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

Battle of the Little Bighorn

"Custer's Last Stand"

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2020

1. Battle of the Little Bighorn Marker

Captions: (upper right) The large granite monument on Last Stand Hill, built in July 1881, marks the spot were Custer and many of his command fell.; (bottom left) George Armstrong Custer; (bottom center) Two Moons, one of the Northern Cheyenne leaders, in 1914. Two Moons Park is located on the east end of Billings.; (bottom right) Famed Western artist J.K. Ralston, a resident of Billings, with a 1965 painting of the Little Bighorn Battlefield. Ralston's studio cabin can now be seen on the grounds of the Western Heritage Center in Billings.

Inscription. This famous battle pitted federal troops of the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry, led by Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer, against Lakota (Sioux), Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors. Custer and his command of 259 men were soundly defeated. "Custer's Last Stand" became one of the country's most enduring legends.
The "Custer Battlefield," first preserved as a U.S. National Cemetery in 1879, was renamed Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in 1991. White marble and red speckled granite markers dot the hillsides and ravines where soldiers and warriors fell. Open year-round, the battleground is sixty miles southeast of Billings.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Wars, US Indian. A significant historical year for this entry is 1879.

Location. 45° 47.055′ N, 108° 29.872′ W. Marker is in Billings, Montana, in Yellowstone County. It is in the South Side. Marker is on Montana Avenue (Business Interstate 90) near North 22nd Street, on the right when traveling east. The marker is found on the fence paralleling the railroad tracks. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2300 Montana Avenue, 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. The Fight or Flight of the Nez Perce (here, next to this marker); Billings' Chinatown (a few steps from this marker); Children of the Large-Beaked Bird

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(a few steps from this marker); Northern Cheyenne Tribe (a few steps from this marker); How Billings Got Its News (a few steps from this marker); The Yellowstone River (a few steps from this marker); Steamboat City on the River (a few steps from this marker); Billings: The Father and the Son (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Billings.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2020

2. Battle of the Little Bighorn Marker

The marker is located on the fence line.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 7, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 237 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 7, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.