Little Bighorn Battlefield or Custer’s Last Stand

One of the places we had on our list to visit was the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana or you might think of it as “Custer’s Last Stand.”  In 1876, this is the spot where George Armstrong Custer, a controversial military general, led his men into battle against a group of Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians who were just trying to defend their traditional nomadic way of life.  The soldiers were defeated in this battle but the Indians were soon to loose their way of life.  A sad moment in our history for sure.

Read more about George Armstrong Custer here and here.  Here is more information on Sitting Bull chief of the Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux here and here plus information on Crazy Horse, leader of the Oglala Lakota Sioux here and here.This was a very sobering visit and so interesting to read the information on the different sites and to walk the same hills.  Small white stones mark the place where soldiers died and in recent years, markers have been erected where Indians were killed.  I am glad the Indian’s are honored here too as for too many years it was just the solders that were recognized.Here are more of the photos I took while at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.  To read more about the area, the battle, the people involved just Google.   Interesting reading to be sure.We walked the trails around the battlefield and could visualize the descriptions of the various parts of the battle.View of the river valley where the Indian tribes were camped.  Most of the battle took place in the hills where we were standing.View to the east and the Reno-Benteen battlefield.  More history of this area on the east edge of the Little Bighorn Battlefield here and here.


Horses grazing in part of the National Monument – a beautiful sight.  One colt was having a lunch break as we drove by. If you ever get a chance to visit this monument be sure to go as it brings history alive.  I have never been one for liking history much but visiting these places is so interesting and finally all that reading about them years ago in my history classes makes sense.

Until Later,
Lynn