Fort Yates, North Dakota

A primarily Native American settlement developed here after a US Army post at this site was established in 1863 as the Standing Rock Cantonment, intended for the US Army garrison to oversee the Hunkpapa and Blackfeet bands, and the Inhunktonwan and Cuthead of the Upper Yanktonai, of the Lakota Oyate. In 1878 the US Army renamed the fort to honor Captain George Yates, who was killed by the Lakota Oyate at the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876.{{Cite book|title=After Custer: Loss and Transformation in Sioux Country|last=Hedren|first=Paul L.|publisher=University of Oklahoma Press|year=2012|isbn=978-0-8061-4216-6|location=Norman, OK|pages=67}} The town that developed was also known as Fort Yates. The Army post and fort were decommissioned in 1903.

Fort Yates also served as the headquarters of the US Standing Rock Indian Agency, which in the late 19th century was headed by US Indian Service Agent James McLaughlin. Worried about the Hunkpapa Lakota chief Sitting Bull possibly taking part in the Ghost Dance movement, he ordered the arrest of the chief on December 14, 1890. During the bungled event the chief was shot and killed at dawn in his log cabin by agency non-Hunkpapa Dakota police.

Sitting Bull was buried at Fort Yates. In 1953, his family authorized his remains to be exhumed and transferred to a gravesite overlooking the Missouri River near his birthplace at Mobridge, South Dakota. A monument dedicated to Sitting Bull was installed at his burial site at Fort Yates. Another monument, with his bust on a pedestal, overlooks the Missouri River at the Mobridge burial site.

This city has become the tribal headquarters of the federally recognized Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, whose reservation encompasses it. They founded Sitting Bull College in Fort Yates, a tribal college now named for their noted 19th-century leader. Known also as "Long Soldier", it is the most populous electoral district of the reservation.

File:Northern Plains Overland Trails 1866-1877 map on display at the Fort Totten Historic Site.jpg

Fort Yates is located on the western bank of Lake Oahe.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the hamlet has a total area of {{convert|0.06|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=June 14, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=July 2, 2012}} Fort Yates has a semiarid climate (Köppen BSk), with hot summers, cold and very dry winters (though sometimes moderated by chinook winds) and substantial diurnal temperature ranges.{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}} On February 2, 1992, the hamlet recorded {{convert|72|F|C|1|disp=or}}, the highest ever recorded for any winter month in North Dakota.Infoplease.com; [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0930236.html North Dakota Record Monthly Temperatures] Depending on the climatic maps and the data used the hamlet can be considered the northernmost urban area of the humid continental climate (Dfa) in an isolated occurrence at 46 °N. At the same time that Fort Yates is around different climatic types and subtypes in a situation rare and unusual. Dfb to the northeast and west, Dwb to the northwest and east, BSk to the southwest and south, and Dwa to the west.{{Cite web|url=https://www.plantmaps.com/koppen-climate-classification-map-united-states.php|title=Interactive United States Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification Map|website=www.plantmaps.com|language=en|access-date=October 12, 2018}}

{{Weather box|width=auto

|location = Fort Yates, North Dakota (1981-2010)

|single line = Y

|Jan record high F=64

|Feb record high F=72

|Mar record high F=85

|Apr record high F=99

|May record high F=107

|Jun record high F=110

|Jul record high F=119

|Aug record high F=111

|Sep record high F=107

|Oct record high F=95

|Nov record high F=80

|Dec record high F=69

|year record high F=119

|Jan high F = 27.3

|Feb high F = 32.5

|Mar high F = 43.3

|Apr high F = 59.2

|May high F = 70.4

|Jun high F = 80.1

|Jul high F = 87.1

|Aug high F = 86.0

|Sep high F = 74.2

|Oct high F = 60.8

|Nov high F = 42.3

|Dec high F = 29.4

|year high F = 57.8

|Jan mean F = 14.6

|Feb mean F = 19.9

|Mar mean F = 30.5

|Apr mean F = 41.1

|May mean F = 56.0

|Jun mean F = 65.6

|Jul mean F = 72.0

|Aug mean F = 70.4

|Sep mean F = 58.8

|Oct mean F = 46.1

|Nov mean F = 30.5

|Dec mean F = 17.8

|year mean F=44.0

|Jan low F = 2.0

|Feb low F = 7.3

|Mar low F = 17.6

|Apr low F = 28.9

|May low F = 41.5

|Jun low F = 51.2

|Jul low F = 56.9

|Aug low F = 54.8

|Sep low F = 43.4

|Oct low F = 31.3

|Nov low F = 18.6

|Dec low F = 6.1

|year low F = 30.1

|Jan record low F=-41

|Feb record low F=-50

|Mar record low F=-33

|Apr record low F=-7

|May record low F=16

|Jun record low F=28

|Jul record low F=28

|Aug record low F=29

|Sep record low F=15

|Oct record low F=-4

|Nov record low F=-23

|Dec record low F=-34

|year record low F=-50

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 0.19

|Feb precipitation inch = 0.32

|Mar precipitation inch = 0.55

|Apr precipitation inch = 1.04

|May precipitation inch = 2.49

|Jun precipitation inch = 2.83

|Jul precipitation inch = 2.39

|Aug precipitation inch = 1.57

|Sep precipitation inch = 1.49

|Oct precipitation inch = 1.30

|Nov precipitation inch = 0.43

|Dec precipitation inch = 0.23

|Jan snow inch = 6.1

|Feb snow inch = 9.6

|Mar snow inch = 11.3

|Apr snow inch = 2.3

|May snow inch = 0.0

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 0.3

|Nov snow inch = 2.0

|Dec snow inch = 4.8

|year snow inch=36.2

|source 1 = NOAA,{{cite web |url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=bis |title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = May 4, 2013}} WRCC{{cite web |url = http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?nd3207 |title = Ft Yates 4SW |publisher = Western Regional Climate Center |access-date = December 26, 2016}}

}}

{{US Census population

|1880= 446

|1890= 511

|1970= 1153

|1980= 771

|1990= 183

|2000= 228

|2010= 184

|2020= 176

|estyear=2022

|estimate=169

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html|date=November 12, 2023|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=November 12, 2023}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 21, 2014}}
2020 Census

}}

Image:SittingBullMonument.jpg]]

As of the census of 2010, there were 184 people, 66 households, and 43 families residing in the hamlet. The population density was {{convert|3066.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 73 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1216.7|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the hamlet was 5.4% White, 92.4% Native American, 0.5% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.

There were 66 households, of which 45.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 22.7% were married couples living together, 30.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 12.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.8% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.26.

The median age in the hamlet was 33.6 years. 31% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.6% were from 25 to 44; 22.8% were from 45 to 64; and 9.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the hamlet was 53.3% male and 46.7% female.

File:Post office in Fort Yates North Dakota 6-12-2009.jpg

As of the census of 2000, there were 228 people, 73 households, and 47 families residing in the hamlet. The population density was {{convert|3,688.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 78 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,261.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the hamlet was 93.42% Native American, 5.26% White, and 1.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.95% of the population.

There were 73 households, out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.8% were married couples living together, 26.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.12 and the average family size was 3.85.

In the hamlet the population was spread out, with 35.5% under the age of 18, 15.4% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 14.9% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $25,500, and the median income for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $26,125 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $9,512. About 6.4% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under the age of eighteen and 17.6% of those 65 or over.

The water treatment plant at Fort Yates, an integral part of The Standing Rock Rural Water System, is the primary source of drinking water for over three thousand people which includes the residents of Porcupine, Cannonball and Fort Yates as well the Prairie Knights Casino and Lodge. The intake is on the Missouri River.{{citation |url=https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-108shrg97093/html/CHRG-108shrg97093.htm |series=Senate Hearing |number=108–758 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |date=November 18, 2004 |access-date=December 2, 2016 |location=Washington, DC |title=Problems experienced by the Standing Rock Sioux tribes situated along the Missouri River}}

It is in the Fort Yates School District,{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st38_nd/schooldistrict_maps/c38085_sioux/DC20SD_C38085.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Sioux County, ND|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=August 13, 2021}} which is integrated with the Standing Rock Community School.

• Prairie Knights Casino and Resort
• Former Sioux County Courthouse (North Dakota)

{{Reflist}}

{{Sioux County, North Dakota}}

{{Bismarck-Mandan}}

{{North Dakota county seats}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in North Dakota

Category:Cities in Sioux County, North Dakota

Category:County seats in North Dakota

Category:Populated places established in 1863

Category:North Dakota populated places on the Missouri River

Category:1863 establishments in Dakota Territory

Category:Forts along the Missouri River

Category:Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

Category:Seats of government of American Indian reservations