When we were here in 1986, this national monument was named Custer's Last Stand. In 1991, President Bush signed the decree renaming it the Little Bighorn Battlefield Monument, honoring all who fought and lost their lives here.
It was windy again today, just as it was back 29 summers ago. The path hasn't changed, and the hills still have that dry, parched look to them. However, now Don has less hair to blow around and mine has turned from blonde to grey.
Even the trees in the background don't look much bigger. Or is it my eyesight? No, I bet they keep them trimmed like Bonsai trees!
The white headstones show where U.S. soldiers lost their lives in June, 1876, and many are scattered through the battlefield. For more than a century, the only markers were for Custer and his 260 men. It wasn't until 2001 that funds were finally appropriated to mark sites for the Cheyenne, Lakota and other Indians that perished also.
This is part of the Indian memorial erected after 2003.
In 1877, the officers' remains were shipped back east to different cemeteries. General Custer's remains were reburied at West Point. And, as you can see, they even have a horse cemetery, which I'm sure makes two of my horse-loving granddaughters very happy.
We came across different horses as we were driving around the battlefield road. Who knows, this might be a descendant of one of the Indian horses that was in that fierce battle.
If you look closely, you can see Posie the Pig right above the sign at one of the sites.
She also enjoyed time out of her little plastic cup, which allowed her to get some fresh air and gaze over the vast hills of Montana. It was peaceful out there.
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