The Dakota Stone is placed in a prominent location near the China Garden’s east entrance to welcome all visitors to this part of the Dakota homeland, on which Phalen Regional Park and the China Friendship Garden are situated.  Minnesota is the birthplace of the Dakota.  Through this stone, MCFGS expresses its gratitude to the Dakota and recognizes the Dakota as the original and continuing stewards of this land.

 The Dakota stone is a local deeply-weathered Limestone weighing about 1 ton.  This stone is extraordinary in that, if you look carefully, you can see a fossil embedded on the front side, representing longevity and the 10,000 year history of the Dakota. 

Facing East, this stone honors the Dakota tradition of placing the opening of the tipis facing East to catch the first rays of the sunrise —  symbolizing a new day and hope.  Minnesota was viewed as the “Eastern Door” for the Dakota.  Amongst the cottonwoods along the shore of Phalen Lake, this stone is at home.  Look and listen for the Bluejays in the trees overhead, a Dakota symbol of good luck. 

This stone recognizes that this area of Phalen Park served as a corridor for the Dakota who camped along Phalen Lake and made their way up the chain of lakes by foot and canoes to White Bear Lake to gather and hunt.   This Limestone is the same stone as the white cliffs along the Mississippi River, one of the major Dakota waterways. The limestone cave, Wakan Tipi or House of the Spirits, and the mounds above were places of villages and burial less than a mile from downtown St. Paul. A spring near the cave that is connected to all the water in Minnesota creates a habitat for all that is living.  The text on the Dakota stone were engraved by Brian Rosen, Stone & Steel Design, St. Louis Park, MN.

9-18-2021 Dakota Art Stone Unveiling Ceremony