Location: Crow Agency, Big Horn County
On January 29, 1879, the site of the Battle of the Little Bighorn was officially preserved as a U.S. National Cemetery by the Secretary of War, primarily to protect the graves of the 7th Cavalry troopers who fell during the battle. This marked the establishment of what was then known as the Custer Battlefield National Monument. The battle, which occurred on June 25-26, 1876, saw the defeat of Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer and his forces by a coalition of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors. The creation of the national monument ensured the preservation of this historically significant site, allowing for the commemoration of those who fought and fell. Over time, the monument's interpretation has evolved to include the perspectives and experiences of the Native American warriors, leading to its renaming as Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in 1991. This day marks a pivotal moment in the efforts to memorialize and understand one of the most iconic conflicts in American history, deeply intertwined with Montana's past.