Destination Sites
How to get there: located near the Blue Earth County Library in downtown Mankato
What you will find: A bronze historic marker and limestone sculpture of a Dakota Warrior serve as a reminder of the aftermath of the U.S.-Dakota of 1862 in which 38 Dakota warriors were executed near this site.
Services at this site: None
On December 26, 1862, Mankato was the site of the largest mass execution in U.S. History in which 38 Dakota Warriors were hanged for their involvement in the U.S.-Dakota War. The bronze historic marker and limestone sculpture of a Dakota Warrior is in honor of the warriors.
A bronze historic marker recounting the events of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 is located on the grounds of the Blue Earth County Library in downtown Mankato, near the location of the 1862 Execution. The site includes a solitary red pipestone feather and limestone pedestal representing the heritage of the Dakota.
Next to the historic marker is a limestone statue titled “Winter Warrior” depicting a Dakota Warrior. The statue was installed in 1987 — the “Year of Reconciliation” — in remembrance of the 38 Dakota Warriors. Local sculptor Thomas Miller is the artist.
Things to Do: Destination Site, Outdoor Activities, U.S. - Dakota War of 1862
