BOU AVENUE
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
Late in the day on 17 July 2019, Zosia Zgolak and I visited Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument near the town of Hardin in southeast Montana.  The monument commemorates the famous battle that took place near Little Bighorn River on 25-26 June 1876 between the US Army's 7th Calvary Regiment led by Lieutenant-Colonel George A. Custer and the combined forces of the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho Native American tribes led by Sitting Bull.  Zosia and I first drove past the visitor centre to Reno Hill at the east end of the monument.  After getting out of my car for a short walk on an interpretive pathway there, we slowly drove westward back to the visitor centre.  Along the way, we stopped at numerous interpretive signs following the progress of the historic battle from start to finish.  Parking at the visitor centre, we stopped inside to watch a quick movie and tour the museum and gift shop.  We then went back outside and proceeded up Last Stand Hill which was essentially where the climax of the battle took place.  From there, we next checked out the more recently installed Indian Memorial, and before leaving, we also walked through nearby Custer National Cemetery.

Between the thoughtful layout of the interpretive displays, the wealth of detailed information provided about the Battle of Little Bighorn, and the sublime vistas of rolling grasslands, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is a remarkable tribute to the people on both sides of the conflict who fought and perished here.  I highly recommend a visit!
There are grasshoppers galore here. Watch where you step! Zosia walks along a paved path near Reno Hill where the remaining battalions of the US Army's 7th Calvary under the command of Major Marcus Reno and Captain Frederick Benteen made a defensive stand to survive the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
There may still be some bones lying around here! Throughout the monument site, white marble headstones such as this one mark the locations of where US Army soldiers' bodies were found after the battle.  All of them were initially buried right where they were found, but in 1877, the remains of most of the officers were reinterred in various places throughout the United States.  The remains of all other troops were reinterred in a mass grave atop nearby Last Stand Hill in 1881.
We would have died real good! In the monument's gift shop, Sonny and Zosia consider enlisting in the US Army's 7th Calvary Regiment.
Lakota warrior: "Kill 'em. Kill 'em all!" Zosia heads for Last Stand Hill where Lieutenant-Colonel George Custer and the remnants of his battalion were ultimately annihilated by the combined forces of the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne Native American tribes.

It's believed that Custer's last words were, "Holy shit! Look at all those f**cking Indians!"

Here is the view to the south from the top of Last Stand Hill.  The blackened headstone marks the spot where Custer was purportedly slain.

 

They died with their boots on. This granite memorial stands over the mass grave atop Last Stand Hill.

Very nicely designed memorial!

Near Last Stand Hill is the Indian Memorial which honours the Native American warriors involved in the battle.  This sculpture was created by native artist, Colleen Cutschall.

Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak

 

R.I.P. Nearly 5000 people--mainly military personnel and their relatives--are buried at Custer National Cemetery which is located near the monument's visitor centre.
Thanks for visiting. Please come again! Zosia stands at the edge of Custer National Cemetery with Last Stand Hill in the background.  The teepee is part of the visitor centre.