How South Dakota’s ‘Black Hills’ Got Their Unique Name
South Dakota's 'Black Hills' are one of the most unique geologic landmarks the state has to offer. But how they got their name may surprise you.
The Black Hills were first formed in the era of the dinosaurs. Around 65-70 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period. The human history of the Black Hills isn't as long as you might think. The first signs of civilization in the area go back to around 1743 when French explorers claimed the region for the country of France. Later the Sioux Indian tribes moved into the hills from Wisconsin and built a lasting culture there.
The railroad brought even more people to the Black Hills nearly one hundred years later, and that's also when the first maps of the area were drawn. But what about their name? It turns out it comes from the Lakotah.
The name "Black Hills" is a translation of the Lakota phrase "Lakota Pahá Sápa". The reason they named them that? It's was because of how the hills looked from a distance.
The next time you go to the Black Hills, pay attention to what they look like from miles and miles away. They do, in fact, have a tinge of darkness to them. It's not really an optical illusion, it's mainly because they're covered in trees. From a distance, the trees give the appearance that the hills are black, which, in fact, they are not.
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Gallery Credit: Danny V