The Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana purchased 36 acres on the west side of sacred Bear Butte in South Dakota.

Bear Butte is the birthplace of the Cheyenne people. Tribal members go there to pray, fast and hold ceremonies.

The tribe bought the land after hearing about plans to develop a bar near Bear Butte. The tribe will not develop the land.

The tribe owns more than 700 acres around Bear Butte.

Get the Story:
Montana tribe buys Bear Butte acreage (The Rapid City Journal 3/23)
Tribe takes steps to preserve wilderness around Bear Butte (AP 3/23)

Relevant Links:
Defenders of the Black Hills - http://www.defendblackhills.org/defenders

Related Stories:
Bill to create buffer zone around Bear Butte killed (02/01)
Bill would create buffer zone around Bear Butte (1/27)
Tribes can't collect fees in sacred site case (1/19)
Native American Day at South Dakota Legislature (1/18)
Opinion: Land use plans ignore tribal traditions (12/12)
Editorial: Permanent protection for Bear Butte (11/28)
Proposed bar near Bear Butte still under fire (10/31)
Man to change name, location of Bear Butte bar (10/28)
Respect urged at Bear Butte during high season (08/13)
Non-Indians press for access at sacred Bear Butte (07/16)
Plans for shooting range near sacred site scrapped (01/12)
Developers: Shooting range near Bear Butte still on (12/16)
Plans for shooting range near Bear Butte on hold (12/02)
Developers face deadline on proposed shooting range (11/14)
S.D. commission bans hunting at sacred site (11/07)
Janklow thought of shooting range by sacred site (10/17)
Janklow defends use of grant for shooting range (10/16)
S.D. governor says shooting range grant was OK (10/13)
Lakota group seeks protection of Black Hills (09/19)
S.D. to return grant for Bear Butte shooting range (09/19)
Protections for sacred sites called inadequate (06/19)
Federal funds used for shooting range near sacred site (03/25)
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Four tribes file lawsuit to stop shooting range (03/04)