Canton in Lincoln County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Hiawatha Asylum for Insane Indians

Photographed by Ruth VanSteenwyk, September 1, 2018

1. Hiawatha Asylum for Insane Indians Marker

Inscription. Receiving Congressional appropriations in 1899, the Hiawatha Asylum for Insane Indians was the second federal mental hospital and the first dedicated to American Indians. The first patient arrived in 1902, and through 1934, more than 370 patients—ages two to eighty, from fifty tribes nationwide—lived here. Patients did domestic and agricultural work onsite, were occasionally shown to paying visitors, and underwent treatment with methods later deemed outdated and dehumanizing. From 1929 to 1933, federal inspectors found intolerable conditions, inadequate staffing, several sane patients kept by force, and numerous other abuses. In 1933, John Collier, the newly-appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs, ordered the asylum closed. G.J. Moen, with the Canton Chamber of Commerce, filed an injunction to keep the asylum open, but it was overturned in federal court. Many patients were discharged and those who still needed care were sent to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Washington D.C. The major buildings used by the asylum have since been demolished. The Hiawatha Asylum cemetery, where at least 121 patients were buried in unmarked graves, is located between the 4th and 5th fairways of the Hiawatha Golf Club. In 1998, the cemetery was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Erected 2011. (Marker

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Number 708.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Science & Medicine. In addition, it is included in the South Dakota State Historical Society Markers series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1899.

Location. 43° 18.051′ N, 96° 33.061′ W. Marker is in Canton, South Dakota, in Lincoln County. It is on U.S. 18 one mile east of 482nd Avenue, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Canton SD 57013, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in East River

and in Greater Sioux Falls.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

on the prairies,

and on the Northern Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 12 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Augustana – The School on Wheels (here, next to this marker); The Canton Ski Hill (a few steps from this marker); Augustana- The School on Wheels (approx. 1.4 miles away); Resolution Designating Jack Fox Park (approx. 2.1 miles away); Canton Veterans Memorial (approx. 2.1 miles away); Canton (approx. 2.1 miles away); Inwood Veterans Memorial (approx. 6 miles away in Iowa); Blood Run National Historic Landmark (approx. 11½ miles away in Iowa). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Canton.

Also see . . . South Dakota SP Canton Asylum for American Indians Cemetery - National Archives Catalog. (Submitted on July 10, 2023.)

Photographed by Ruth VanSteenwyk, September 1, 2018

2. Hiawatha Asylum for Insane Indians Marker

Hiawatha Asylum Cemetery image. Click for full size.

June 25, 2023

3. Hiawatha Asylum Cemetery

Bronze plaque on burial stone image. Click for full size.

June 25, 2023

4. Bronze plaque on burial stone

Names of Indians Buried in Hiawatha Asylum Cemetery Long Time Owl Woman 8-25-08 · Juanita Casildo 6-22-08 · Mary Fairchild 4-29-07 · Lucy Reed 4-19-07 · Minnie LaCount 7-5-06 · Sylvia Ridley 6-12-05 · Edith Standingbear 5-13-05 · Chur-Ah-Tah-E-Kah 1-2-05 · Ollie House 7-19-04 · Asal-Tchee 2-11-09 · Alice Short 4-17-09 · Enas-Pah 9-30-09 · Baby Ruth Enas-Pah 10-14-09 · Agnes Sloan 2-14-10 · E-We-Jar 10-4-10 · Kaygwaydahsegaik 10-14-10 · Chee 5-4-11 · Emma Gregory 3-12-12 · Magwon 3-23-12 · Kay-Ge-Gay-Aush-Eak 3-12-13 · Kay-Zhe-Ah-Bow 6-22-12 · Blue Sky 6-20-14 · Louise McIntosh 4-12-15 · Jane Burch 2-1-16 · Dasue 5-20-16 · Maggie Snow 7-10-16 · Lupe Maria 10-27-16 · Lizzie Vipont 4-17-17 · Mary Peirre 5-16-17 · Nancy Chewie 2-7-18 · Ruth Chief-On-Top 5-15-18 · Mary G. Buck 12-14-18 · Cecile Comes-At-Night 8-12-19 · Maud Magpie 4-24-20 · Poke-Ah-Dah-Ab 12-26-20 · Sits-In-It 1-26-21 · Josephine Wells 6-29-21 · A. B. Blair 8-6-21 · Josephine Pajihatakana · Baby Caldwell 1-31-21 · Sallie Seabolt 7-12-22
Selina Pilon 10-14-22 · Mrs. Twoteeth 1-10-23 · Kayzo (Kayso) 3-27-23 · Josephine DeCouteau 4-9-23 · Jessie Hallock 6-12-23 · Marie Pancho 10-17-23 · Ebe Sirowboy 8-11-28 · Kiger 7-2-29 · Mary Bah 8-25-30 · Cynia Houle 1-19-32 · Drag Toes 2-24-32 · Charlie Brown · Jacob Hayes 10-4-07 · Toby 3-6-06 · Trucha 11-17-05 · Hon-Sah-Sah-Kah 10-23-05 · Big Day 7-3-05 · Fred Taksup 2-6-05 · Peter Greenwood 9-22-05 · Robert Brings Plenty 5-20-03 · Nadesooda 2-8-08 · Toistoto 5-17-08 · James Chief Crow 10-24-08 · Yells At Night 11-21-08 · John Woodruff 5-15-09 · George Beautiste 5-30-09 · Baptiste Gingras 12-19-09 · Lowe War 12-24-09 · Silas Hawk 5-12-10 · Red Cloud 12-7-10 · Howling Wolf 3-30-11 · Antone 4-4-12 · Arch Wolf 7-2-12 · Frank Starr 4-28-13 · Joseph Taylor 9-20-13 · Amos Brown 5-1-21 · James Crow Lightening 3-6-21 · John Martin 4-4-22 · Red Crow 4-8-22 · James Blackeye 5-6-22
Abraham Meachern 11-10-22 · Aloysious Moore 5-12-23 · Tom Floodwood 9-29-23 · James Black Bull 2-9-26 · Benito Juan 3-24-26 · Seymour Wauketch 6-1-26 · Anselmo Lucas 12-19-26 · Chico Francisco 4-21-27 · Roy Wolfe 3-31-28 · Matt Smith 11-30-28 · Two Teth 7-18-30 · Pugay Beel 9-14-31 · Herbert Conley 3-17-33 · Jack Root 10-30-33 · Charlie Clafflin 3-2-14 · John Hall 5-27-14 · Amos Deerr 7-13-14 · Ne-Bow-O-Sah 12-18-14 · Thomas Chasing Bear 2-2-15 · Dan-Ach-Onginiwa 3-29-16 · Joseph Bignane 5-20-16 · Walkkas 1-21-17 · Steve Simons 10-8-17 · James Two Crows 11-26-17 · F. C. Eagle 9-5-18 · Andrew Dancer 11-21-18 · Apolorio Moranda 1-14-19 · Harry Miller 4-25-19 · Herbert Iron 5-20-19 · Fred Collins 6-4-19 · John Coal Of Fire 6-20-19 · Joseph D. Marshall 11-21-19 · Willie George 11-23-19 · James Hathorn 11-29-19 · Ira Girsteau 3-27-20 · Edward Hedges 5-21-20 · Omudis 6-5-20 · Guy Crow Neck 7-29-20 · John Big 8-25-20 · A. Kennedy 2-19-21

Credits. This page was last revised on July 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 3, 2018, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota. This page has been viewed 1,441 times since then and 78 times this year. Last updated on October 10, 2021. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 3, 2018, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota. 3, 4. submitted on July 10, 2023. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.