Gitchie Manitou

Gitchie Manitou State Preserve is located just a few miles from Sioux Falls, crossing the border into Iowa. Once designated as a State Park, it also served as a quarry and is home to Native American burial mounds. The name Gitchie Manitou translates to Great Spirit.

However, the park is most infamously known as the site of a tragic crime. On a November night in 1973, five teenagers gathered there to enjoy a fire and hang out. This location was a popular hangout, so much so that police often patrolled the area at night to deter vandalism, underage drinking, and drug use. Unfortunately, that night, instead of the usual police presence, three brothers arrived to terrorize the teenagers, pretending to be law enforcement, resulting in the murder of four boys and the abduction of a 13-year-old girl, Sandra Chesky, who was brutally assaulted before being returned to her home. The story, marked by its shocking violence and lack of clear motive, led to rampant rumors and assumptions that overshadowed the truth. Remarkably, Sandra provided the police with a wealth of details, which ultimately led to the arrest of the perpetrators.

The narrative has many twists, but it’s crucial to focus on the survivor, who would come to be known as Gitchie Girl. While her testimony secured life sentences for the offenders, Sandra faced her own life sentence filled with survivor's guilt, trauma, and the haunting whispers of her nickname as she moved through life. Eventually, Phil and Sandy Hamman published the book "Gitchie Girl," giving Sandra a platform to share her story and recount the events of that horrific night.

The book illuminated the tragic evening's events while allowing Sandra Chesky to reclaim some control over her narrative. Readers of "Gitchie Girl" not only learned about the harrowing experiences she and her friends endured, but also her remarkable resilience and bravery in the aftermath.

Despite its grim history, Gitchie Manitou State Preserve remains a place of natural beauty and historical importance. It serves as a poignant reminder of life's fragility and the powerful role of storytelling in healing and remembrance.