DeWitt Township in Shadehill State Recreation Area near Seim in Perkins County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Hugh Glass
1828-1928
Photographed by Connor Olson, July 17, 2020
1. Hugh Glass Marker
This altar to courage was erected August 1, 1923 by the Neihart Club in honor of Hugh Glass who, wounded and deserted, here began to crawl to Fort Kiowa in the fall of 1823.
Erected 1923 by Neihart Club.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Exploration. A significant historical year for this entry is 1823.
Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 45° 45.416′ N, 102° 13.799′ W. Marker was near Seim, South Dakota, in Perkins County. It was in the DeWitt Township in Shadehill State Recreation Area. It was on Ketterlings Loop Road 0.7 miles North Cabin Road. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: Lemmon SD 57638, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker was in West River. It was also in the American Lewis & Clark Corridor, on the prairies, and on the Northern Plains. Globally, it was in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it found itself in what was once Ruperts Land and also the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this location, measured as the crow flies: Shadehill Dam & Reservoir (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named Hugh Glass (here, next to this marker); Seim, South Dakota (a few steps from this marker); Hugh Glass - Adventurer (approx. 1.1 miles away); Welcome to the Grand River National Grassland (approx. 4.3 miles away); Public Land Surveying
this page online
Also see . . .
1. Wikipedia article on Hugh Glass. Excerpt:
Near the forks of the Grand River, near present-day Shadehill Reservoir, Perkins County, South Dakota, while scouting for game for the expedition larder, Glass surprised and disturbed a mother grizzly bear with two cubs. The bear charged, picked him up, bit, slashed and lacerated his flesh, severely wounded him, and forced him to the ground. Hearing Glass screams for help, several of the party made their way to Glass and killed the bear. ...(Submitted on July 18, 2020.)
Later, claiming that they were interrupted by attacking Arikara, the pair grabbed the rifle, knife, and other equipment belonging to Glass and took flight. Fitzgerald and "Bridges" later caught up with the party and incorrectly reported to Ashley that Glass had died.
Despite his injuries, Glass regained consciousness, but found himself abandoned without weapons or equipment. He had festering wounds, a broken leg, and deep cuts on his back that exposed his bare ribs. Glass lay mutilated and alone, more than 200 miles from the nearest American settlement at Fort Kiowa, on the Missouri River. Glass set the bone of his own leg, wrapped himself in the bear hide his companionshad placed over him as a shroud, and began crawling back to Fort Kiowa. To prevent gangrene, Glass allowed maggots to eat the dead infected flesh in his wounds.Photographed by Connor Olson, July 17, 20202. Hugh Glass Marker with Shadehill Reservoir in background.
2. Wayne State group seeks to unlock mysteries surrounding lonely, South Dakota monument. 2023 article by Paul Hammel in the Nebraska Examiner. Excerpt:
On the windswept plains of South Dakota lies a lonely, century-old historical monument holding a literary mystery and wrapped up in a legal conundrum.(Submitted on October 25, 2023.)
The concrete capsule honors mountain man Hugh Glass, who crawled, limped and rafted 200 miles after being mauled by a grizzly bear and left for dead by his colleagues in 1823 near modern-day Lemmon, South Dakota.
The amazing story of survival and forgiveness was made into a Hollywood movie, The Revenant, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and was immortalized in the 1915 epic poem by John Neihardt, The Song of Hugh Glass.
But the monument, inscribed as an altar to courage, holds many unanswered questions.
3. Mysterious monument for mountain man Hugh Glass has been moved to Nebraska. Family of poet/author John Neihardt hopes to retrieve original manuscript in time capsule entombed inside concrete obelisk. 2013 article by Paul Hammel in the Nebraska Examiner.
Ultimately,(Submitted on October 25, 2023.)it was determined that the Neihardt family owned the monument, and the family determined that the old monument would make a nice addition to the historic site dedicated to their grandfather in Nebraska. The site includes the renovated shack where Neihardt wrote The Song of Hugh Glass and other early works, a museum/library, and a sculpture depicting Neihardts interviews of a Lakota medicine man that led to the book, Black Elk Speaks.Public domain3. Illustration of Hugh Glass and his legendary bear attack.
Additional commentary.
1. Removal of marker
On its 100th anniversary this marker was removed between 10/16/2023 and 10/20/2023. It was a scheduled removal by the Neihardt family and will be taken to Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska. The Neihardt Foundation (I believe that is how it is properly spelled) may have to destroy the monument to find a time capsule hidden inside, as per John Neihardts instructions.
Oct 23 2023 follow up: The monument is now at the John G. Neihardt State Historic Site in Bancroft, Nebraska, which is managed by the John G. Neihardt Foundation. Note To Editor only visible by Contributor and editor
— Submitted October
22, 2023.
Additional keywords. Neihardt Club
Credits. This page was last revised on October 25, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 17, 2020, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,248 times since then and 146 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 17, 2020, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. 3. submitted on July 18, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.
