“Omaha Charley” Bristol Collection

Donation information indicates that this turtle bone necklace belonged to Young Spotted Tail, a son of the Brule Lakota Chief Spotted Tail. Young Spotted Tail was held briefly at Fort Niobrara after he murdered his rival, White Thunder, in 1884. Little is known of his life or whereabouts afterwards. This necklace, and the accompanying photograph, was donated as part of the collection of D. Charles Bristol, also known as “Omaha Charlie” a trader who, starting in the 1870s, would exhibit his collection of Native American materials. By the 1890s Bristol was traveling extensively with his own Wild West show, Omaha Charley and his Wandering Band of Sioux. It is currently unknown how Bristol came into the possession of this necklace and photograph. It is possible that Young Spotted Tail toured with or met Bristol in the 1890s and Bristol obtained the items directly, or perhaps he obtained them from a third party. Source: D. C. “Omaha Charlie” Bristol, Homer, Nebraska (2199, Turtle Bone Necklace)