I took a little hike on this beautiful afternoon by the Minnesota River just outside Shakopee, MN where I decided to take a few pictures.
The Minnesota River valley was seeing a major influx of settlers from the east taking advantage of the Homestead Act. The American government implemented treaties so the settlers would not be interfered by the natives, but the treaties were always broken.
What later ensued was the Dakota/Sioux Uprising, where the Dakota and Sioux tribes went to war with the US.
During that time the Civil War was in full swing. The sitting governor of Minnesota, Alexander Ramsey, help back two regiments of the Minnesota Militia from the fighting the Confederates in order to suppress the Dakota/Sioux Uprising. All along the Minnesota River from Appleton, MN to where it meets the Mississippi (right next to the Mall of America) were little battles between settlers and the government versus the the Dakota and the Sioux.
Eventually (and obviously) the US government held victory over the Dakota and the Sioux. What happened next was definitely one of the darkest moments in American history. In 1862, president Lincoln sanctions the hanging of 38 Dakota tribesmen in Mankato,MN, where the Minnesota River turns to flow north. It was the largest mass execution in American history. Today Mankoto is a college town that's known for their drugs and venereal diseases.
These pictures I show you are of how the Amazing natives would have saw it over 160 years ago. It's truly remarkable how they were able to endure such harsh winters. Such a scenic and pristine area was once a scene of the heaviest violence Minnesota has ever seen. Natives would fight each other as well along this river. Can you imagine such a quarrel happening in these photos?
At any given time you will be able to see eagles glide through the wind with their massive wingspan. I saw some today but unfortunately I don't have one of those white telephoto lenses, they would be nearly impossible to get a shot of them with my 50mm. Hope you enjoyed this post!