15JUN08 - Billings, MT

During today’s drive, 15JUN, we decided to do some sightseeing enroute to Billings, MT. First stop was the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. Having read about Custer’s last stand in numerous books and having seen it portrayed in many movies (often inaccurately), it is still a somber experience to visit the actual site. We were fortunate to catch one of the excellent lectures/presentations given by the Rangers about what led to the battle, then a step by step recounting of the battle, and then the aftermath.

In the 90s the Congress directed the Park Service to present a more balanced depiction of what was really a clash between two cultures (Native Americans vs European Emigrants). As a result there is now a monument dedicated to the various Tribes, there are markers noting where Native Americans fell, and the Ranger’s presentations gives equal weight to the Native American point of view. For example a marker noting where A’Kavehe Onahe fell during the battle states “A Cheyenne Warrior fell here on June 25, 1876 while defending the Cheyenne way of life.” There is even a marker noting the mass burial site of the 7th Cavalry horses that were buried several weeks after the battle.

http://www.nps.gov/libi/

The next stop was Pompeys Pillar National Monument (originally named Pompy’s Tower). This is massive sandstone outcrop that rises 150 feet besides a natural ford of the Yellowstone River. Hundreds of markings, petroglyphs, and inscriptions left by visitors have transformed this geologic phenomenon into a living journal of the American West. The monument’s most notable inscription was left by Captain William Clark on 25 July 1806. His inscription is believed to be the only remaining on-site physical evidence of Lewis & Clark’s epic journey.

In honor of the two hundred year anniversary of Lewis & Clark’s three year journey, there is excellent interactive visitor center. The center covers much of their travels through Montana, and gives a great deal of info on many other members of the expedition other than Lewis, Clark or Sacagawea. One of the interactive displays allows you to don a full set of buckskin cloths. Dan did this and realized that not only were they extremely heavy; but when they got wet, they would be three times as heavy and stink.

http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/fo/billings_field_office/Pompeys_Pillar.html

After setting up camp at Wally Mart, we headed to downtown Billings. Even though Billings is supposedly Montana’s largest city, it was almost a ghost town on this Sunday afternoon. Luckily the Montana Brew Pub was open and we sat out in the sun and enjoyed a light snack.

Trivia: Three members of the Custer Family died during the battle, who were the other two? How do you know the difference between officer’s graves and enlisted graves? How come Lewis didn’t carve his initials into the rock like Clark did? Who was Pompy and how did the name of the rock change from Pompy’s Tower to Pompeys Pillar?