Name: Devils Tower

 

County: Crook

 

Authority Name: 

 

GNIS Entry

 

Longitude:  1044256W

Latitude: 443526N

 

Legal Description:

 

Elevation: 4977/1517

(ft/m)

 

Feature Type: Summit

 

Origin of Name:

A great tower of rock, raising 1,126 feet above the Belle Fourche River. Known as “Mateo Tipi,” by the Indians who believed it to be the dwelling place of the Thunder God.

Source: WPA

 

Other Names: Bad Gods Tower, Grizzly Bear Lodge, Mateo Tepee 

 

Alternative Spellings:

 

History:

 

Stories:

Devils Tower National monument is impressive, and seemed to be the Indians' gift of the gods; they pictured the great Thunder God upon this eminence beating upon his huge drum to make thunder. Many moons ago, said they, bears attacked three maidens gathering flowers. As they fled, the gods took pity and caused the rock to spring up from the ground, up which the maidens climbed, followed by the bears until the clumsy animals could no longer mount the steep, rocky surface, when they fell to their death. The maidens fashioned their flowers into a rope and lowered themselves to the ground. The magnificent formation with its vivid coloring is now known to be the remains of an extinct volcano but the Indians insist the fluted appearance was caused by scratches of bear claws.

From Touraide – Conoco Travel Bureau, Denver.

Source: WPA

 

Maps:

1:24000 Quadrangle: Devils Tower

 

Newspapers:

 

More Information: 

Devils Tower National Monument

 

Pictures: