Battle of Bonesteel

The land drawn for here was Sicangu Lakota land, the eastern end of the Rosebud Reservation. Hollow Horn Bear, Matȟó Héȟloǧeča, spoke for the Sicangu through years of talks and turned down plans that paid nothing up front, since an unsold acre lost value each year. Congress opened it over the tribe's objections. Roosevelt's proclamation of May 13, 1904 priced a claim at $4 an acre if entered in the first three months, $3 in the next three and $2.50 after that, paid in installments over five years. Many tribal members never saw the money.

What the plaque says

Battle of Bonesteel The town was named for H. E. Bonesteel, early day freighter. Its first postmaster was Francis M. Safeser, 1 August 1892. By 1905 it had 754 people and had made the Big Time Headlines. It came about this way. In 1902 the railroad reached Bonesteel and in 1904 the eastern part of the Rosebud Reservation, the west part of Gregory County, 385,817 acres, enough land for 2,412, one hundred sixty acre homesteads was to be opened to filing. Registrations for the drawing were held at Yankton, 57,432 filings; Fairfax, 8,700; Chamberlain, 6,100 and BONESTEEL, 35,176. Chances on the drawing were 1 to 46. It was a royal holiday, trains running night and day; everything "wide open" and the gamblers, confidence men and under- world of 1904 flocked to Bonesteel for a chance to mulct the gullible who came to file. On July 18th, 4,000 plus registered at Bonesteel. Jim Nelon, the police chief, retired and then as one newspaper stated: "until the citizens organized and with the aid of Patsy Magner, Stanton, Bob Callahan and other sporting men of the better class drove the gang out of town after a sharp fight the town was practically in the hands of the thugs." Magner said there were 200 of them and their slogan was "stand for no pinch." Under headlines "BONESTEEL HAS HOT EVENING" it was said "the bad men simply mobbed the officers, took their clubs and guns, pounded them up and took their stars." One tough was killed, two wounded and two "fly cops" Harrison and Stambaugh wounded. Sheriff Taylor asked for troops but things quieted down. That was the "Battle of Bonesteel." Erected 1956 by Bonesteel Commercial Club and State Highway Commission

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Fort Randall — 16 mi
  The ruined stone chapel of an 1856 Missouri River post below Fort Randall Dam, where Sitting Bull and his band were held as prisoners for two years.

More markers nearby

• Bethlehem Cemetery — 8.2 mi
• Fort Randall Chapel — 19 mi
• Fort Randall Map — 19 mi
• Commanding Officers Quarters — 19 mi