About

Double Ditch Indian Village, located 7 miles north on Highway 1804 in Bismarck, is a large earth lodge village that was inhabited by the Mandan Indians for nearly 300 years between 1490 and 1785 AD. The earth lodge villages were centers of trade between the Mandan and their neighbors, and later Euro-American traders. A smallpox epidemic is believed to be responsible of the abandonment of Double Ditch. Today visitors will see the remains of earth lodges, refuse mounds and the surrounding fortification ditches, as well as eight interactive signs on site. The site also offers a great scenic view of the Missouri River.