Cramer was joined by Sen. John Hoeven, chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs; Aurelia Skipwith, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who oversees national game preserves; and other; and others.

White Horse Hill was previously named Sullys Hill after Gen. Alfred Sully, a Civil War and Indian Wars military officer who gained his reputation carrying out several massacres against Native Americans, including one of the worst in the history of the Dakota Territory.

At the request of Spirit Lake Nation, last year Cramer introduced legislation to change the name to its traditional Dakota name, White Horse Hill, which required an act of Congress. It was the senator’s first bill to pass the Senate and became law when President Trump signed it along with last December’s appropriations package.

“Naming this hill after General Sully was a great injustice. While changing its name may have seemed insignificant to some in Washington, it was never a small thing to me or the people of this land. And because of that, we made change happen,” said Cramer. “While we cannot change the past, we can improve our future, and today we took a step towards that goal.”

Submitted Photo A ceremony was held on Wednesday to celebrate the renaming of Sullys Hill to White Horse Hill National Game Preserve. The game preserve is within the Spirit Lake Reservation.

Hoeven helped introduce and pass the legislation sponsored by Cramer to restore the traditional Dakota name of the area.

“Today’s ceremony marks a welcome change to honor the heritage and people of the Spirit Lake Tribe,” said Hoeven. “We appreciate our colleagues for working with us to move the necessary legislation through Congress, and we join with the community in celebrating the restored White Horse Hill name today.”

Congressman Kelly Armstrong introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The ceremony included a color guard presentation, followed by remarks from Hoeven, Indian Affairs Commission’s Kyle Iron Lightning, North Dakota Transportation Department Director Bill Panos, and Tourism Director Sara Otte Coleman. Cramer presented a U.S. flag flown at the Capitol to Chairman Doug Yankton, who also delivered remarks.

The group then participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for White Horse Hill’s new sign.

Submitted Photo Some of the dignitaries attending a renaming ceremony for White Horse Hill National Game Preserve pose for a photo on Wednesday.