Steps on the Healing Journey: Investigating the Pipestone Indian Boarding School Archival Records for Survivors, Descendants, Tribes, and National Park Visitors

In this article, we detail our approach to digitizing, researching, and developing a messaging plan around the archival records from Pipestone Indian Boarding School, a federally run industrial training school that operated from 1893–1953 in southwest Minnesota. We begin by discussing the history of the sacred Pipestone quarries, why the federal government built a boarding school there, and how the quarries went from being protected treaty land to being designated a national monument. We then describe how our project was initiated in response to feedback received in government-to-government consultation between Pipestone National Monument and 23 Tribal Nations with historical ties to the sacred quarries. Tribal partners expressed that they want the full truth about the school known and acknowledged, and they want the public to be educated about what they and their relatives experienced at the school. Our team worked closely with consulting Tribes and Native communities to develop a research plan, bring archival documentation to light, and discuss future public engagement.