From 1500 to 1714, ancestors of the Omaha/Ponca and Ioway/Otoe occupied villages stretching along both sides of the Big Sioux River for nearly five miles. At its peak, Blood Run/Good Earth had 6,000 or more residents and was the largest Oneota cultural community in the upper Midwest. Tribal histories and archaeology confirm that residents lived on foods they gathered, grew, and hunted. The villages also served as a regional trade center for pipestone, bison hides, and bone tools. In this pre-horse era, these products were hauled on people's backs or with dog travois. Abundant natural resources and valuable trade goods allowed a sophisticated culture to develop here.