BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) — The State Historical Society of North Dakota has received top honors in the 2024 Interpretive Media Awards from the National Association for Interpretation (NAI), securing first place in the “Difficult Topics” category. This recognition highlights the Society’s successful reexamination of the Whitestone Hill State Historic Site, located near Kulm. Previously regarded only as a battlefield, Whitestone Hill is now presented as a place of remembrance for the victims of a massacre in 1863, carried out by Gen. Alfred Sully’s forces. The project involved replacing a single interpretive sign with 15 new panels, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the tragic event. These panels were informed by a variety of sources, including primary documents, oral histories, and contemporary research. Rob Hanna, Historic Sites Manager at the State Historical Society, led the reinterpretation. ‘Leisure Fee’ for hotels to help grow tourism in Minot “We spent over five years working on these interpretive panels,” Hanna said. “This recognition is a much-appreciated acknowledgment of our efforts to tell the story in a fair and accurate way, using the best available research.” In creating the panels, the Society worked closely with historians, tribal representatives, and local community members to ensure that the presentation reflected the complexity of the event and its long-lasting effects on Indigenous communities. “For me, there’s something rewarding in recognizing the pain that people went through and helping our community acknowledge that pain,” Hanna said. The NAI’s “Difficult Topics” category, introduced in 2024, recognizes projects that tackle sensitive and emotionally charged subjects. The panels at Whitestone Hill aim to offer visitors a space to reflect and learn, while honoring the gravity of the historical events that took place there. The site, which features monuments, picnic facilities, and a primitive campground, is open year-round with free admission, though it does not provide snow removal services. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW