Pipestone - hallowed ground

We traveled from Pierre, SD, to the Pipestone National Monument in Pipestone, MN. Here are some examples of items made with this beautiful red stone. Following is the Sioux account of the origin of the pipestone: "At an ancient time the Great Spirit, in the form of a large bird, stood upon the wall of rock and called all the tribes around him, and breaking out a piece of the red stone formed it into a pipe and smoked it, the smoke rolling over the whole multitude. He then told his red children that this red stone was their flesh, that they were made from it, that they must all smoke to him through it, that they must use it for nothing but pipes; and as it belonged alike to all tribes, the ground was sacred, and no weapons must be used or brought upon it." Native Americans still extract pipestone from the quarries at the National Park. We hiked throughout the park reverently.