Bottineau in Bottineau County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Pierre Bottineau
Voyageur - Trapper - Guide
— 1/1/1817 - 7/27/1895 —
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 30, 2023
1. Pierre Bottineau Marker
Pierre Bottineau, son of Charles Joseph Bottineau, a French-Huggenot and Marguerite Adhik Songab (Clear Sky Woman) a Lake of the Woods Chippewa, was born near the mouth of the Turtle River (twelve miles north of Grand Forks, North Dakota).
Bottineau County was named in honor of Pierre Bottineau by the Dakota Territory Legislature in Yankton, Dakota Territory, in 1873. The honor was bestowed upon him in recognition of his service as a guide to numerous expeditions in Dakota Territory.
Pierre was fluent in the language of the French, English, Sioux, Chippewa, Cree, Mandan and Winnebego. He was referred to as a "Walking Calument" or peace pipe.
Pierre as a guide was said to know just where he was on the prairie, boundless as the ocean, and even on the darkest night or foggiest day, he was never lost.
Pierre Bottineau was over six feet tall and straight as the pathways he marked through the wilderness with expressive black eyes which were keen, but commonly held a kindly sense of humor and good fellowship. His word was a bond never broken, and no task undertaken was ever left unfinished.
About the Artist
Arlen Evensen, a local artist, is well known for his wood carvings, scrimshaw and sculpturing. Mr. Evensen lives at Boundary Lake in Bottineau County, located along the Canadian border.
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Exploration • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is January 1, 1817.
Location. 48° 49.651′ N, 100° 26.968′ W. Marker is in Bottineau, North Dakota, in Bottineau County. Marker is on 5th Street West just west of Ohmer Street, on the right when traveling west. Marker and sculpture are located near the southeast corner of the Bottineau County Courthouse grounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 314 5th Street West, Bottineau ND 58318, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 1 other marker is within walking distance of this marker. Pioneer Monument (within shouting distance of this marker).
Also see . . .
1. Pierre Bottineau (Wikipedia). Excerpt:
Known as the "Kit Carson of the Northwest," he was an integral part of the history and development of Minnesota and North Dakota. He was an accomplished surveyor and his many settlement parties founded cities all over Minnesota and North Dakota. Most mixed race, or Métis, lived as outcasts to both White and Native societies, but Bottineau's(Submitted on August 30, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)invaluable services and exploits would make him a legend in his own time. Bottineau County, North Dakota, and its county seat Bottineau, North Dakota, are named in his honor.
2. Marker detail: Pierre Bottineau
2. The Later Life of Pierre Bottineau. Excerpt:
In 1853, he served as the chief guide for the Northern Pacific Railways preliminary survey across present-day North Dakota, and later helped them again as they began to lay the actual rail line. While the founding of the railroads was important, Bottineau provided an even more essential role to North Dakota's establishment by making the future state more accessible for settlement. Pierre guided numerous groups of settlers into Dakota Territory. He helped establish military posts, such as Fort Totten, to protect the settler land routes; and at Fort Abercrombie, he even risked his life to protect settlers from attack. Pierre Bottineau's tireless work did not go unnoticed. Even while Bottineau was still alive and an active community leader, the state of North Dakota honored the man who had done so much in the early formation of the state; naming a city in his honor and formally organizing Bottineau County in 1884.(Submitted on August 30, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
3. Bottineau County History.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 30, 2023
3. Pierre Bottineau Marker
Bottineau County was created by act of Dakota Legislature, January 4, 1873. It was named for Pierre Bottineau, probably the first white child born in North Dakota. He was born to a family of French voyageurs associated with the fur companies then trading with the Indians at all points in North Dakota where furs were caught or accumulated, engaging often with the Indians on the buffalo hunts.(Submitted on August 31, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 30, 2023
4. Pierre Bottineau Sculpture
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 30, 2023
5. Pierre Bottineau Sculpture
Credits. This page was last revised on August 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 30, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 71 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 30, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
