24 Nebraskaland • August-September 2025
hree and a half miles southeast
of Crawford stands Crow Butte.
The towering sentinel rises
conspicuously above the White
River Valley on private property that
borders Ponderosa Wildlife Management
Area. Perhaps no other landform in the
Pine Ridge can be seen from so many
different vantage points — a fact that
has made it a frequent subject for me
and other nature photographers.
The landform, about 400 feet tall, is
captivating, as are the legends of its
naming. Accounts vary, but all center
around a territorial feud between two
Native American tribes — the Sioux and,
of course, the Crow.
One account, which is said to have
happened in the 1860s, has a band
of Crows from the north entering the
butte's vicinity, recognized as Sioux
territory. After a few days of fighting,
the Crow retreated to the top of the
great landform to use its high vantage
for fortification. The Sioux knew there
was only a narrow path up the butte on
its south side, so they guarded the exit
while tending to their sick and wounded.
Facing starvation and inevitable
defeat, a few of the oldest men in the
group of Crows made a sacrificial,
last-ditch effort. The men stationed
themselves on the guarded side of the
butte and began chanting to distract the
Sioux. Meanwhile, the others created
ropes from whatever fabric they had to
lower themselves from the steep north
side and escape. The Sioux, however,
caught on before their descent and
surrounded the butte.
This is where the story gets fantastical.
As a lighted mist came upon the butte,
three beautiful Indian maidens appeared
in the sky, and the old men were lifted
into the heavens on the wings of white
birds. After some discussion, the Sioux
elders determined the maidens had
been sent from the Great Father as
messengers of peace. The perceived
message resulted in a friendly compact
between the Sioux and Crow.
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