The City of Mendota Heights, along with its partners, the Pilot Knob Preservation Association and Dakota County hired 106 Group to develop an interpretive plan for Oheyawahi/Pilot Knob. This 112-acre site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is comprised of public and private land.
Within this site is Historic Pilot Knob, a 27-acre area that is owned and managed by the City. Historic Pilot Knob is open for public visitation and is where interpretation takes place. Oheyawahi is part of the Dakota homelands. It is a sacred place for Indigenous peoples who buried their ancestors here and continue to gather here.
Scope
Our team planned and managed Indigenous community engagement to inform development of the interpretive plan. We coordinated with our Indigenous partners and the client team to align recommendations with capital improvement and natural resources restoration efforts that will be taking place in parallel processes.
Outcome
The interpretive plan reflects the input and guidance provided by our Indigenous partners as well as dozens of Dakota elders, community members, and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, and other Indigenous people who connect with the site on a regular basis. The plan recommendations will guide the City in next steps of site development.
