Huff in Morton County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Village Fortifications and Human Conflict
Huff Indian Village State Historic Site
Photographed By Connor Olson, September 27, 2019
1. Village Fortifications and Human Conflict Marker
Inscription.
Village Fortifications and Human Conflict. Huff Indian Village State Historic Site. In front of you is part of the fortification system that once surrounded this village. The fortification system at Huff Village is a classic example of civil defense and community preparation for conflict. Inter-village conflict may have been heightened by drought, climatic change, and related population movement. Three sides of Huff Indian Village were protected by a ditch and a palisade wall of closely-spaced wooden posts. Ten bastions or outwardly projected loops existed along the wall lines strategically placed at the village corners and at intervals of 180 to 240 feet along the palisade line. A ditch was constructed around three sides of the village, just outside the palisade line.
Today the ditch is about 15 feet wide and about 2 feet deep. When this village was occupied, the ditch was about 5 feet deep. Dirt removed from the ditch was thrown inside, and the posts of the palisade wall were set in this dirt.
Construction of the fortification system involved a huge amount of labor as well as heavy use of local timber resources. Excavation of several sections of the palisade wall shows that the posts were about eight inches in diameter and centered about one foot apart. About 2500 posts were used in the palisade wall. The supply of posts probably came from the trees that thrived along the banks of the Missouri River Somewhere near the village.
Magnetic readings were taken along a section of the village fortification. This map of the magnetic readings shows numerous circular and oval shapes three to six feet in diameter. They occur just inside the village's palisade wall. They are probably deep pits that were used for storage of corn and other garden crops.
Photo captions: , Upper left: Huff Village aerial photo , Lower left: Excavation of the palisade wall in 1960 showing post holes , Lower middle: Cross section of the fortification ditch , Upper right: Huff Village 3-D image showing the planned fortification along the village perimeter , Lower right: Magnetic survey overlaid on aerial photo of Huff Village
In front of you is part of the fortification system that once surrounded this village. The fortification system at Huff Village is a classic example of civil defense and community preparation for conflict. Inter-village conflict may have been heightened by drought, climatic change, and related population movement. Three sides of Huff Indian Village were protected by a ditch and a palisade wall of closely-spaced wooden posts. Ten bastions or outwardly projected loops existed along the wall lines strategically placed at the village corners and at intervals of 180 to 240 feet along the palisade line. A ditch was constructed around three sides of the village, just outside the palisade line.
Today the ditch is about 15 feet wide and about 2 feet deep. When this village was occupied, the ditch was about 5 feet deep. Dirt removed from the ditch was thrown inside, and the posts of the palisade wall were set in this dirt.
Construction of the fortification system involved a huge amount of labor as well as heavy use of local timber resources. Excavation of several sections of the palisade wall shows that the posts were about eight inches in diameter and centered about one foot apart. About 2500 posts were used in the palisade wall. The supply of posts probably came from the trees that thrived along the banks of the Missouri River
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Somewhere near the village.
Magnetic readings were taken along a section of the village fortification. This map of the magnetic readings shows numerous circular and oval shapes three to six feet in diameter. They occur just inside the village's palisade wall. They are probably deep pits that were used for storage of corn and other garden crops.
Photo captions: Upper left: Huff Village aerial photo Lower left: Excavation of the palisade wall in 1960 showing post holes Lower middle: Cross section of the fortification ditch Upper right: Huff Village 3-D image showing the planned fortification along the village perimeter Lower right: Magnetic survey overlaid on aerial photo of Huff Village
Erected by State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Location. 46° 37.102′ N, 100° 38.633′ W. Marker is in Huff, North Dakota, in Morton County. Marker can be reached from North Dakota Route 1806. Located in Huff Indian Village State Historic Site along Roughrider Trail. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mandan ND 58554, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 14 miles of this marker
Credits. This page was last revised on August 7, 2020. It was originally submitted on August 5, 2020, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 182 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on August 5, 2020, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. A wide shot of the marker and its surroundings. • Can you help?
