07/24/2026
“Father, you think it a great deal you are giving for this country. I don’t think so, for both our lands and all we get from them will at last belong to the white man. The money comes to us, but will all go to the white men who trade with us.”
- Opiyahedaya (Curly Head), July 23, 1851*
Today marks 175 years since the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux was signed by representatives of the U.S. government and the Sisíthuŋwaŋ and Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ Daḳóta following several weeks of negotiations at Traverse des Sioux (present-day Saint Peter).
Together with the Treaty of Mendota, the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux added millions of acres of Daḳóta land to the United States, significantly impacting Daḳóta communities and the future of Minnesota. The area encompassed by the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux extended from Winona to Moorhead to Luverne, covering nearly 40 percent of present-day Minnesota.
The Treaty of Traverse des Sioux remains one of the most consequential events in Minnesota history. Its effects continue to shape our state, our communities, and our understanding of the past.
We invite you to learn more by visiting the Treaty Site History Center in Saint Peter, where the stories of the treaty, the people involved, and its enduring legacy continue to be explored.
