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
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 • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • 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. It can be reached from N. 19th Avenue near I-90 eastbound
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Montana’s Yellowstone Country. It is also in the American Mountain West and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land and also the Louisiana Purchase.
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);
Photographed by David Rozzelle, September 6, 2025
2. First People in the Gallatin Valley Marker
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 at that time..." - Meriwether Lewis
Credits. This page was last revised on September 16, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 24, 2010, by Rich Pfingsten of Forest Hill, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,756 times since then and 73 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 24, 2010, by Rich Pfingsten of Forest Hill, Maryland. 2. submitted on September 10, 2025, by David Rozzelle of Knoxville, Tennessee. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
