Editorial: Tribes and state come together to preserve history

Calling it a historical site with cultural and archaeological significance for American Indians, South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard and Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad recently dedicated South Dakota’s first state park in 40 years.

They were joined by tribal dignitaries, state legislators and officials from South Dakota’s Game, Fish and Parks at Good Earth State Park at Blood Run. South Dakota’s 13th state park runs along 2 miles of the Big Sioux River about 12 miles southeast of downtown Sioux Falls.

South Dakota owns about 600 acres of land there, where the park now exists, while Iowa owns several hundred acres. The ultimate goal is to join the land and create the first joint state park in the country. Funding for the park came from both public and private entities. In the future, officials hope to build a visitors' center and add additional hiking trails.

‘‘This really wouldn’t come together without the support of so many people. It’s very fitting today that we’ve all come together -- again different people from different walks of life -- just as our Native American ancestors came together from different walks of life, different parts of this country to trade, for commerce, for social, for religious gatherings,’’ Daugaard said.