Life Size Tipi

Bison hide tipi on permanent display in the Museum at the Gateway Arch.

Sue Ford NPS

The authentic life size tipi in the museum was made by Larry Belitz of Hot Springs, South Dakota. Mr. Belitz is a master craftsman has constructed dozens of bison hide tipis over the years. He started working on this tipi Christmas Day of 2008 and delivered the finished tipi January 20, 2009. He then led the National Park Service Exhibits staff in erecting the tipi in the museum.

This tipi is constructed of nine buffalo hides stretched around a frame of fifteen 18’ lodgepole pines. Traditionally, lodgepole pines are used to make tipi poles because of their size, strength and flexibility. The buffalo tails were left on the hides, which serves both as decoration and for functionality as a way to close flaps on the tipi. The tipi lacing pins used to close the tipi above the door are made of chokecherry. This tipi was a replacement for one Mr. Belitz had made for the museum over 30 years before.

 

Close-up of tipi lacing pins which close the front of the tipi above the entrance.

Sue Ford NPS

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  The Tipi

  Park Ranger Dawn explains the history behind the tipi and how women were traditionally responsible for building the tipi, the primary form of housing for many Native Americans.

  Duration:

  1 minute, 45 seconds

 

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  The Museum Tipi

  Ranger Carl comes to us from Jefferson's Vison, one of the galleries in the museum at the Gateway Arch, and talks about the Tipi exhibit.

  Duration:

  2 minutes, 29 seconds