How did Devils Tower National Monument get its name?
The Devil’s Tower National Monument is a volcanic rock formation that stands 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River in Wyoming. It was given its name by Colonel Richard Dodge in the 1870s.Colonel DodgeDodge was one of a group of soldiers escorting a U.S. Geological Survey party surveying the Black Hills in 1875. He published a book the following year titled “The Black Hills,” in which he referred to the formation as the “Devil’s Tower.”Alternative NameThe formation had previously been known as “Mateo Tepee,” an Indian name that translates roughly to “Grizzly Bear Lodge.”Kiowas StoryThe Kiowas people told a story about the rock’s formation that explains its name. Seven little girls from the tribe were being chased by bears, and pleaded with the rock to save them. It rose into the sky, taking them to safety.Cheyenne StoryThe Cheyenne had a different explanation, in which seven brothers were being chased by a bear. One brother was carrying a small rock in his hand, which grew larger whe
