• Artist George Catlin recorded the quarrying activity at the pipestone quarries in 1836

    Pipestone

    National Monument Minnesota

Laws & Policies

Quarry Permits - Information on how to obtain permits to quarry for pipestone. Only members of tribes recognized by the U.S. Government may apply for quarry permits.

National Park Service Organic Act - This legislation created the National Park Service in 1916.

Pipestone National Monument Establishing Legislation - The law that created Pipestone National Monument also allows for ongoing quarrying by American Indians.

Firearms in National Parks - The law governing possession of firearms inside a National Park changed on February 22, 2010.

Did You Know?

Tallgrass prairie landscape with Big Bluestem Grass

Pipestone National Monument is one of the few remaining areas of native tallgrass prairie.  Over 400,000 square miles of tall grass prairie once covered the Midwest.  Less than 1% of the original tall grass prairie remains today. More...