The First 50 Years In 1956, Devils Tower National Monument celebrated its 50th birthday. A Park Service historian used that occasion to record a history of Devils Tower. A big event occured in 1941 when a parachutist landed safely on top of the Tower. Getting off the Tower was the problem. (The document is rather long - CLICK for an unedited text only -- printer friendly -- version.)
Devils Tower - Sacred to Plains Tribes
A review of the ethnographic literature demonstrates that Devils Tower was a sacred area for several Plains Tribes, and that it is considered an important landmark in tribal narratives.
First Stories – In Their Own Words In the 1930’s, the importance of Devils Tower to many Plains Indians was recorded in first person narratives.
Did You Know?
Over 20 tribes have a cultural affiliation with Devils Tower. Many tribes have stories about how the Tower was created. Most of the stories talk about a bear using its claws to score the Tower's sides.