had his name stricken from the House bill on March 4. Finstad is pushing legislation that would provide $558,000 in funding for the seven historic sites.

"After talking to constituents in the area that were not really excited about the bill, I had my name taken off," Finstad said Friday night. "Rep. Bob Gunther (R-Fairmont) felt confident we could find money elsewhere to keep the site with the MHS. It makes sense to do that, although I'm very appreciative of what the tribe has offered."

Historian John LaBatte of New Ulm spoke against the bill that would give the site to the tribe. His reasons for retaining the site with the MHS:

* It was a U.S. government site where mostly white people lived and worked

* The restored stone warehouse is the oldest government building in Redwood County. The historic Redwood Ferry site lies below it on the river with many historic areas unexamined by archeologists.

* The Indian community will tell only their side of the story

* The Lower Sioux community, which has an average annual household income of about $70,000, is financially able to build its own history center

* The site is not self-supporting

* The MHS must be held accountable for keeping state historic sites open

LaBatte added that the MHS has House and Senate bills requesting $4.8 million to projects at Fort Snelling. He urged District 23 Sen. Dennis Frederickson (R-New Ulm), who attended the meeting, to support the bill sponsored by Finstad and Seifert that would provide funds to keep sites open under the MHS.

Minnesota Historical Society officials countered that visitation was highest at Split Rock Lighthouse and Fort Snelling while it was lowest at the seven sites earmarked for closure last year.

Lower Sioux Site Technician Dan Fjeld and several site interpreters pushed for funding to keep the site with the MHS. Fjeld noted that Ed Barris of the History Channel recently visited his site before any metro sites. He added that many schools have visited his site and added its history to their curriculum.

"We have the Shenandoah Valley of Minnesota," Fjeld said. "Let us spread our wings and fly."

Frederickson said he thought the Legislature reduced MHS funding too much last year.

Lower Sioux community treasurer Brian Pendleton said the tribe was approached by the MHS to help keep the site open.

"We don't have many historians, but by word of mouth, we can tell a better, broader story (about the 1862 U.S.-Dakota War," Pendleton said. "The Lower Sioux is proud of its warriors that fought when their families were starving to death, just like the whites are proud of their soldiers."

The site is located east of Jackpot Junction Casino and Hotel.

Marked trails help visitors explore the grounds and restored 1861 stone warehouse. An interpretive center exhibit features the underlying causes of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862.

Visitors can explore Dakota life before the reservation era and learn how they changed traditional Dakota ways of living. The difference between traditional Dakota farming practices and those taught by Agency employees in the site's period gardens and farm plots are told.

The public is invited maple syrup-making 1-4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, March 20-21 at the Lower Sioux site, located on Redwood CSAH 2, 1 1/2 miles east of Jackpot Junction Casino & Hotel. For more information, call 507-697-6321.