To-date, the following has been accomplished to further the preservation goals of Crying Hill® :
1 - 4.7 acres of the historical southeast corner of Crying Hill were purchased with a personal loan acquired and paid for by Patrick Atkinson.
2 - We were assured that neither Mandan's Division Street nor Mandan Avenue road expansion efforts, both planned for 2007, will affect this land.
3 - The Crying Hill Foundation was incorporated as a non-profit entity.
5 - To prevent vandalism to the property, a steel wire mesh fence was constructed along the south side of the property, and a split-cedar log fence was constructed along the whole of the east side of the property with intermittent split-cedar log fencing sections along the property's border on the north and west sides to delineate property lines. Both sets of fences were financed with a personal loan acquired and paid for by Patrick Atkinson.
"The birds in the sky and winds in the grass told us the earth was our gift from the Great Spirit, and it belongs to all."
Lakota Girls collect firewood along the side of Crying Hill. circa 1945
If you or your group are interested in taking part in a Crying Hill preservation project, please contact me. Volunteers skilled in research, interview and writing are currently needed, as are volunteers to remove trash from the property and help with soil erosion. Volunteers are needed to plant border markings and to trim and water trees.
Even more great 18th century photographs of the daily lives of the Mandan, Lakota, and Arikara Native Americans who lived in the vicinity of Crying Hill, Mandan, North Dakota:
"The sacred turtles", of the Mandan tribe
Mandan Prayer to the Mystery
Mandan woman on the banks of the Missouri River
Prairie Chief of the Mandans
To keep the Crying Hill legend, name, and heritage from being abused or exploitated, the name Crying Hill has been registered by Patrick Atkinson as a protected trademark under the United States Patent and Trademark Act laws. Any heritage or civic-minded individuals, groups, or municipalities interested in using the Crying Hill name for business purposes should contact us for legal authorization prior to use.
