A Hermosa Mystery: Battle River Cemetery 1880-1895
Professional anthropologist and amateur historian Lilah Morton Pengra investigated a local abandoned cemetery in Custer County near Hermosa, South Dakota, utilizing mortuary records, newspapers, site surveys, county property deeds and oral history, in order to reconstruct the origin of the cemetery, original name and persons probably interred there.
The book is illustrated with photographs of the site, scans of original documents, color-coded maps, as well as an Introduction, a list of abbreviations used in the book, an Appendix listing children's deaths in the Hermosa area 1886 -1900, a bibliography of sources and an index of the book.
The now-abandoned Battle River Cemetery is on private land which is used to pasture bulls. Please--- No Trespassing!
The book is illustrated with photographs of the site, scans of original documents, color-coded maps, as well as an Introduction, a list of abbreviations used in the book, an Appendix listing children's deaths in the Hermosa area 1886 -1900, a bibliography of sources and an index of the book.
The now-abandoned Battle River Cemetery is on private land which is used to pasture bulls. Please--- No Trespassing!
Back Cover Commendations
The history of Hermosa is contained in our cemetery. Some of the names on headstones appear in today's phone book and email addresses. From this cemetery hillside, these pioneers could see their futures-- not only the homes they would build but also the families they would engender. Hermosa Arts and History Association is proud to be the beneficiary of Lilah's intensive research and dedication to our community's roots. Of most importance, she has uncovered unrecorded names for headstones missing from the abandoned cemetery at Hermosa.
--- Roberta Phillip, President, Hermosa Arts & History Association
The history of Hermosa is contained in our cemetery. Some of the names on headstones appear in today's phone book and email addresses. From this cemetery hillside, these pioneers could see their futures-- not only the homes they would build but also the families they would engender. Hermosa Arts and History Association is proud to be the beneficiary of Lilah's intensive research and dedication to our community's roots. Of most importance, she has uncovered unrecorded names for headstones missing from the abandoned cemetery at Hermosa.
--- Roberta Phillip, President, Hermosa Arts & History Association
Cover Art
The drawing on the front cover was done by Janie McRae. It is based on some of the stones that were in the Battle River Cemetery. The tall stone is now toppled, as shown in this photo, which was taken in 2019. Many other stones that were in the abandoned cemetery have disappeared-- either taken by thieves or they have sunk into the ground.
The building depicted on the back cover was done by June Lee in the 1980s. It shows the old Hermosa school house, which was sold to the local Masons for use as their Lodge, in 1929. When the Masons built a modern Lodge in the year 2000, the old building became the HAHA Museum.
The now-abandoned Battle River Cemetery is on private land which is used to pasture bulls. Please--- No Trespassing!
The drawing on the front cover was done by Janie McRae. It is based on some of the stones that were in the Battle River Cemetery. The tall stone is now toppled, as shown in this photo, which was taken in 2019. Many other stones that were in the abandoned cemetery have disappeared-- either taken by thieves or they have sunk into the ground.
The building depicted on the back cover was done by June Lee in the 1980s. It shows the old Hermosa school house, which was sold to the local Masons for use as their Lodge, in 1929. When the Masons built a modern Lodge in the year 2000, the old building became the HAHA Museum.
The now-abandoned Battle River Cemetery is on private land which is used to pasture bulls. Please--- No Trespassing!
A Hermosa Mystery: Battle River Cemetery 1880-1895
By Lilah Morton Pengra
Lune House Publishing, 2020
© Hermosa Arts & History Association, Hermosa, South Dakota
ISBN: 978-0-578-83832-8
88 pages
Size: 8.25 x 11
$24.95
To purchase a copy of this book, see our storefront pages or contact us to find out when copies may be available during an event.
$27 in person
$31 media mail
$35 priority shipping
(prices include sales tax)
HAHA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization so your donations may be tax deductible, however, the amount of your contribution that is deductible for federal income tax purposes is limited to the excess of money over the fair market value of goods or services provided. In this case, since you are purchasing books at fair market value, this payment is not tax-deductible. Remember, your purchase does benefit HAHA’s mission of educating the public about our local history and allows us to cover printing and shipping costs. Hooray and we thank you!
By Lilah Morton Pengra
Lune House Publishing, 2020
© Hermosa Arts & History Association, Hermosa, South Dakota
ISBN: 978-0-578-83832-8
88 pages
Size: 8.25 x 11
$24.95
To purchase a copy of this book, see our storefront pages or contact us to find out when copies may be available during an event.
$27 in person
$31 media mail
$35 priority shipping
(prices include sales tax)
HAHA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization so your donations may be tax deductible, however, the amount of your contribution that is deductible for federal income tax purposes is limited to the excess of money over the fair market value of goods or services provided. In this case, since you are purchasing books at fair market value, this payment is not tax-deductible. Remember, your purchase does benefit HAHA’s mission of educating the public about our local history and allows us to cover printing and shipping costs. Hooray and we thank you!
About the Author
Lilah Morton Pengra earned a BA in anthropology at Grinnell College, Iowa; MAs in African Studies and anthropology and a PhD in anthropology at University of Wisconsin-Madison; and a post-doc in medical anthropology at South Dakota Tech, Rapid City.
She is retired and now researches, writes and lectures on multicultural and local history.
Her publications include Your Values, My Values: Multicultural Services in Developmental Disabilities (Paul Brookes Publishing, 2000), Corporals, Cooks and Cowboys: African Americans in the Black Hills and Surrounding Areas (Lune House Publishing, 2006), Sarah Campbell: The First White Woman in the Black Hills was African American (Lune House Publishing, 2009), Isaiah Dorman: Interpreting the Evidence (Lune House Publishing, 2017), and A Hermosa Mystery: Battle River Cemetery 1880-1895 (Lune House Publishing, 2021).
Lilah Morton Pengra earned a BA in anthropology at Grinnell College, Iowa; MAs in African Studies and anthropology and a PhD in anthropology at University of Wisconsin-Madison; and a post-doc in medical anthropology at South Dakota Tech, Rapid City.
She is retired and now researches, writes and lectures on multicultural and local history.
Her publications include Your Values, My Values: Multicultural Services in Developmental Disabilities (Paul Brookes Publishing, 2000), Corporals, Cooks and Cowboys: African Americans in the Black Hills and Surrounding Areas (Lune House Publishing, 2006), Sarah Campbell: The First White Woman in the Black Hills was African American (Lune House Publishing, 2009), Isaiah Dorman: Interpreting the Evidence (Lune House Publishing, 2017), and A Hermosa Mystery: Battle River Cemetery 1880-1895 (Lune House Publishing, 2021).
The Mystery of Battle River Cemetery
Chapter 4 of this book (pages 71 through 79) recounts the "origin and abandonment" of the cemetery, but Pengra writes: "The exact origin . . . is a mystery. . . No written records survive to document its origin . . ."
Chapter 4 of this book (pages 71 through 79) recounts the "origin and abandonment" of the cemetery, but Pengra writes: "The exact origin . . . is a mystery. . . No written records survive to document its origin . . ."