Molstad Village

Molstad Village is an archaeological site near Mobridge, South Dakota, preserving a small fortified Native settlement occupied briefly in the mid-1500s. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1964, it contains earth lodges within a bastioned palisade and additional lodges outside, indicating both protected and outlying living spaces. Assigned to the Chouteau aspect of the Middle Missouri tradition, later called the Extended Coalescent phase, the site was excavated in 1962 under J. Jake Hoffman. Finds included post holes, cache pits, pottery, stone and bone tools, and headless human remains in one pit. These discoveries helped establish a regional archaeological chronology.

South Dakota · United States