The Middle Border

The Middle Border encompasses North and South Dakota and adjacent areas of surrounding states. The term "Middle Border" was coined by author Hamlin Garland, who spent homesteading years in Dakota Territory and wrote multiple books. The museum focus is on the period from 1600 through 1939. 

The lands of the Middle Border have been home to diverse cultures for over 10,000 years. From Paleo-Indian hunters to the Plains Village farmers who built fortified earth lodge communities, these societies were—and are—defined by their resilience.

We often speak of these cultures in the past tense, but the descendants of the Arikara and the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires) are very much part of our contemporary world. Their ancestors developed sophisticated pottery, agriculture, and trade networks long before European arrival. Today, these traditions continue to inform the identity and spiritual life of tribal members across the Dakotas.

The large mural seen as you enter the gallery depicts those individuals involved in the creation of the museum. On the left you will see, Leland D. Case who had the big idea to recognize and honor those hearty souls who came to the Middle Border. Others involved in the organization of the Friends of the Middle Border included Hamlin Garland, Senator Francis Case, Frank Lloyd Wright, Carl Sanburg, Harvey Dunn, Gutzon Borglum, James Earle Fraser, Badger Clark, Rose Wilder Lane, and John Dewey. Major artists included Oscar Howe and Charles Hargens. The upper right corner is J. Leonard Jennewein, DWU faculty and long time director. He was the major inflluence in the big idea becoming a reality. 

As you move through the audio tour, pause as needed to view exhibits.

As you passed through the entrance of the museum you saw the original plaster sculptures of Lewis and Clark by noted sculptor James Earle Fraser. Castings from these models are at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City. As a young child, James Earle Fraser moved to Mitchell, South Dakota in 1881. He is known for his sculpture, "End of the Trail", depicting a sad warrior with a lowered head on a horse with a lowered head. He also designed the Buffalo Nickel, many military medals and statues. 

In 1804, the Lewis and Clark expedition traveled through this region. While their journals often focus on charting the 'wilderness,' it is important to remember they were traveling through the established homelands of sovereign nations.

The expedition relied heavily on the diplomacy and knowledge of Native peoples. For example, Sacajawea, a young Shoshone woman, was essential to their survival and navigation. While the journals show moments of 'friendliness,' this expedition also marked the beginning of a period of profound change and pressure on Indigenous lands. The red and black dots on this mural show their route, but they also represent the first of many encounters that would eventually lead to the expansion of the American frontier into Native territories.

The Middle Border Museum History Gallery honors those who carved lives from the land. It celebrates the Native peoples, pioneers, homesteaders, and depression era survivors. The gallery features eight expansive murals by artists, Don Ruleaux and Mike Sougstad. Ruleaux, a Oglala Lakota artist, brings Indigenous perspectives to life, while Sougstad's sweeping murals evoke the vast skies and rolling plains. Together they tell the story of struggle and endurance. Their art combines with displays of artifacts and documents, immerses visitors in the eras challenges and triumphs.