The Case:
A woman in Portland, Oregon has a curious spoon that once belonged to her grandmother. It's known in her family as "the spoon of atrocities.”
An eerie scene is etched into its sterling silver bowl: wagons, buildings and a crowd of spectators gathered before a gallows with figures hanging from them. A disturbing message is inscribed: "Hanging 38 Sioux In 1862 Mankato, Minn.”
What is this tragic scene, and why has it been etched into what looks like a collectible, commemorative spoon?
History Detectives explores the clash between white settlers and the Dakota Sioux in the mid nineteenth-century - and a struggle that led to the largest mass execution in American history.
Related Content
Feature:
Technique:
Technique:
Feature:
Related Links
Explore
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Valley Forge Map
Did George Washington use this map during the American Revolution?
-
Also in Season 6
GAR Photograph
How did two African Americans come to be part of this photograph in Reconstructionist-era America?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Confederate Eyeglass
Is this how southern sympathizers identified each other during the Civil War?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Texas Servant Girl Murders
Years before Jack the Ripper, did a serial killer walk the streets of Austin, TX?
-
Related Investigation
The Ni'ihau Incident
What do these metal parts reveal about the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor?
-
Related Investigation
China Marine Jacket
Can the symbols on this jacket identify a marine who may have witnessed paradise tumbling into disaster?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.