Stanley: Missouri Landscapes and History

Stanley County lies on the western bank of the Missouri River. Rolling prairie, river bluffs, fertile farmland, and ranchland shape its varied landscape. Historic sites and a range of ways to spend time outdoors add to its appeal.

Missouri Landscapes and Activities

Stanley County offers year-round opportunities for fishing, boating, hunting, camping, and wildlife watching. One specific natural destination is the Oahe Downstream Recreation Area, located five miles north of Fort Pierre on Highway 1806 and south of Oahe Dam. In winter, visitors can watch bald eagles below the dam; viewing conditions vary.

The recreation area includes an interactive prairie butterfly garden with 17 species of native prairie plants. Displays may change. The 11-mile Oahe West Shore Trail also runs north of Fort Pierre. It is suitable for mountain biking and hiking and offers views of Lake Oahe. As trail conditions and permitted uses may change, check them before setting out.

The Dunes Golf Course is also located on the Missouri River, on land converted from an abandoned cattle feedlot. The public par-63 course has narrow fairways, smaller greens, and several water hazards; you can play a round on foot or in a golf cart. Check current operating conditions before planning a game.

History and Historic Sites

The Verendrye Monument is associated with some of the first European explorations of the northern Great Plains. In late March 1743, the Verendrye expedition buried a lead plate at this site, claiming French sovereignty over the upper Missouri. The monument is designated a National Historic Landmark and overlooks a distinctive southeast bend in the Missouri River, with views to the north, east, and south.

The Verendrye Museum is housed in a former community hall built in the 1930s, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in July 2017. Exhibits include a country store, an original telephone switchboard, and post office boxes. Visitors can also see period household furnishings, horse-drawn carriages, local saddles and cowboy hats, as well as settler tools, artifacts from Indigenous peoples, rocks, and fossils.

Fort Pierre Chouteau was an important fur-trading fort on the western frontier and developed into a trading center where Euro-Americans and Indigenous peoples exchanged goods. The U.S. Army purchased the fort in 1855, making it the first military fort in the upper Missouri region. Today, a stone monument marks the site. The Stanley County Jail, which stands at its original location, is also one of the oldest buildings in Fort Pierre.

Fischers Lilly Park marks the place where the Lewis and Clark Expedition first entered the region on September 24, 1804. Their arrival was followed by their first encounter with the Lakota, then referred to as the Teton Sioux. Bad Humored Island was the site of a significant exchange between Lewis and Clark and the region’s Indigenous tribes. At the Bad River Encounter Site, a plaque attached to a boulder, a Lewis and Clark trail marker display, and a row of flagpoles provide visitors with information about the site.

Museums and More to Explore

Sansarc School was built in 1910 and used as a school until 1969. Its schoolhouse was moved to Fort Pierre in 1975 to serve as a museum. Visitors to the Sansarc Country School Museum can ring the Orton School Bell.

The Fort Pierre Depot Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day. As seasonal hours may change, check them before your visit. The museum opened in 2016 and was fully restored in 2018, with original and additional memorabilia.

The Casey Tibbs South Dakota Rodeo Center combines a multipurpose conference center with a history museum dedicated to South Dakota rodeo. Memorabilia includes items belonging to nine-time world champion Casey Tibbs, 1920s trick rider Mattie Goff Newcombe, and other world champions from South Dakota. Operations and exhibits may change.

Discover more destinations: Fort Pierre, Jerauld County, Lyman County, Davison County, Spink County, Kingsbury County, McCook County, Beadle County

For the broader travel overview: South Dakota.