Sand Creek Massacre
National Historic Site
Welcome!
The Sand Creek Massacre is a site unlike any other in America. As 675 cavalrymen rounded a prairie bend, the Campings of Chiefs Black Kettle, White Antelope, and Left Hand lay in the valley before them. Chaotic, horrific, tumultuous, and bloody, the events of November 29, 1864, changed the course of history.
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Located in eastern Colorado, Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site was established to enhance public understanding of the tragic attack on two American Indian tribes that took place on November 29, 1864. On that day, more than six hundred US volunteer soldiers attacked a peaceful village of Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes along Sand Creek. Despite the tribes raising a white flag in surrender, by the next morning the soldiers had killed more than 230 people—most of whom were women, children, and the elderly. Many soldiers refused to participate in the massacre, and their descriptions of the horrors they witnessed led to multiple federal investigations that exposed the brutality of the attack. The area within Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site is of sacred significance to the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, who honor the victims and heal their ancestral lands in an annual spiritual healing run that begins at the site.
WNPA has provided more than
$136 million
in aid to our partner parks to fund educational programs, initiatives, and scientific research
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National parks are places where kids can dream up great adventures! Taking in amazing scenery. Testing out new skills. Exploring places kids may have only heard about. But most importantly, creating new memories with friends and family.
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Our public lands are our public commons. They belong to all of us as part of our natural and cultural heritage. They remind us of a larger world that has existed long before the arrival of humans and will survive long after we are gone. –Terry Tempest Williams, Author & Conservationist
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When you can’t get to a national park for a visit, experience it from the comfort of your home. WNPA’s online store is packed with ranger-approved park collectibles, books, toys, and clothing. Shop for a special item.
