Fort Yates, North Dakota
Fort Yates (Arikara: iinakanítwi [iinakanítWI]) is a city in Sioux County, North Dakota in the United States. It is the tribal headquarters of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and county seat of Sioux County. Since 1970 the population has declined markedly from more than 1100 residents, as people have left for other locations for work. The population was 184 at the 2010 census.
History
A primarily Native American settlement developed here after a US Army post at this site was established in 1863 as the Standing Rock Cantonment, intended for the US Army garrison to oversee the Hunkpapa and Blackfeet bands, and the Inhunktonwan and Cuthead of the Upper Yanktonai, of the Lakota Oyate. In 1878 the US Army renamed the fort to honor Captain George Yates, who was killed by the Lakota Oyate at the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876. The town that developed was also known as Fort Yates. The Army post and fort were decommissioned in 1903.
Fort Yates also served as the headquarters of the US Standing Rock Indian Agency, which in the late 19th century was headed by US Indian Service Agent James McLaughlin. Worried about the Hunkpapa Lakota chief Sitting Bull possibly taking part in the Ghost Dance movement, he ordered the arrest of the chief on 14 December 1890. During the bungled event the chief was shot and killed at dawn in his log cabin by agency non-Hunkpapa Dakota police.
