Opinion

The Massacre Canyon Monument

Monday, December 29, 2003

The Massacre Canyon Monument, alongside U.S. Highway 6-34, east of Trenton, has for many years, been a must-stop for history buffs, as well as the merely curious travelers, as they make their way across Nebraska, west of McCook. The monument is impressive -- On a base some nine feet square, the shaft, of Minnesota pink granite, measuring five feet across at the bottom and tapering to about 2 feet across at the top, rises 35 feet in the air. The complete structure weights 91 tons.

Facing west and near the top of the monument is carved the face of John Grass, a noted Sioux Indian. A little lower, on the east side of the shaft, is carved the face of Ruling Hisson, a Pawnee chief, who was in the 1873 battle. Ruling Hisson's wife and his two children were killed, by the Sioux, in the battle.

On the face of the monument is this inscription, written by Supt. Addison E. Sheldon, of the Nebraska State Historical Society: "Along this canyon, stretching northwest three miles, the last battle between the Pawnee and Sioux Indians, was fought 5 Aug. 1873. Principal chiefs were Pawnee: Sky Chief, Sun Chief, Fighting Bear. Sioux: Spotted Tail, Little Wound, Two Strikes. This monument erected by authority of the Congress of the United States, as a memorial to the frontier days and Indian Wars forever ended."

The idea for the monument originated with A.L. Taylor, the Editor-Publisher of the (Trenton) Republican Leader. Mr. Taylor wanted a fitting memorial to commemorate the 50th Anniversary (1923) of the Last Great Indian Battle in America. Though Taylor had the backing of interested persons in towns throughout Southwest Nebraska, who formed the Massacre Canyon Memorial Association, the project was not completed for almost 10 years.

In what was considered something of a miracle at the time in Washington, Nebraska Congressman A.C. Shallenberger was able to push a bill through Congress, which provided for the erection of a "suitable memorial," the first historical monument erected in Nebraska by a Federal grant. It was said that Congressman Shallenberger "stirred the hearts and sympathies of men who had never seen Nebraska, and secured an overwhelming support of his bill".

However, if Congressman Shallenberger had had his way, the Massacre Monument would have been on a much grander scale than eventually came about. Shallenberger envisioned a large statue, symbolizing Indians in combat -- the figure of the Brule Sioux, Two-Spear, on a horse, in mortal combat with the Pawnee, Sky Chief, going down to death to protect his people. His choice for the artist to create this masterpiece was Gutzon Borglum, who a few years later became internationally famous with his giant sculpture of the Four Presidents, at Mt. Rushmore, in South Dakota.

Borglum was already widely acclaimed for his artwork. He had sculptured the head of Lincoln, in the rotunda of the Capitol in Washington, the Mares of Doldomedes, in the Metropolitan Museum, in NYC, statues of Sheridan and Smithson in Washington, the Memorial at the Gettysburg Battleground, and his Confederate Memorial on Stone Mountain at Atlanta, GA. It is said that Borglum was enthusiastic about the Nebraska project, but by the time that Congressman Shallenberger's bill finally passed, funds had been pared down to only $7500, not nearly enough to cover Borglum's estimates, causing the artist to withdraw. (This perhaps was a blessing. Borglum's estimate for the Mt. Rushmore project was a mere fraction of the amount that the Federal government finally paid out.)

Three acres of land, three miles east of Trenton, on (old) Highway 34, overlooking the Republican River Valley, was purchased by subscription from Trenton people, for the Massacre Canyon Monument. The deed was given over to the State, for a Nebraska State Monument. R.P. Colling, of Indianola secured the contract to erect the shaft.

The original site was described by Paul Riley, in the McCook Gazette Centennial Edition, "One of the most attractive roadside parks in Nebraska. A half-mile west of the park, the highway curves down into a canyon and crosses the beautiful tree-lined spring-fed creek, which flows through the lower reaches of the canyon. The battle took place two or three miles up this canyon, where the abrupt banks are lower and the valley much narrower."

In 1961 The Trenton Chamber of Commerce, The State Historical Society, and the National Parks Service purchased seven acres of land from Margaret Roose and moved the monument to its present location along the relocated Highways 6 & 34.

Of the 1930 dedication of the monument, Mr. Taylor wrote, "It was a long hard fight, and often very discouraging, but my final triumph fully rewards me for the struggle. On dedication day, the people of Trenton, as well as of southwest Nebraska joined hands with me in congratulations and words of appreciation for obtaining this marker for this part of the state."

In 2003, the Pawnee, James Riding In, came to McCook to deliver a lecture on Native American subjects at McCook Community College. During this time I had the privilege of accompanying him on a short trip to view the Massacre Canyon Monument. James is the Great Great Grandson of Riding In Walking Sun, who participated in the Massacre Canyon Battle in 1873.

Now a professor, in Native History at Arizona State University, James Riding In has written extensively about the history of the Pawnee people and the Battle at Massacre Canyon. At the site, one could only guess at his feelings as he gazed across the canyon where so many of his ancestors (a few Braves, but mostly women and children) had been massacred in 1873.

However Dr. Riding In has moved beyond bitter feelings toward the Sioux who were responsible for the many Pawnee deaths. He has become a leading activist for all Native Americans and is credited for bringing about numerous advances for all Indians in the past few years. I rather think that he would agree with the sentiments of Trenton's J. W. Reutzel, who made the welcoming address at the 1930 dedication of the Massacre Canyon Mon-ument.

Said Mr. Reutzel, "I hope that someday, somewhere, a monument will be erected as a memorial to the last battle fought between civilized nations of the world, as this monument here represents the last battle between two Indian tribes."

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