Near Bozeman in Gallatin County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

First People in the Gallatin Valley

To the Headwaters

Photographed By Rich Pfingsten, March 22, 2009

1. First People in the Gallatin Valley Marker

Inscription. For centuries distant and diverse tribes visited the Gallatin Valley to hunt. They stampeded buffalo over cliffs during the "dog days" before the acquisition of horses and guns. They hunted animals for food, clothing and shelter. They also mined chert to make projectile points.

The Minnitaree tribe of North Dakota captured Sacagawea in this valley in 1800. She and her trapper husband, Toussaint Charbonneau, joined the Lewis and Clark Expedition as interpreters. Sacagawea proved invaluable in establishing contacts with the Shoshone tribe who provided horses for the westward journey over the Continental Divide.

Erected by Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) & Qwest.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers • Women. In addition, it is included in the Lewis & Clark Expedition series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1800.

Location. 45° 42.725′ N, 111° 3.846′ W. Marker is near Bozeman, Montana, in Gallatin County. Marker can be reached from N. 19th Avenue near I-90 eastbound entrance ramp (at milepost 305), 0.1 miles east of N. 19th Ave. and E. Valley Center Rd., on the left when traveling south. Located

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at Bozeman Rest Area along I-90 along with several other historic markers. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Bozeman MT 59718, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Pioneer Museum (here, next to this marker); Gallatin History Museum (here, next to this marker); Lewis and Clark (here, next to this marker); Trail Through Time (a few steps from this marker); Fur Trade (within shouting distance of this marker); Valley of Opportunity (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Ellis (within shouting distance of this marker); Bozeman Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bozeman.

More about this marker. This marker is included in the Lewis & Clark Expedition marker series. It is one of six illustrated interpretive signs known as "One Trail Through Time: The Bozeman Rest Area signs" according to Montana's Historical Highway Markers book (Revised and Expanded by Axline 2008)

Regarding First People in the Gallatin Valley. Marker Quotation: July 28, 1805 "... Our present camp is precisely on the spot that the Snake Indians were encamped at the time the Minnetares (Hidatsa)...five years ago...made prisoners of all the females and four boys, Sahcahgarweah our Indian woman was one of the prisoners taken

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at that time..." - Meriwether Lewis

Credits. This page was last revised on November 24, 2019. It was originally submitted on March 24, 2010, by Rich Pfingsten of Forest Hill, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,259 times since then and 28 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on March 24, 2010, by Rich Pfingsten of Forest Hill, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.