Rimrock in Billings in Yellowstone County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

The Nomadic Experience

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 16, 2020

1. The Nomadic Experience

Caption: Gros Ventre (Atsina) carrying goods across the prairie on a travois. The contemporary Gros Ventre are enrolled members of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in northern Montana. Photo by Edward Curtis 1908.

Inscription.

The Nomadic Experience. . (Three panels make up this marker.) The Nomadic Experience . For thousands of years, native peoples of the Northern Plains enjoyed a lifestyle marked by freedom of movement. Families, friends, and foes interacted through a diversity of languages and customs. People thrived by chronicling the natural features and moving to the rhythm of the seasons. Their resourcefulness aided in overcoming the toughest winters, hottest summers, and established a lineage of history and stories. Contact with Europeans introduced the horse and new weapons, but also brought oppression, disease, and fixed boundaries, all of which undermined the nomadic way of life. , Where the Bison Roamed . The American bison was the life line of native peoples. When Yellowstone Kelly first arrived in Montana Territory in 1868, he observed: "...one could ride north for hundreds of miles and never be out of sight of buffaloes..." , By February, 1880, just twelve years later, Yellowstone Kelly witnessed one of the last great gatherings of bison north of the Yellowstone River. The eradication of the bison corresponded with the forced relocation of native people to reservations. , Alkali Creek Overlook - Where the Bison Roamed . Alkali Creek provides a convenient passage for traveling north from the Yellowstone River. Just north of this point, archaeologists excavated two areas near Alkalie Creek. The sites were occupied from approximately 3,300 B.C. to 340 years ago. Thousands of artifacts were recovered, consisting mostly of bone fragments, fire-cracked rocks, and stone flakes from tool-making, along with projectile points and stone tools. The earlier people used stone points with atlatls, a small spear-throwing device. In the past 2,000 years, people used smaller arrowheads with bow and arrow technology. They primarily hunted bison. The nearby Billings Bison Trap Site is located one-half mile east, where MetraPark is today. Bison hunting occurred in the immediate area for thousands of years.

(Three panels make up this marker.)

The Nomadic Experience
For thousands of years, native peoples of the Northern Plains enjoyed a lifestyle marked by freedom of movement. Families, friends, and foes interacted through a diversity of languages and customs. People thrived by chronicling the natural features and moving to the rhythm of the seasons. Their resourcefulness aided in overcoming the toughest winters, hottest summers, and established a lineage of history and stories.
Contact with Europeans introduced the horse and new weapons, but also brought oppression, disease, and fixed boundaries, all of which undermined the nomadic way of life.

Where the Bison Roamed
The American bison was the life line of native peoples. When Yellowstone Kelly first arrived in Montana Territory in 1868, he observed: "...one could ride north for hundreds of miles and never be out of sight of buffaloes..."

By February, 1880, just twelve years later, Yellowstone Kelly witnessed one of the last great gatherings of bison north of the Yellowstone River. The eradication of the bison corresponded with the forced relocation of native people to reservations.

Alkali Creek Overlook - Where the Bison Roamed

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Alkali Creek provides a convenient passage for traveling north from the Yellowstone River. Just north of this point, archaeologists excavated two areas near Alkalie Creek. The sites were occupied from approximately 3,300 B.C. to 340 years ago. Thousands of artifacts were recovered, consisting mostly of bone fragments, fire-cracked rocks, and stone flakes from tool-making, along with projectile points and stone tools.
The earlier people used stone points with atlatls, a small spear-throwing device. In the past 2,000 years, people used smaller arrowheads with bow and arrow technology. They primarily hunted bison. The nearby Billings Bison Trap Site is located one-half mile east, where MetraPark is today. Bison hunting occurred in the immediate area for thousands of years.

Erected by Yellowstone Kelly Interpretive Site.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Anthropology & Archaeology • Native Americans.

Location. 45° 47.911′ N, 108° 29.313′ W. Marker is in Billings, Montana, in Yellowstone County. It is in Rimrock. Marker is on Chief Black Otter Trail near Rimtop Drive, on the right when traveling east. The marker is located at the Yellowstone Kelly Interpretive Site in Swords

Where the Bison Roamed image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 16, 2020

2. Where the Bison Roamed

Rimrock Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Billings MT 59101, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Luther Sage "Yellowstone" Kelly (within shouting distance of this marker); Yellowstone Kelly's Grave (within shouting distance of this marker); Surely this spot was meant for Yellowstone Kelley (within shouting distance of this marker); Who was Luther Sage "Yellowstone" Kelly? (within shouting distance of this marker); Where the River Meets the Rims (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Enjoying Our Parks (approx. 0.2 miles away); Skeleton Cliff (approx. ¼ mile away); Boothill Cemetery (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Billings.

Alkali Creek Overlook - Where the Bison Roamed image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 16, 2020

3. Alkali Creek Overlook - Where the Bison Roamed

Caption: Stone tools recovered from the Billings Bison Trap Site.

The Nomadic Experience Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 16, 2020

4. The Nomadic Experience Marker

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 16, 2020

5. The Nomadic Experience Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 28, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 89 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on February 28, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.