‘The last man to talk to the last man’

As we move further and further from the momentous date of June 25^th, 1876, the opportunity to meet with individuals that have a direct connection to the Battle of the Little Big Horn diminishes.  However, a window to the past coincidently opened up at the Custer Battlefield Museum on the date of June 24th, 2012.

That window to the past was Ex-China Marine, Thomas Edward Kendley.  On Tueday, Thomas humbly sauntered into the Custer Battlefield Museum accompanied by his son Steve Kendley and told his captivating story in detail to one of the museum’s current interns.  Born January 27, 1917 Thomas has seen and partaken in some of the most important events in American History of the 20^th century.  Thomas is a proud veteran of World War II.  Mr. Kendley is also an enthusiast of the Battle of the Little Bighorn.  Throughout his life he has made several trips to the battlefield.  One of his earliest trips was in 1926, which was the 50^th anniversary of the battle.  Thomas recalls the time when there was nothing more than a superintendent’s office and a small collection of artifacts located near ‘Last Stand Hill’, which is now known as the Little Big Horn National Monument.  Interestingly, Thomas mentioned that many of the artifacts were collected by Crow Tribal Member, Big Man, who is an ancestor of one of our clerks in the Gift Shop here at the Custer Battlefield Museum.

One of Mr. Kendley’s finest memories associated with the Battle of the Little Big Horn was when he met Charles Windolph, author of the book I fought with Custer.  Charles Windolph was born in Germany and served in the 7^th Calvary under Captain Benteen’s H Company.  At the time Thomas met Mr. Windolph in Leed, South Dakota in 1948, he was 97 years old and the last survivor of the Battle of the Little Big Horn.  Mr. Windolph was also a Congressional Medal of Honor Winner and distinguished himself during the battle by drawing fire from the Indians while carriers dashed to the river to collect water.  Despite the heavy rifle fire from the Indians, only one man was hurt during the action. 

During their conversation in 1948, Charles requested that his daughter retrieve “his letter”.  She brought back Mr. Windolph’s most prized possession, it was a letter in mint condition that had never been opened in 70 years, addressed personally to Charles Windolph from Captain Benteen.  Mr. Windolph asked Thomas if he would do him the honor of opening his letter and reading it to him.  The contents of the letter described Benteen’s appreciation for Windolph’s service and wished him farewell.  Nonetheless, Thomas felt honored to view such a document that Windolph had been waiting to read for all those years.

Now 95 years of age, Thomas is truly the last man to have talked to the last man of the Battle of the Little Bighorn.  It was an extraordinary opportunity for myself to meet him and the Custer Battlefield Museum was honored to have such a distinguished guest.                  

Intern - Bart Maney

Friends from Garryowen, Ireland!



Chris with Geri from Garryowen, Ireland



This week has been very crazy here at the museum due to the reenactment weekend, and we had tons of visitors here. One of the other interns will be updating about the reenactment soon enough! This past week we had a visitor, Geri Slevin, from Garryowen, Ireland stop in the museum and Chris got some pictures taken with her in front of the Garryowen sign in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was really cool to meet someone from overseas, and I'm always pleasantly surprised to see how many visitors we get from across the pond. We've had people from South Africa to Australia and all over Europe come visit us here at the Custer Battlefield Museum, but having someone straight from Garryowen stop by to visit was the icing on the cake.



The Custer tattoo!



Also, during the commemoration last weekend, a woman came in the museum who had a tattoo of Custer on her arm! Chris got a picture of our Custer reenactor next to her tattoo, which was just awesome. I wasn't expecting someone to come in with a tattoo of him, but some history buffs out there will go to any lengths to show their love for history. During the commemoration, all of us interns got a group picture with Custer as well, which I'm going to put up on the side near our brief bio. We're looking forward to the rest of the summer and memories to come!

Posted by Christin Fimiani

Meet Autie, Thomas, and Boston!

Exciting news to share! Last week, Chris brought us a surprise: three little bunnies! Sarah and I named them after the Custer brothers. The three of them have been a little mischievous in escaping their cages, but we were finally able to get them a large dog cage which they have enjoyed immensely. They are very curious about their new home and keep exploring every chance they get. They've been flipping around with joy and loving the hay that we got them to chew on. We've been giving them lots of lettuce, carrots, and vegetables to nibble on as well. They're spoiled! It's been exciting to have them in our room and take care of them for the summer though.

Yesterday was pretty busy in the museum with the reenactment taking place down the road, and the ceremony out front. The 7th Cavalry came down to Garryowen to do the commemoration in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was exciting to see Custer there as well, and all of the interns got a picture with him which we will post up here soon enough. I still can't believe how many people we've had in the museum the last couple of days. It's been nonstop running around, but lots of fun. A couple of us are going to head into Crow today to check out some of the Native Day entertainment (and get some bbq ribs/fried bread), so I'm sure we'll have lots of pictures to update you all with in the next few days. Lots of exciting things going on here in Garryowen!

Posted by Christin Fimiani

The Tipi is up!!



Tipi against a beautiful backdrop!

 After much anticipation the Tipi is finally up on the back property! You might ask why the Custer Battlefield Museum puts up a tipi here in Garryowen and I will do my best to answer! Before the Battle of the Little Bighorn, over 7,000 Indians were camped here in the valley along the Little Bighorn River, in a camp that stretched 5 miles wide and 1 mile deep. All of the different tribes of the Lakota Sioux Nation (Brulé, Oglala, Hunkpapa, Black Feet, Miniconjou, Sans Arc & Two Kettle), the Eastern Dakota, the Northern Cheyenne and the Arapahos camped separately. The camp situated the farthest South was Sitting Bull's Hunkpapa camp, which made it the first camp that was attacked by Reno, starting the infamous battle. Today Garryowen sits on the site of Sitting Bull's camp and each summer we put up a fill size tipi at the locations where historians speculate Sitting Bull's tipi sat during the battle.

Posted by Sarah Szabo

They save the best for last...

Howdy blog readers,

My name is Bart and I'm the latest intern to arrive at the Custer Battlefied Museum in Garryowen, Montana.  I hail from Helix, Oregon and I'm currently studying Human Physiology at the University of Oregon in Eugene,OR.  I'm super-excited to be here and I expect that there will be plenty of intersting adventures to share with you on this blog throughout the summer.   

History of the Cavalry in the U.S. Army!

The museum has been pretty full the last week or so, and many people are asking about the anniversary of the battle this year, which has been fun to talk about. Both Sarah and I have had some pretty in depth conversations with visitors about various topics of the battle, and we've been learning a lot in the process as well. In fact, one visitor I spoke to yesterday reminded me that it was the anniversary of the army (6/14/12) and I figured it would be interesting to talk a little about the beginnings of the Cavalry branch within the U.S. Army, which was prominent in the 18th-20th centuries, especially during the westward expansion.

Little Big Horn Battle Reenactment, Cavalry

George Washington first saw the effect a small British cavalry unit had on his men at the Battle of White Plains, and asked Continental Congress for a small "dragoons" force in 1776, which was approved for 3,000 men. Congress appointed the Polish revolutionary soldier, Count Casimir Pulaski, to train them as an offensive strike force during winter quarters of 1777–78 at Trenton, New Jersey. After the Continental Army was discharged in 1783, the first cavalry unit to be formed was during the War of 1812, but it would eventually be disbanded after the war due to being too expensive to maintain in a standing army. The Westward Expansion of the early to mid 19th century would bring the cavalry forces into the spotlight once again, securing them a place in history during the Civil War and the Indian Wars. They began as Mounted Ranger Battalions protecting settlers among the East bank of the Mississippi River. To correct what was perceived as a lack of discipline, Congress formed the United States Regiment of Dragoons as a regular force in 1833. After infamous battles such as Little Big Horn with the 7th Cavalry and Custer's legacy forever attached to the mounted forces, they proceeded into the 20th century during World War I and even into World War II, until they merged with more mechanized regiments (tanks, heavy machinery, etc.) The last horse cavalry charge by an Army cavalry unit took place against Japanese forces during the fighting in the Bataan Peninsula in the village of Morong on January 16, 1942, by the 26th Cavalry Regiment of the Philippine Scouts.

I found it pretty interesting to see how the cavalry, and the Army, have progressed over the last 250 years or so. I'm glad that visitor reminded me of the anniversary, despite the vague idea I had, because much of this information I didn't know until I researched it. Thank you, visitors, for your little tidbits of knowledge! We love hearing them and can't wait to interact with more of you.

Posted by Christin Fimiani

The 7th Ranch RV Camp



Follow this sign down the
 Frontage Rd

 
After having a great time at the BBQ with the 7th Ranch work campers we decided to go up to the 7th Ranch ourselves and take a look around. The RV park is very easy to get to, when you exit at 514 you simply turn left, going under the freeway, and then follow the signs, which take you south down the frontage road until you get to Reno Creek, where you turn left again until you get to the beautiful 7th Ranch. We get visitors in the museum who are staying at the 7th Ranch and they have nothing but good things to say about the facility, which after taking a look myself, I have to agree with.


Full Service Sites

 The setting is gorgeous with rolling, green hills on all sides and a wide, blue sky as far as the eye can see. The 7th Ranch not only offers full or partial service sites, with trees between the sites to give shade on sunny days, but also cabins and tepees for travelers without an RV or who are adventurous and want to experience a night in a tepee! For the comfort of their visitors they also provide laundry and bathing facilities with soft water, which is a luxury in this part of the country. Chip and Sandy are native Montanans and have owned the ranch for 20 years. They purchased the ranch from Henry Weibert, author of Sixty-Six Years in Custer's Shadow, who was happy to pass on his property to people who were as interested in its history as he was.

 

Cabins and Teepes!

If you are interested in gaining more information about the 7th Ranch you can follow the link below to their website:

http://www.historicwest.com/

You can also visit them on facebook for up to date reservation information and additional photos and videos:

http://www.facebook.com/7TH.Ranch

Posted by Sarah Szabo

Visiting the National Monument and our BBQ!



Last Stand Hill, Little Bighorn National Monument



This week has gone by fast, but it's been packed with a lot of people at the museum! As Sarah said in the previous post, earlier this week Chris took us out to see where the unknown soldier was found as well as the battlefield and National Monument. We got a chance to walk through a part of the cemetery and see where Goes Ahead and Curley, two of Custer's scouts, were buried. Major Reno is also buried there and was the only officer from the battle to be buried in the cemetery with such high honors and an eleven gun salute. We got a chance to see the monument and Last Stand Hill where Custer and his men fell. The view from the top of the hill was incredible, but there was a somber mood throughout the area, despite the crystal clear morning. Seeing the markers on the hill allowed visitors to get a grounded view of what happened during the Battle of Little Bighorn, and envision it to the fullest extent. Across the road from the monument was the Indian memorial which was dedicated in 2003 in memory of all the tribes who died defending their way of life during the battle. It came to represent the mutual understanding of the infinite all the dead possess, both 7th Cavalry and Native American. Inside the memorial were beautiful displays dedicated to the Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapahoe and Crow Indians who lost their lives. We're hoping to get a chance to attend one of the Ranger talks and visit the battlefield again very soon.

Cutting the watermelon

Yesterday we got to throw together a BBQ with Chris and invited a group from the 7th Ranch down to attend, along with a few other friends in the area. It was a lot of fun preparing the food and setting up, and it was a great chance to meet everyone and share experiences. Good food and great company always bring people together and this was no exception! Not to mention the delicious watermelon Sarah and I got to cut up for dessert, along with the New York style cheesecake our guests brought (which reminded me of home). Hopefully, we'll get a chance to throw another gathering later on in the summer. All in all, it's been a very productive week and we're looking forward to our new interns arriving and the reenactments soon to come.

Posted by Christin Fimiani

Previous Resting Place of our Unknown Soldier

Marker for Unknown Soldier

This week Chris took us out to see where the Battle of Little Bighorn's Unknown Soldier was discovered. The soldier currently resides in front of the museum in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, but he was discovered by the Weibert Family in 1925 south east of the current town of Garryowen. The timing of this find was fortuitous because the 50th Anniversary of the Battle was the following year in 1926. He was identified at a Cavalry Soldier and, due to his placement, as one of Reno's men. He is an almost complete skeleton and with the anniversary coming up it was decided that a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier would be dedicated to commemorate the battle. This dedication is famous because it is where the American term "Burying the Hatchet" originated. The Native Veteran, White Bull, dropped a hatchet into the trap door of the tomb to symbolize the end of the tensions between the two communities. The Veteran from the Seventh Cavalry was General Godfrey (he was a Lieutenant at the time of the battle) and the two men shook hands over the tomb. There were other artifacts placed in the tomb along with the hatchet, one being a letter from Elizabeth Custer explaining why she could not attend the dedication. We tell people about the Tomb everyday at the museum, so it was nice to actually go out and see where he laid for 50 years before his move to Garryowen.

Posted by Sarah Szabo

Intern #2 has arrived!

My name is Christin (or Chrissy) and I'm from New Jersey, currently studying for my bachelor's degree in History (concentration in U.S. History) with an anthropology minor. It's been a beautiful first day here. Looking forward to spending the summer here in Garryowen!

Memorial Day Weekend!

Flags flying in front of the Custer Battlefield Museum

We had a cool Memorial Day Weekend here in Garryowen, but we did not get the snow that fell at the higher elevations. The snow fall in Billings set a record for latest snow fall ever recorded and confused the tourists who all left their sweatshirts at home.

Here at the museum we did a steady business and had a tour group stop by, which was led by Neil Magnum, the former chief historian at the Custer Battlefield National Monument (that is what it was officially called when he was there - it was renamed Little Bighorn National Monument in the early 1990s). Mr. Magnum also wrote a book called "Battle of the Rosebud: Prelude to the Little Bighorn," which we sell in the trading post.


Me holding White Swan's gun



As a special treat for the tour group Chris brought out White Swan's gun for them to hold and take pictures with. White Swan was one of Custer's Crow scouts who was with him at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. During the battle he was actually sent with Reno's Battalion and he was gravely injured during the battle. He was left deaf from a blow to the head and lame from a shot to the knee and hand. He did survive the battle with the assistance of his cousin Half Yellow Face who carried him out of danger and he went on to live for another 25 years.

I have never held a gun before and it was a lot heavier than I thought it would be, don't think I will be taking up shooting any time soon, but it was fun to hold something so old that was owned by such an interesting historical figure.

Posted by Sarah Szabo

Rainbow Surprise!



Double Rainbow over Garryowen



The museum is getting busier and busier every day on the lead up to Memorial Day Weekend, which is only days away!

The Trading Post is open as well, with tons of authentic Native objects and a large selection of books, which is keeping us all busy here!

My time in Garryowen is getting better and better and even though it rained last evening there was a surprise for me that Chris was able to catch on film on his way back from Billings!

Posted by Sarah Szabo

First Intern Arrives- Summer 2012!!

Follow this sign to the
Custer Battlefield Museum

Hello! My name is Sarah Szabo and I arrived at the Custer Battlefield Museum on May 18th to some wonderful sunny but cool weather. I drove up with my parents from Kansas after graduating three days prior from New York University with a Master's in Latin American Studies and Museum Studies. I have been on the move a lot lately and am happy to settle down for the summer here in Garryowen. I have been getting aquainted with the Museum and the Trading Post over the past three days and I am really looking forward to working with Chris to create two new museum displays this summer.
The highlight of my time so far was meeting Cedric Black Eagle the Chairman of the Crow Tribe, who came into the museum today!
Everyone here is so friendly and welcoming I can already tell this is going to be a great environment to work in and I am eagerly looking forward to the arrival of the other interns!

Posted by Sarah Szabo

Howdy! Update from Garryowen

Greetings!

Howdy! My name is Robert Hartsig, and I am the newest (yet not so new anymore) intern here at the Custer Battlefield Museum. I am from Nashville, Tennessee, and recently graduated from the University of Tennessee in May. I arrived in the town of Garryowen on July 16, two months ago, and have had an incredible experience so far.

Aside from working with and on some incredible projects, I have also ventured into the ‘Great West’ that is Montana and its surrounding areas. Just yesterday, I returned from a three day visit at the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks with my parents. It was truly awe-inspiring to say the least, and it has made my experience here so much more memorable. In the month of August, fellow intern Aimee Wechsler and myself made a quick but long journey to western South Dakota, seeing such sights as the town of Deadwood, Mount Rushmore, the Devil’s Tower (in eastern Wyoming), and even making a stop at the town of Sturgis during the world-famous Sturgis Bike Rally. It was a great experience, something to be remembered for a lifetime. Attending Clark Days at Pompey’s Pillar with fellow interns Aimee Wechsler and Sam Lambert were also very entertaining and educational, giving me more insight into the history and beauty of this part of the United States.

Cultural events I have witnessed have also been just as exciting. On my second day here, the interns and I, as well as Aaron (the Subway manager in Garryowen) made a trek down to the town of Sheridan, Wyoming, to attend the annual Sheridan Rodeo. This was my first time in Wyoming, my first time attending a rodeo, and my first time attending Native American horse games (at the same rodeo). Needless to say, it was a culture shock. I thoroughly enjoyed the races, the bull-riding, and the number of people dawning cowboy hats and boots. I was so impressed and enthralled, that I bought a cowboy hat of my own! Towards the end of August, we made a similar trek to the Crow Indian Fair, a week-long festival of dancing, parading, and of course, lots of fried bread and Indian Tacos. This is a huge and significant event of the United States – it’s the largest gathering of Tee-pees on the North American continent every year, and heavily populated with folks from different Native tribes, as well as people from other countries, all coming together to celebrate culture and festivities. I thoroughly enjoyed this fair and am glad I was able to be part of a great coming-together of so many distinct peoples.

My work experience here in Garryowen have been progressive and very developing. Working closely with Chris and Linda on several projects has helped me understand the basics and in-depth processes that are needed to operate a historical site and museum. I have developed some great skills and am always excited and encouraged to help the museum to develop anyway I can. Some project I have been part of, working closely with my fellow interns, have been installing new LED lights (important for preservation of so many artifacts!), installing a fierce war-club of the Sioux, possibly used by Sitting Bull, and working on various online operations to help the museum connect to a broader audience. The work is something I am passionate about and love working on, and the chance to build on these skills and develop professionally I absorb into myself all too much, and look forward to future projects and operations and accomplishing goals with my fellow co-workers.

Apologies for making my first blog so belated. Life here in Garryowen is surprisingly busy, even if only four people live here. I am greatly appreciating my experience here at the Custer Battlefield Museum and in the Western United States (my original home; born in Phoenix, Arizona). Aimee and I will keep you all (or yal for my Southern audience) updated on everything that develops here, as we both have quite the work cut out for us in the upcoming months. Thanks for checking in!

Meeting Joe Medicine Crow

Even though it is midway through August, things are still busy as ever here in Garryowen. With all the kids heading back to school, I thought it would slow down as the tourist season came to a close, but I have been proven wrong. Right before Sami packed her bags to head back to Ohio, we had a very special visitor stop by the museum: Joe Medicine Crow.

Even before I was first notified that I had been accepted as an Intern, I had been hearing about Joe Medicine Crow. During my Western History class in college, my teacher told us about him and his trip to Washington, D.C. to meet with President Obama and receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

Not only did he receive the highest civilian honor from President Obama, Joe Medicine Crow has also received the French Legion of Honor Chevalier medal from te French President. This French award, created by Napoleon to recognize people who performed great deeds to France, was given to Joe Medicine Crow because of his actions in World War II against the Germans. In Crow tradition, in order to become a War Chief, a warrior has to complete four stages of counting coup. When he returned home with his war stories, the elders realized that he had completed all four of these steps and was made a Crow War Chief. The French Legion of Honor Chevalier medal was presented to Joe Medicine Crow here at the Custer Battlefield Museum at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on June 25, 2008.

Joe Medicine Crow is the oldest Crow living; born in 1913, he has lived through a lot, both Crow history and general American history. He fought in World War II and has many educational achievements. As if that wasn’t enough to already make him an interesting person, he also serves as a Crow Tribal Historian and is a descendant of White-Man-Runs-Him, one of Custer’s Crow Scouts during the Battle of the Little Bighorn. We sell two of his books here at the museum and, after reading both, I can personally say that they are a great look into the Crow Tribe customs and history.

Sami and I had seen Joe Medicine Crow once before: he was present at the Battle of the Little Bighorn re-enactment that we attended in late June. He was brought out in front of the grandstands and introduced to the crowd. Both Sami and I had been hoping for our chance to actually meet him face to face.

It was a normal day here at Garryowen when he stopped by; there was no fanfare, just an adorable old man walking with a cane. Chris introduced the three of us to Joe Medicine Crow; he told him we were interns and the states we called home. We shook his hand and lined up for a picture. It was definitely a memorable moment. I’ve said many times before in this blog that seeing people dressed up as historical figures makes me excited because it’s the closest I’ll get to meeting or seeing the real person.

However, Joe Medicine Crow was not dressed up to represent someone else; he’s incredibly important just the way he is. Shaking his hand and standing next to him for a photo IS the closest I will get to any of the men or women who participated in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. He is a descendant of a White-Man-Runs-Him, a man who was here that day and participated in the complex battle that I’ve spent so much time reading and learning about. I know I can speak for Rob and Sami when I say that this is a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life.

-- Aimee.

Here's a picture of us 3 interns with Joe: Robert, Aimee, Joe Medicine Crow & Sami

Farewell my friends!

Good Morning All, Sami here one last time.

As I write this, I'm looking at my bags in the floor, ready to be taken with me today as I head to Billings and board that plane home. It's all so surreal right now honestly. The three months that I've been here have flown by in a whirlwind and I really wish it never had to end.

Since there have been so many impressive moments in my time here, and I can't even begin to try and pick my favorites, or most memorable, but I will say that this experience is one that I will forever be grateful for. It is amazing to realize how much that I've learned both from work and no, just from being out here.

There are so many things that have happened:
-The weather, (haha!)
-Working on the new exhibit in the museum
-The book signings by Chris Enss and Steve Alexander
-Re-enactment week
-Our kittens being born, playing with them, and finding them new homes
-Rodeo, and bull riding
-Clark Days
-Meeting Dr. Joe Medicine Crow and Pius Real Bird
-Watching Pow-Wow dancers at Crow Native Days
-Getting to know Chris, Linda, and my fellow interns

The history in this place is something that you can't find anywhere else. I've spent my summer looking over artifacts and documents about one of the most discussed battles in history, and you can't do that just anywhere. There's an appreciation that comes from being located on the battlefield, driving around and looking at the landscape that they traversed on that day, that you can't learn about in books no matter how hard you try.

Every good thing must eventually come to an end, I've been told, and its a sentiment that I share. While I am leaving now, Aimee and Rob will still be updating you since their time here isn't over yet- and like you, I will be turning in here from time to time to read about their adventures, and the interns to come next year!

With all the love in the world,
-Sami.

Clark Days !

Aimee here—the past few weeks at Garryowen have flown by! Between rodeos, birthdays, bull riding, and interns coming and going, it’s been a crazy couple of weeks. About two weeks ago, Chris gave all three of us the day off to go to Clark Days. Clark (of the famous duo Lewis and Clark) Days is a festival that happens every summer at Pompey’s Pillar dedicated to the memory of the Lewis and Clark expedition. I’ve mentioned this in previous blogs, but I want to reiterate the fact that I LOVE the story of Lewis and Clark. Needless to say, I had been itching to finally get a chance to experience some L & C stuff out here.

Pompey’s Pillar is a very historic place in itself. It stands as the only physical evidence on the land from the journey. In 1806, Clark carved his name and the date onto the rock structure. At the time, he also named it for Sacagawea’s son who he called Pomp. I had been looking forward to seeing this landmark since I found out I was moving to Montana, but when you add a day full of L & C themed activities, I could barely contain my excitement.
That morning, I put on my moccasins, beaded shorts and L & C shirt (yes, I do have a shirt with the pictures of L & C and a map on it) and hit the road. When we finally arrived, we checked out the Visitor’s Center. I had warned Sami and Rob that I would be “channeling my inner nerd” all day, but I don’t think they fully understood until I put on the “explorer” clothes they had on display. The center had about 2 shirts, a pair of pants, and a dress that looked and felt like what the explorers would have worn during the expedition. Of course, I made a silly pose like I was exploring and had Sami take a picture. When I disappeared to watch the movie by myself, I think they finally realized exactly what I had meant about reaching out to my inner nerd.

After I read about every sign and looked at every picture in the Visitor’s Center we ventured outside to the other activities. I thought I couldn't get anymore excited and then I saw Sacagawea. Obviously not the real one, but a woman was standing there in Native clothing depicting the famous Shoshone Indian woman. For those of you who don't know, I have been wearing moccasins for about three years now because of my nerd-love for Sacagawea. It was like I was seeing a celebrity; I wanted to get a picture with her, but I was too star struck to ask. I finally asked her (with much taunting from my fellow interns) and it is certainly a picture I will always treasure.

On the site, they had a lot of fun, educational activities. We learned about the medicine that was used on the expedition and the clothes they would have worn. I got to play dress-up again and this time Sami joined me. We put on some raccoon hats and Native shirts and had a small photo shoot. There was a booth set up to make a rubbing of the famous Wm. Clark signature. I asked the ladies if I was too old to participate and happily started coloring when they told me there was no age limit. I took a big, black crayon and colored my sheet of paper until the signature appeared. Then, I got to use rubber stamps and add pictures of animals and teepees. The other two interns just laughed, but I was really proud of my artwork!

We embarked on an expedition of our own when we started the hike up to the top of the pillar to see the signature. There were a lot of stairs and it was incredibly hot, but the views made it all worthwhile. At the top of the pillar, you could see for miles and miles; it seemed like the landscape never ended. I was really excited to finally see the signature and snap some photos of it. It was such an amazing feeling to actually be in the same place where Clark and his part of the expedition walked and see the same things they did. All in all, Clark Days satisfied the nerd in me and fulfilled my desire to explore some of the Lewis & Clark expedition out west.

What we've been up to- Rodeos, and Bull Riders!

Hi! Sami here- Since my time in Garryowen is sadly coming to a close soon, I thought I’d write something to update you guys on what we’ve been doing lately.

The 15^th of July was my birthday (yay me!) so Chris let us take off from the museum early to go to the Rodeo. Our new intern joined us maybe a day or so before, and Kiley was getting ready to head back home to grad school, so it was a fantastic event to celebrate all of these things in one fell swoop.

The Rodeo was in Sheridan, Wyoming, and it’s an adorable little town. We got there a few minutes into the Indian relay races- which were really neat to see. The riders rode a horse bareback around the entire arena, stopped in the middle, jumped off that horse, and onto another one, before running around the arena again. It was really neat to see- and I can’t even imagine the amount of skill it takes to not only ride bareback at the speeds they were going, but to jump off one horse and directly onto another with rapidity. We also got to watch bull ropers, a few bucking broncos, and some very amazing ladies ride.

All in all it was a very good night.

More recently, Rob, Aimee and I managed to go to Billings to see the Professional Bull Riders when they came through town. Since it was on a Friday night and started at 8:00 with general admission, Chris was awesome and watched the museum so we could leave to get up there around seven- which turned out to be a really great idea. I don’t know what I’d been expecting when we were heading up there- but once we made it through the ticket area (and got free flashlights!) we walked around the outer circle of the arena. There were so many vendors! Lots of raffles to sign up for, and free stuff promoting all of these western companies… it was pretty interesting to me.

Bull riders only ride for 8 seconds at a time, but a lot of the riders when we were they didn’t manage to hold on for the full 8. Watching it, it always seemed like a lot longer from when they left that gate to when they either fell off or the buzzer sounded. Of course, it must’ve been all that much crazier for those poor guys actually on the bulls!

The Big Event: The Real Bird Re-enactment!

The big day has finally come and gone- the Real Bird Battle of the Little Big Horn Re-enactment was last weekend. For weeks, we have all been busy answering phones and giving directions to people in the museum about the Re-enactment. I was getting pretty excited for the day when we would finally get a chance to see it. After our busy weekend here in the museum, we got a chance to see the show on Sunday. All morning we had our eyes tuned to the weather forecast: there were supposed to be afternoon thunderstorms, but the Real Birds said the show would go on rain or shine. We have definitely had our share of interesting weather here in Montana (including 90 mph winds in Hardin while Kiley and I looked for some ice cream, but that’s a whole different story!) so I was less than optimistic about the storms holding out.
With our rain coats and hoods, we headed about a mile down the road to site of the show. We climbed up the wooden bleachers and found a nice spot to sit so we could see everything. I was getting pretty anxious as dark clouds kept looming over us. It is Montana though, so the dark clouds were replaced by pretty blue ones every so often which made me hopeful. Before the Re-enactment of the battle began, there were ceremonies held and stories told. The most interesting ceremony to me was the Naming Ceremony. One of the Real Birds, the family that runs the Re-enactment, brought his grandson to the front of the bleachers. He explained to the crowd that important Indian ceremonies usually take place at events such as the Re-enactment. Other Real Bird family members joined the young boy over the burning bear root. The parents of the young boy were presented with three different names and they were allowed to chose one. It was a very interesting look into the ceremonial practices of the Crow Tribe. It seemed to be such a personal ceremony and an important time in the young boy’s life that I was surprised it was shared with so many strangers.
Also included in the opening ceremonies was an introduction of the men playing the parts of the soldiers and the Indians. Each group marched in separately and were given their own time in the spotlight. I have to say, I got more excited when I watched the 7^th Cavalry march in to the tune of Garryowen- that’s definitely the closest I’ll ever get to watching the real 7^th Cavalry, led by George Custer, march to the famous tune. It was cool to see the men who had stopped in our museum so many times during the week and who we shared many conversations with sitting on their horses in character. I kept saying “There’s our friend (insert name here)!” whenever I recognized someone we had met previously.
Although I was there mainly to see the battle, I was delighted to find out that part of the show was a short overview of important events in Western History depicted by re-enactors. I obviously have a soft spot for Custer, Sitting Bull and the Battle of the Little Big Horn, but I also love Lewis, Clark and Sacagawea. When three people dressed as them walked across the grass representing their westward journey, I knew my day would be complete!
As the show moved on, the clouds got darker and darker and the rain finally started to trickle down. We whipped out our rain coats and hoods and sat through the first drops. I was just hoping it would hold off long enough for the battle scene. Finally, the stage was set and the battle began. The rain got harder and harder and the emcee started yelling “This is the Battle of the Little Big Horn!” multiple times really loudly. It was evident that a big storm was coming through and they wanted to rush it as fast as possible. Already wet, we hunkered down and waited- all I wanted to see was Custer’s charge and his Last Stand. Before the men in Custer’s unit even charged down to the fight, the emcee said “that’s it- please leave now, it’s going to be a drencher.” I won’t even try to deny my disappointment.
We started to walk down the bleachers, already soaked as the rain poured down harder. I looked across the river one last time only to see Custer and his men charging down into the fray: the re-enactors had decided to have a Last Stand regardless of the weather! Instead of running towards the car, we ran closer to the river trying to make out the battle through the pouring rain. I never did see Custer die because of the chaos (but I guess that’s how it would have really been that day!), but the excitement of it was enough to satisfy me. Once we got to the car, we were soaked from head to foot and the parking lot (a field) had already turned to mud. I know that I would have enjoyed it either way, but I actually think the rain made for a better story and certainly a funny afternoon. I’ll never forget the moment I watched the men charge down to complete the re-enactment even though everyone was told to leave. After meeting them in the museum this past week, I would not have expected anything less from these men. They love what they do and are dedicated to sharing the story of the Battle with whoever wants to learn. Even in torrential rain, I will always be interested in the stories they have to share.

-- Aimee

Book Signings!

Hello! Aimee here- we’ve been quite busy here in Garryowen because of the 135^th Anniversary of the Battle of the Little Big Horn. The museum has been filled and we’ve been able to meet and talk to a lot of interesting people over the past week. We had two book signings in the museum Re-enactment Weekend: Chris Enss, who co-wrote None Wounded, None Missing, All Dead: The Story of Elizabeth Bacon Custer, and Steve Alexander, who portrays General Custer in re-enactments and some films and wrote G.A. Custer to the Little Big Horn.
Steve Alexander came in for his book signing after the memorial service at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside the museum. Dressed as General Custer, I was quite excited when he stepped inside our door. I mean, this is the closest I’ll probably ever get to meeting the real George Custer! Also, I had never been to book signing before, let alone help one run smoothly, so I was anxious to see how it went. We set him up at a table in the back of the museum; it was a fitting place because there was a giant painting depicting the Last Stand behind him. It was quite a busy book signing- many of the people already within in the museum purchased a book and hopped in line for a chance to talk to the Custer re-enactor. Also, a lot of the 7^th Cavalry re-enactors got in line to have their book signed.
For me, the best part about it was getting the chance to have a lengthy conversation with a few of the re-enactors, including Steve Alexander himself. We got the chance to talk with the men who played Lt. W.W. Cooke, Lt. Algernon Smith, (commander of Company E- also known as the Gray Horse Troop,) and Custer himself. They all seemed to really enjoy sharing their stories about re-enacting and their thoughts on what actually happened on June 25, 1876. We asked them questions about the behind the scenes action of the Real Bird Re-enactment that we would see a few days later. At one point, W.W. Cooke pulled out some empty bullet casings that were found on the field after the re-enactment earlier in the day. He gave one to each of us as souvenirs. It’s a pretty neat souvenir, especially after we had Steve Alexander sign “Custer” on it. Luckily, I’ll be driving back to Pennsylvania so I do not have to worry about getting it on a flight! It was definitely a great afternoon being able to take some time and chit chat with the re-enactors.

Sami here now-
I agree with Aimee that the whole reenactment week was fantastic. I love talking to the people who come in and hearing the stories from the re-enactors; it was pretty fantastic. I love hearing the stories that they tell, because unlike a lot of the people who just study battles, reenacting becomes a visceral experience which I think can often help people come into an even deeper appreciation of what each side went through.
The day after Steve Alexander came in to do his book signing, Chris Enss came by to promote her new book as well. A few weeks ago I read None Wounded, None Missing, All Dead and I can say that I was really looking forward to the woman who put pen to paper on such a captivating subject. We set Chris up in a separate location from where Steve Alexander had been. She was closer to the front of the museum- partially so she wouldn’t feel lonesome all the way in the back of the museum, but also so people who just wanted to stop in to have her sign the book could get in and out faster. Since I worked at the desk that morning, I was patiently sitting and taking care of everything before she got there. I fully expected that once people realized that a nationally known author was sitting just inside the door, we’d be busy and I’d be selling lots of books.
Thankfully at one point there was a lull, and I was able to step away from the desk and talk with her. Chris Enss is an absolutely lovely lady, and a veritable treasure trove of information on various subjects. She writes a lot of western history, especially including the role of women in that time period- and I think it’s an absolutely fascinating topic. I can’t wait to read more of her work.