Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument!

What Is Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument?

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument preserves the site of the last native victory against the US Army!

What Makes It Historical?

On April 29, 1868, the US Government signed the Treaty of Fort Laramie with the Sioux Nation, setting aside the Black Hills area for exclusive use by the 10 tribes that made up the nation. Nonetheless, in 1874, General George A. Custer led a scouting mission into the Black Hills to find gold and set up a military post to defend against raids from those who did not sign the treaty, such as Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. With the discovery of gold, miners swarmed the Black Hills!

The US Government offered to buy the land, but the Lakota rejected the price. So, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs broke the Treaty of Fort Laramie, reimagined a new reservation, and ordered all Sioux to move there by January 31, 1876. The Sioux nation said No! That led the US Army to name the tribes as hostile and move in.

In June of 1876, three regiments moved in on a huge encampment of tribes gathered for their annual sun dance near the Little Big Horn River, an area also called the Greasy Grass. When Custer’s 7th Regiment got spotted by scouts, rather than wait for the other two regiments, his force of between 800 and 900 attacked the encampment of 8,000! The famous moment of Custer’s Last Stand amounted to his last 40-50 people fighting to the end against hundreds of Lakota and Cheyenne warriors. Thanks to lobbying by his wife, Libby, and the work of Buffalo Bill Cody, Custer’s Last Stand became the most famous part of this battle. The Plains Wars continued until December 29, 1890 with the massacre of Wounded Knee.

How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?

Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
Volunteer at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument!
Become a member of the Friends of the Little Bighorn!
Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!