Samuel H. Ordway, Jr. Memorial Preserve

Grasslands once covered nearly one-third of North America, supporting countless plants and animals and shaping human history. Today, most of our original grasslands have been degraded by invasive species or lost to agriculture and development. 

Ordway Prairie is a unique remnant of this original prairie. Most of it has never been plowed and has been well managed with rotational grazing.

Human history 

The human history here runs as deep as the roots of the prairie. This is Yanktonai Dakota homeland. The Yanktonai people, or Iháŋkthuŋwaŋna, are one of the Seven Council Fires of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ. For generations, Yanktonai people lived on South Dakota’s prairies and rivers, hunting bison, gathering and growing plants, and strengthening cultural lifeways, long before treaties and U.S. expansion disrupted their way of life. 

Remnants of rock prayer sites are reminders that Yanktonai people maintain an enduring connection to this land. Non-native settlers also lived on this land, and remnants of an early 1940s homestead may still be found on the preserve.

Stewardship

This land was acquired using funds provided by Katharine Ordway, a champion of prairie conservation across the Great Plains. The preserve is named after her cousin, Samuel H. Ordway Jr., who had a primary influence on her life and was an early voice for conservation. Today, stewardship of the preserve is supported by contributions from conservation-minded individuals. TNC uses several tactics to keep Ordway Prairie healthy, including sustainable grazing, invasive species management, and controlled burning. 

Visit

The portion of S. H. Ordway Prairie Preserve just south of the interpretive sign on the south side of State Highway 10 is open to the public for hiking and observing wildlife. The area does not have facilities or a maintained trail. Other portions of the preserve are enrolled in the Walk-in Area administered by South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks and can be located by referring to South Dakota Game, Fish and Park’s hunting atlas. Researchers may access the preserve with a research permit. Apply for a permit here.

Supplies and fuel can be purchased in Leola about 10 miles east, or in Eureka about 20 miles west of Ordway. A small hotel and camping facilities are available in Eureka.

What to See: Plants

More than 300 plant species can be found on the preserve. Tallgrass species are in the lowland areas, mid-height species are found on hillsides, and short grass species are found on hill tops. Hillsides are covered with wildflowers from late spring through the summer.

What to See: Animals

TNC maintains a herd of more than 300 bison in the central portion of the preserve. The bison are wild animals and should not be approached. The herd can sometimes be viewed across the fence from the nature trail area. Badgers, ground squirrels, fox and coyotes may also be seen on the preserve. Ordway’s grasslands and wetlands support several thousand pairs of waterfowl along with shorebirds, grebes, rails and herons.