  While on the Circle Trail, look at Leaping Rock and the carvings left by Nicollet. There are other carvings left here by past visitors before this was made a National Monument. These names scar the rock and are graffiti. Do not carve on any rocks or trees, as it is illegal in a National Park. Help protect this area! Ranger hat The Pipestone is called Catlinite after George Catlin who sent samples of the stone back to scientists back east. American Indians were not the only peoples to visit this site. Fur traders like Philander Prescott were likely the first non-native visitors to the quarries, but it was George Catlin that let the world know about this sacred site. He visited here in 1836 and painted the people and the landscape of this area. In 1838 the U.S. Government sent an expedition to explore and map this area. Led by Frenchman Joseph N. Nicollet, they visited the quarries and the surrounding area and noted the location on their maps. They left their mark on the quarries by carving their names in the Sioux Quartzite near Leaping Rock. Draw a picture of two of your favorite places along the Circle Trail. |
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