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The City of Eagle Butte was incorporated in 1911. In 1910 the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation was opened up to homesteading. At that time Eagle Butte was composed of one store and a tent. Less than a year later, the lure of free land in South Dakota to homesteaders made Eagle Butte a thriving city of 66 businesses in the middle of the prairie. In 1960 the town became the headquarters of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (B.I.A.) and was thereby transformed into a unique juxtaposition of culture and influences.
The City of Eagle Butte is a municipality located in northwestern South Dakota. The city limits place the Eagle Butte community within the counties of Dewey County and Ziebach County. Eagle Butte’s location is equidistant to and from the major mid-western metropolitan trading centers. Eagle Butte is 2,400 feet above sea level. The latitude of Eagle Butte is 45.002N. The longitude is -101.233W. (see aerial photos, plats and maps)
The counties of Dewey and Ziebach are rural, agriculturally based communities whereby the largest percentage of the individuals residing within these two counties derive an income generated by family owned farms and ranches. The farmers and ranchers rely on the natural resources of the grassland for their very livelihood. Aside from the farm and ranch industry whereby individuals are generally self-employed, the three largest employers within the community are the Bureau of Indian Affairs (B.I.A), Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) and the Indian Health Service (I.H.S.). Privately owned businesses, small manufacturing, recreation, tourism and governmental services complete the economy composition. The City of Eagle Butte is a rapidly growing community in South Dakota with a population of 619 for the City of Eagle Butte and 2168 for North Eagle Butte and a total population of 2787 for the community as a whole as of the 2000 Census. The population in Eagle Butte continues to grow in leaps and bounds each year as can been evidenced by the Census Statistics. The statistical information indicates that the growth of Eagle Butte is third in the State of South Dakota.. Current population estimates show that about 3500 people reside within the Eagle Butte community. The Eagle Butte community is the largest community in Dewey County and may well become the largest community in Ziebach County in the near future given recent growth in the community in the portion of Eagle Butte lying in Ziebach County. State travel maps and atlases do understate the community’s population because North Eagle Butte, East Eagle Butte and West Eagle Butte are not annexed and therefore are generally not accounted for in City of Eagle Butte populations statistics. Since the 2000 Census, a Local Developer – Oti Kaga has constructed numerous housing projects within Ziebach County and the city limits (South Main Apartments being the only housing complex as of the 2000 Census) to include Black Hawk Apartments, Falcon Apartments and most recently Buffalo Lodge Homes which was recently completed as of 2004. North Eagle Butte does include Bureau of Indian Affairs housing, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal housing, Cheyenne River Housing Authority Housing and Indian Health Service Housing and is maintained by the respective agencies. There have been many new housing development sites to spring up in East Eagle Butte in the last few years to include the Habitat For Humanity Homes and Fox Ridge Housing Site (over 100 homes in the last four years). The City of Eagle Butte is filled with cultural and economic diversity and is rich in history of the Old West as well as Native American folklore and art. Because of the distance from larger service centers such as Bismarck, Rapid City, and Aberdeen (all of equal distance from Eagle Butte - 320 miles round trip - 3 hours from Eagle Butte one way) and because Eagle Butte is the headquarters for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) the Cheyenne River Branch of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (B.I.A) as well as the Indian Health Services/Public Health Services (IHS/PHS), Eagle Butte serves as an important service center for many surrounding communities to include Black Foot, Bridger, Cherry Creek, Dupree, Faith, Green Grass, Iron Lightning, Lantry, LaPlant, Parade, Promise, Red Scaffold, Ridgeview, Swift Bird, Timber Lake, White Horse and more. The Cheyenne Agency is the administrative body and center for the Minneconjou, Sans Arc, Two Kettle and Blackfeet Sioux. The CRST Reservation consists of 2.8 million acres in Dewey and Ziebach counties, making it roughly the size of Connecticut. The Eagle Butte community also services the many rural residents of who are employed or derive an income from agriculture production and related services, which makes up the biggest share of the economic base or composes the primary source of revenue and industry. There are many community events that occur on an annual basis in the area. These events include but are not limited to the surrounding community events as follows: CRST Fair/Rodeo/Pow Wow (generally held labor day weekend) as well as other community events to include: Dupree - Pioneer Days (usually held the second week in July) and Timber Lake - Days of 1910 & Dewey County Fair (usually the last week in July). Other events in the area include the various local rodeos, Green Grass Sun Dance and other Sun Dances, Minneconjou Pow Wow as well as countless local business events. Eagle Butte is also located in the vicinity of some of the best hunting and fishing to include fowl, wild game and prairie dogs! Furthermore the buffalo herd and buffalo meat production plant located within the reservation boundaries is also a sight to behold. Given the cultural, economic and recreational diversity, your visit to Eagle Butte will be enjoyable and one to remember. Bring your camera /camcorder! SJG As of Monday, August 10, 2005 you are visitor #
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