pip.Na'll?^' HISTORIC SITES ARCHEOLOGY — ^MILLS 41 



SUMMARY STATEMENT 



The corral-stockade area of the Whetstone Indian Agency and Army 

 Post was excavated during the summer of 1952. Lack of post remains 

 on three sides of the structure indicated partial destruction of the 

 stockade, as such, following abandonment of the post by the military 

 in 1872. Charred post remains in the north wall and general burning 

 of the area suggest final destruction by fire while the site was being 

 used as a supply depot. Burned straw and grain testify to the use 

 of this area as a corral, and burned matting indicates the general 

 area of the teamsters' quarters. Lack of any remains of the army 

 post proper, though an extensive search was made, suggests that the 

 buildings, timbers, and posts were removed by settlers during the 

 1870's or thereafter. 



LOWER BRULfi INDIAN AGENCY (39LM54) 



This agency was established in 1868. A military post, located near 

 the agency in 1879, was later moved upriver and renamed Fort Hale. 

 By 1890 the agency had undergone considerable expansion and was 

 apparently a thriving community. Most of the agency structures 

 were moved upriver to the present Lower Brule Subagency in 1892. 

 Two of the buildings were relocated in Oacoma. One, a church, has 

 since burned down, but the old agency headquarters building, now the 

 residence of ex-Governor M. Q. Sharpe, still stands. 



The site was visited by the Smithsonian Institution reconnaissance 

 party in 1950 and revisited by the writer and party in 1952 (pi. 5, a). 

 It is situated in a pasture bordering the right bank of American Crow 

 Creek, on the right bank of the Missouri River, 1 mile southwest of 

 Oacoma in Lyman County, S. Dak. (map 1) . 



China ware fragments, square-cut nails, and miscellaneous iron 

 pieces indicated a site of white provenience. Two surface pieces col- 

 lected were a ]i:nife handle and blade fragment (pi. 8, ?>) and a porce- 

 lain doll leg (pi. 8, /). Surface depressions, probably marking cel- 

 lar depressions, were found scattered over the site. A graveyard was 

 located on a knoll to the north of the site. Local informants stated 

 that this graveyard had been associated with the agency and that the 

 bodies had been disinterred and moved to the present Lower Brule 

 Agency, 22 miles upriver from the site. 



Further investigations at this site were not recommended owing 

 to the existing documentation already extant and to the fact that 

 structures had all been moved elsewhere. An extremely extensive 

 excavation would have been necessary, with the probability of a very 

 small return in archeological or historical values. 



