Missionaries
In 1876, a mission, the combination of a church, school, and residence, was built at Fort Berthold, by a Congregational missionary named Charles L. Hall.  These missionaries tried to get the tribes to adopt non-Indian ways, but the Hidatsa, Mandan, and Sahnish continued to follow their traditions. 

They occupied their own section of the village, practiced their own religious ceremonies and established their own governments.  To encourage the spread of Christianity, the Office of Indian Affairs authorized the Indian agents to punish people who participated in traditional religious ceremonies.  Those who did were jailed and had their hair cut off. 

In 1889, Father Craft was assigned to Elbowoods to start a Catholic Mission.  A school was built to accommodate one hundred children.

Please click here to go back to the History Section.