A slight detour off Highway 18 is well worth the visit back in history. St. Francis is another small town with a wealth of history. Take the opportunity to stop by the Buechel Memorial Lakota Museum and the St. Francis Mission. The mission and school were established in 1885 at the request of Chief Spotted Tail. Father Jutz and Brother Nunlist were the first Jesuits to arrive at the outskirts of Owl Feather War Bonnet’s camp. Eventually this became the community of St. Francis. The original mission burned to the ground in 1916. The school was rebuilt and still stands today. Continue ten miles west of St. Francis and you find the Big Bend of the Little White River, rivaling in scenic beauty of the Black Hills. Rosebud Agency is eight miles North of St. Francis or 8 miles South of Highway 18. If you want diversion, picturesque interest, a dip into history, magnificent scenery, a look at Indian life, take this 35 to 50 mile detour to the South.