The Milwaukee Railroad founded the town of Eagle Butte, South Dakota in 1910, when the tracks reached this point in their push westward. The named of Eagle Butte was derived from a nearby butte on which Indians hunted eagles for feathers to make war bonnets. Today, Eagle Butte, SD is supported by a mixed population of farmers, ranchers, and Native Americans. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe’s headquarters are located in Eagle Butte.