Pilot Knob
STATUS: ENDANGERED
Map to Pilot Knob
Pilot Knob, known to Dakota people as Oheyawahi, "a hill much visited," is a prominent hill located at the east end of the Mendota Bridge. It consists of 79-acre Acacia Park Cemetery and the surrounding 30 acres of open space. It is a place of distinctive historical and environmental importance, a sacred site, a burial place, a place known for its bird and animal populations, its natural beauty, and its impressive views of the city of Minneapolis and the Mississippi and Minnesota river valleys.
The site is threatened by the construction of a 157-unit high- and medium-density housing project on 25.5 acres of the hill, including 16 acres of cemetery property.
HOW TO GET THERE
Pilot Knob can be reached from the junction of Highways 55 and 13. Follow Highway 13 south one block to the junction with Pilot Knob Road. Turn north on Pilot Knob Road to reach the cemetery at the corner of Pilot Knob Road and Acacia Boulevard or proceed north from there to the overlook at the end of the Pilot Knob Road.
WHAT YOU CAN DO AT PILOT KNOB
The Acacia Park Cemetery, which makes use of ground-level grave markers, preserves a peaceful, park-like atmosphere. A walk or drive through the winding roads as they slope toward the Minnesota River provides a sense of being far from urban sprawl. At the north end of Pilot Knob Road it is possible to see a view of the surrounding country, just as it was possible to do in the 19th century. Throughout the area many unusual birds have been spotted, making it a strong attraction for birders.
DESCRIPTION
"Pilot's Knob: Mouth of the St. Peters River,"
1846-1848, watercolor on paper
Artist: Seth Eastman, Minnesota Historical Society
Pilot Knob/Oheyawahi has been sacred to Dakota people since long before white settlement. The nearby mouth of the Minnesota River — Mdote Minisota — was considered to be the center of the world by the Dakota. They used Oheyawahi as a burial place and a place for ceremonies. Europeans named it Pilot Knob or Pilot Hill because the site was a prominent landmark used by steamboat captains and travelers. Early visitors described the hill, its use by the Dakota, and the impressive view of the surrounding country. In 1851, U.S. government officials negotiated a treaty with Dakota people on the slopes of Pilot Knob, purchasing title to 35 million acres of land in Minnesota, Iowa, and the Dakotas. In the late 19th century, the hill was used for farms. In the 1920s, Acacia Park Cemetery opened at the summit and on some of the westfacing slopes of the hill. When landscaping was done on the hill, a number of Dakota graves were moved and the remains preserved by the cemetery. Little development occurred on the hill except immediately adjacent to the Mendota Bridge and the area south of the cemetery. This has allowed the northern portions of the hill to remain open space.
THREAT AND RESPONSE
photo: Sharell Benson
While historic Fort Snelling and Fort Snelling State Park were preserved in the 1960s, no protection was given to Pilot Knob, in part because it was felt that Pilot Knob would be protected through the stewardship of Acacia Park Cemetery. In October 2002, however, Acacia Park Cemetery and another land owner made a purchase agreement with a developer to put a 157-unit housing development on the north end of the hill in full view of Fort Snelling State Park and Historic Fort Snelling. In response to a proposal before the city, citizens, including the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community, petitioned the city to do an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW). The action prevented immediate approval of the project and provided an opportunity to consider the possible adverse impacts on the hill.
The developer hired a cultural-resource firm to examine the historical and cultural importance of the hill. This firm supported EAW petitioners' assertions about the historical and cultural importance of the hill. At the same time, historians working with the proponents of preserving the hill prepared a nomination of the site for the National Register of Historic Places. The nomination has since been approved by Minnesota's State Review Board for the National Register and has been submitted to the Keeper of the National Register in Washington, D. C., for a "determination of eligibility."
The EAW was completed in September 2003. During the subsequent 30-day comment period in October, 208 comments were submitted to the city of Mendota Heights. Only one supported the development. Based on the extensive information submitted documenting the historic, cultural, and scenic importance of Pilot Knob, the City of Mendota Heights ordered an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to further explore the significance of the site, to examine adverse effects of the development, and to consider alternatives to it. At the time of this writing, the developer had not yet approved funding for the EIS, placing the development proposal in limbo.
IF YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED
A group of citizens known as the Pilot Knob Preservation Association has been formed to help find long-term solutions for the preservation of Pilot Knob, including finding a purchaser for the development property and an owner to manage it. The PKPA is also interested in documenting the Native- and European-American history of Pilot Knob and can provide speakers to schools and other groups.
To join, write to The Pilot Knob Preservation Association, P.O. Box 50823, Mendota, MN 55150-0823, or contact Bruce M. White at 651-310-0601 () or James Rogers at 651-962-5662 ().
To make contributions for legal fees concerning Pilot Knob, contact the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community, P.O. Box 50835, 1351 Sibley Memorial Highway, Mendota, MN 55150, phone: 651-452-4141, fax: 651-452-4232, e-mail: .
To keep track of bird alerts that sometimes describe the spotting of rare and unusual birds at Acacia Park Cemetery and surrounding area, join MnBird, the Minnesota Birding Network or the Minnesota Ornithologists Union listservice.
View of the north end of Pilot Knob showing the proposed
development site at the east end of the Mendota Bridge
photo: Bruce White
The Embrace Open Space campaign has more information on Pilot Knob on its other treasures page, as well as other open space treasures around the Twin Cities.