True West Magazine
A Vision Realized on the 145th Anniversary of the Battle
The Indian Memorial at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana was created to honor and recognize those American Indians who died to preserve their traditional way of life at the 1876 battle, as well as to provide a better understanding of the causes and consequences of what is popularly known as “Custer’s Last Stand.”
The Little Bighorn Battlefield Indian Memorial was dedicated on June 25, 2003, and rededicated on June 25, 2014, with the addition of interpretive panels representing all Native tribal combatants and scouts that participated in the June 25-26, 1876 battle. NPS.gov
Courtesy of the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, New York
Top Questions
Where was the Battle of the Little Bighorn fought?
The Battle of the Little Bighorn was fought at the Little Bighorn River in southern Montana Territory, U.S.
Why did the Battle of the Little Bighorn happen?
The Battle of the Little Bighorn happened because the Second Treaty of Fort Laramie, in which the U.S. government guaranteed to the Lakota and Dakota (Yankton) as well as the Arapaho exclusive possession of the Dakota Territory west of the Missouri River, had been broken.
Why is the Battle of the Little Bighorn significant?