Press Release: June 1, 2006
Central Plains Region
Historically Important Items Recovered
Tim Rives
816-268-8017
Due to the public spiritedness of a private donor, the National Archives-Central Plains Region has recovered historically important alienated federal records relating to the Wounded Knee Massacre, which was the last armed conflict between the Lakota Sioux Indians and the United States Seventh Cavalry, occurring near Pine Ridge, SD, December 1890.
The items received include:
- the letterpress copybook kept by Standing Rock Indian Reservation agent James McLaughlin, as well as,
- the original letter he sent to Indian police ordering the arrest of Sitting Bull.
The records also include a volume of McLaughlin's correspondence from when he was agent at the Devil's Lake Agency, near Ft. Totten, ND
When writing to thank the donor, R. Reed Whitaker, Regional Administrator for the Central Plains Region, stated:
“During my 40 plus year tenure with the National Archives I have on occasion been associated with some significant events and have had the opportunity to meet some truly remarkable people. This by way of introduction is my way of expressing my profound thanks for your donation to the National Archives Central Plains Region of the McLaughlin records that were in your custody. Your exercise of personal citizenship in assuring the continued preservation of these documents is a significant event by a remarkable individual.”
The Central Plains Region is one of 14 facilities nationwide where the public has access to federal archival records. It is home to more than 43,000 cubic feet of historical records dating from the 1820s to the 1990s created or received by nearly 100 federal agencies. The Central Plains Region houses records from the states of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The facility is located at 2312 E. Bannister Rd., Kansas City, MO 64131. It is open to the public Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or visit our web site at http://www.archives.gov/central-plains/kansas-city/
