Chief Sleepy Eye Monument
100 Oak Street Northwest

The city of Sleepy Eye was named after the body of water bordering its northwest side. The lake was named after a peaceful, friendly Dakota Chief named Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba (Sleepy Eyes).

Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba was born around 1780, at Swan Lake, Nicollet County. In 1824, Indian Agent Lawrence Taliaferro took four Sioux and four Ojibwe to visit President James Monroe at the nation's capitol. Chief Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba was chosen to attend. While in Washington, D.C., Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba received a document from President Monroe declaring that he was officially a chief, succeeding Blue Spirit. He then became chief of all of the Lower Sisseton Sioux (Dakota) from Carver to Lac-Qui-Parle. He considered this document among his most cherished possessions in the years which followed. Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba was not a hereditary chief – neither his father nor his grandfather held the position.

During his lifetime, Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba signed the Prairie du Chien (1825 and 1830), Mendota (1836), and Traverse des Sioux treaties.

J.N. Nicollet, the cartographer, wrote in his notes, published with his maps, of Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba and the friendly hospitality of his people.

Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba was described in 1836, while in Washington to sign a treaty, as “large and well proportioned, of rather dignified appearance, appearance, good natured and plausible, but lacking distinction as a hunter or a warrior.” It is believed that his eyelids drooped slightly and his name Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba, which translates in English to Sleepy Eyes, was derived from this physical characteristic.

When Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba signed the Traverse des Sioux Treaty, which he did reluctantly, he said that he would like to live out his days in the “ Lake of Many Swans,” which was known for its many species of geese, ducks, wild rice, fish and many swans. Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba asked U.S. commissioners if he could live out his remaining days and die on the land that he so truly loved. A commissioner in a public forum said it should be as he desired.

In 1857, after some settlers were killed, residents in the Minnesota River Valley were thrown into a panic. A company of U.S. soldiers went to Sleepy Eyes’ camp and requested that he move on to the reservation. Sleepy Eyes, being non-violent, agreed and moved to a lake west of his village, which was later named after him, as was the town, which was erected years later, near the lake.

Sleepy Eyes died on an island in Bullhead Lake around 1860 in Roberts County, South Dakota, in the tepee of a very old Indian Chief named Red Eagle. Red Eagle had dressed Sleepy Eyes in one of his own new buckskin suits, and in this he was buried under a large tree. Also buried with Sleepy Eyes was his pipe, a small mirror, his tobacco pouch of raccoon skin, on which the head was left as an ornament, together with beads and other small articles. Sleepy Eyes’ head would be found six inches below the ground and he would be buried in a sitting position.

In 1902, the citizens of Sleepy Eye, along with Red Eagle and his son, went to the spot under the large tree where Sleepy Eyes was buried. There was no mark of any kind to identify the place, but Red Eagle, who was then over ninety years old, placed his hand on the ground and asked to sink his spading fork there. This was done, and finding nothing, there was a look of disappointment on the face of Red Eagle, so he stopped again, and moved the fork six inches to the west and in going down the second time, they hit Sleepy Eyes’ skull right in the middle. The remains were sent to the city of Sleepy Eye and buried with proper ceremonies in a small park dedicated to him. The park is located in the center of town with a 50-foot tall obelisk marking Sleepy Eyes’ final resting place.

Depot Museum
100 Oak Street Northwest
507-794-5053

The Winona & St. Peter Railroad first reached Sleepy Eye in 1872. A plat map for the Village of Sleepy Eye Lake was filed on September 18, 1872. The first depot was a wooden building, located just west of the current freight depot. The edifice burned down in January 1887.

A second depot was built by June 1887 and was used as a freight depot for many years. It still stands a block east of the Depot Museum. The present depot was built in 1902 of red-faced brick and stone trimming. It consisted of a baggage room, men’s waiting room, family waiting room, telegrapher’s room, ticket room, and the east end lunch room. The reason for “segregation” of men and women seemed to be from railroad policy that the drummers and salesmen traveling on the train were of such a rough character as to be unfit to be in the same room with the women.

For 87 years, the Chicago and North Western Railroad had passenger rail service at Sleepy Eye. The streamliner “Dakota 400” made its last stop in Sleepy Eye on October 25, 1960. After that, the depot served as a freight office.

In the early 1980s, the C & NW Railroad offered to sell the depot. The Sleepy Eye Depot Preservation Inc. was formed to purchase and renovate the depot. A fund drive was started and in 1984, the depot was purchased. Since that time, many changes have taken place. The building was re-roofed and the bricks were tuck pointed and cleaned. Inside, the woodwork was refinished and insulation was inserted behind the wall panels. The floors were sanded and sealed, a new electrical system and gas furnace were installed and the bathroom area was renovated. All the windows were replaced with new energy efficient ones. A handicapped accessible ramp and landscaping enhanced the building.

On July 3, 1990, the Sleepy Eye Area Historical Society received the keys to the depot, now known as the “Depot Museum,” filled with the artifacts from the Sleepy Eye area. In 1992, the depot was named to the National Register of Historic Places. The Depot Museum is open from May 1 to December 15.

Depot Antiques
200 Oak Street Northeast
507-794-5275

Built in 1887, this historic railroad freight depot has been turned into a repository filled with antiques, primitives, antique lighting and much more. Stop by to see the collection!