Fort Yates in Sioux County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Sitting Bull
Tatanka Iyontanke
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 30, 2004
1. Sitting Bull Marker
A member of the Hunkpapa band of the Teton Sioux Indians, Sitting Bull became a warrior of much renown and was eventually acknowledged as a leader of all the Teton Sioux. A noble and just leader but misunderstood by the white man.
He was influential in the destruction of Custers forces at the Little Big Horn. His insistence that his people be allowed to participate in the ghost dances of the late 1880s eventually led to his being murdered by Indian police in an attempted arrest at Standing Rock on December 15, 1890. He was sought after by his people for his wise counsel and support for their activities.
He as buried here but his grave has been vandalized many times. This marker is directly over the grave site.
Erected 1963 by North Dakata State Historical Society.
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Indigenous Peoples and Communities. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1891.
Location. Memorial has been permanently removed. It was located near 46° 5.362′ N, 100° 38.044′ W. Memorial was in Fort Yates, North Dakota, in Sioux County. It was on Dike Road north of 92nd Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Memorial was in this post office area: Fort Yates ND 58538, United States of America.
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Regionally, this memorial was on North Dakota’s Missouri Plateau. 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 7 other markers are within 10 miles of this location, measured as the crow flies: Tatanka Iyotake (here, next to this marker); The Guardhouse (approx. Ό mile away); Fort Yates Military Life (approx. Ό mile away); Fort Yates (approx. 0.4 miles away); Standing Rock Monument (approx. 0.4 miles away); Lakota, Dakota & Dakota People (approx. 0.4 miles away); Langeliers Bay Recreation Area (approx. 10.1 miles away).
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 30, 2004
2. Sitting Bull Marker
Photographed by Frank Bennett Fiske, circa 1906
3. Sitting Bulls Grave
Sitting Bull's Grave, circa 1906. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 20, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 9, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,736 times since then and 33 times this year. Last updated on December 19, 2025, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 9, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 3. submitted on April 9, 2015. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
