Sign of the (olden) times

In a literal sense, it was just a new sign. But to Betty Morgan, it's more than that. To her, it's about remembering our past and preserving special places.

Morgan is a volunteer with the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, and was a driving force behind the Painted Woods interpretive sign.

The sign, unveiled Friday, marks the Painted Woods Wildlife Management Area and tells the story of how it got its name.

According to legend, Mandan and Sioux Indians met there in the 1700s to hold a peace conference in an attempt to end years of warfare. The attempt was thwarted, though, when a Mandan maidan and a Sioux warrior fell into forbidden love.

Supposedly, the maiden's father had the warrior killed, and the furious Sioux killed the maiden in revenge.

Each tribe then painted the surrounding trees to glorify their deeds.

Members of both tribes were on hand for the unveiling, where they spoke about their culture and sang traditional songs.

"We wanted outreach," Morgan said. "We wanted to bring these people together."

Text by Zachary Franz/

Photos by Tom Stromme

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