Spirit Lake Massacre in northwestern Iowa

Background. Inkpaduta, a Wahpekute war chief, was not a signatory to the 1851 Treaty of Mendota, which transferred northwestern Iowa land to the United States. During the severe winter of 1856–1857, his starving band faced food shortages. They begged for food at European-American settlements in northwestern Iowa, setting the stage for conflict with frontier residents who had previously killed Inkpaduta's brother.

The Attack. On March 8, 1857, Inkpaduta led a band of 14 Sioux against settlements near Okoboji and Spirit lakes. The attack was driven by revenge for the murder of his brother Sidominadotah by a whiskey trader. The raids resulted in the deaths of 38 people. The Sioux took four young women as captives, including 14-year-old Abbie Gardner, and retreated to Minnesota territory.

Aftermath and Captivity. Abbie Gardner was held captive until the summer of 1858, when the US negotiated her ransom. She was taken to the Upper Sioux Agency on the Minnesota River and returned to Spirit Lake. Gardner later published a memoir in 1885. Her former family cabin, restored to its 1856 appearance, stands at Arnolds Park, Iowa.