Battlefields

Updated: February 3, 2026

Montana is a relatively young state (it became a state in 1889), but people have lived here for thousands of years, and that history still lives on in many quiet places across the landscape. You can find traces of the past at buffalo jumps where Native hunters once drove bison over cliffs, in pictograph caves with ancient rock art, in weathered mining ghost towns, in humble missions and churches, in elegant turn-of-the-century mansions, and at historic battlefields on the plains and in the mountains.

Historic buffalo jumps such as First Peoples Buffalo Jump and Madison Buffalo Jump show how Native peoples worked together to provide food, clothing, and tools from the bison long before horses or firearms were common. Pictograph and petroglyph sites record stories and symbols painted or carved on stone over many generations. Towns like Bannack and Virginia City preserve Montana's 1800s gold-rush and mining history, while grand homes in cities such as Helena and Butte reflect the wealth that came from copper, gold, and railroads.

Each summer, a Battle of the Little Bighorn reenactment is held on Crow tribal land near the Little Bighorn Battlefield in south-central Montana. Often called "Custer's Last Stand Reenactment," this outdoor show brings together hundreds of riders and actors to tell the story of the 1876 battle and the events leading up to it. Many of the participants are descendants of people who were actually there, including Lakota and Cheyenne warriors and Crow scouts who rode with the U.S. Army, so the performance includes perspectives from several sides of the conflict.

If you want to learn more about specific battles and leaders connected to Montana, you can explore sites and resources about:

• Bear Paw Battlefield - where the final battle of the 1877 Nez Perce flight took place and Chief Joseph surrendered, only a short distance from the Canadian border.
• Big Hole Battlefield - in southwestern Montana, a key site in the Nez Perce War where U.S. forces attacked a Nez Perce camp.
• Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument - on the Crow Reservation, preserving the site of the 1876 battle between Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, Arapaho, and the U.S. 7th Cavalry, including Last Stand Hill and the Indian Memorial.

Many educational websites and park exhibits also share background on leaders such as Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and George Armstrong Custer to help visitors and students understand why these events continue to be remembered and discussed today.

Links

• Bear Paw Battlefield
• Big Hole Battlefield
• Little Bighorn Battlefield
• Crazy Horse
• Sitting Bull
• George Armstrong Custer

Updated: February 3, 2026