Little Bighorn Battlefield

https://www.nps.gov/libi/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Bighorn_Battlefield_National_Monument Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument preserves the site of the June 25 and 26, 1876, Battle of the Little Bighorn, near Crow Agency, Montana, in the United States. It also serves as a memorial to those who fought in the battle: George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry and a combined Lakota-Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho force. Custer National Cemetery, on the battlefield, is part of the national monument. The site of a related military action led by Marcus Reno and Frederick Benteen is also part of the national monument, but is about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of the Little Bighorn battlefield. This area memorializes the US Army's 7th Cavalry, Crow, and Arikara scouts and the Lakotas, Cheyennes, and Arapaho in one of the American Indian's last armed efforts to preserve their way of life. Here on June 25 and 26 of 1876, 263 soldiers, including Lt. Col. George A. Custer and attached personnel of the US Army, died fighting several thousand Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors. Take Interstate I-90 and exit at the Crow Agency Exit 510 at Jct. 212. To reach Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, turn right at the park entrance onto Battlefield Tour Road 756. Little Bighorn Battlefield Visitor Center The Little Bighorn Battlefield Visitor Center details the Battle of the Little Bighorn as well as providing information on the Custer National Cemetery. There is a Museum and Bookstore in the building as well as a covered patio area where ranger talks are held daily in the summer. Visitors can access the Visitor Center from 9:00am to 5:00pm Memorial Day to Labor Day and 8:00am to 4:30pm the remainder of the year. Take Interstate I-90 and exit at Crow Agency Exit 510 at Jct. 212. Turn right at the entrance to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument on Battlefield Tour Road 756 Indian Memorial The sun sets behind the Indian Memorial. The Indian Memorial is a circular earthwork carved gently into the prairie. The walls carry the names of those who fell here as well as the words of some who fought in the battle. Headstones in the winter Headstone can still been seen even with the fresh snow that blankets the battlefield . The monument and battlefield are open year round, even in winter when snow coats the ground. Stone House The stone house sits on the edge of the Custer National Cemetery. The stone house once served as a house for the Superintendent and their family. It has been renovated and restored and now serves as an office and research area. Seventh Calvary Memorial at Dusk The Seventh Calvary Memorial at dusk. About 40 to 50 men of the original 210 were cornered on the hill where the monument now stands. Rising Full Moon A rising moon peaks above the eastern horizon in January. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument moon rising above the Indian Memorial Grassland Fire Ecology Resource Brief Though Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is a site devoted to history, preserving its grassland ecology remains integral to the park's mission. A history of lightning ignited wildfires and Native American land-use burning practices preserved the native vegetation. Now the park balances protection of cultural artifacts with a natural fire regime. Yucca surrounded by golden grassland hills NPS Structural Fire Program Highlights 2014 Intern Accomplishments National Parks and National Cemeteries Currently, the National Park Service manages 14 national cemeteries. These cemeteries represent a continuum of use dating to a period before the establishment of the historical parks of which they are an integral part and are administered to preserve the historic character, uniqueness, and solemn nature of both the cemeteries and the historical parks of which they are a part. Setting sun lights up graves and decorations Northern Great Plains Annual Brome Adaptive Management Project Management and restoration of high quality, mixed-grass prairie to the NPS units has proved difficult and complex. The Annual Brome Adaptive Management project (ABAM) is attacking this problem through a cooperative effort. A firefighter uses a driptorch to ignite dried grasses while dark smoke billows behind. Checking Little Bighorn Battlefield's Vital Signs In 2007, the Rocky Mountain Inventory and Monitoring Network—a small team of NPS scientists—began monitoring natural resources, called “vital signs,” in Little Bighorn Battlefield and nearby park units. Vital signs indicate park health and serve as red flags if conditions deteriorate, supporting park managers’ efforts to make science-based management decisions. Learn about the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division and its work in Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. A wide, flat river is flanked by riparian woods, with a dried, grassy hillside in the foreground. Protecting Native Mixed-Grass Prairie at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument A sea of grass ripples across the landscape of Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. These grasses are the mixed grass prairie—one of the most endangered habitats on the continent. Changes in land use have fragmented this prairie, and invasive plants and a changing climate pose further challenges. Learn how monument staff and partners are working to protect this special habitat and how you can help too. Golden, tall grasses blanket hills that are dotted by an occasional green shrub. Series: Prairie Ecology of the Badlands Badlands National Park is home to the nation's largest expanse of mixed-grass prairie. Here, plant species from both short-grass and tall-grass prairies mingle to create a unique home, well suited to many animals which call the park home. roots of tall yellow grasses penetrate into light brown soil beneath a cloudy blue sky. NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Montana Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. [Site Under Development] thumbnail of cemetery Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Mind the Gap: Modeling Missing Data for Complex Survey Designs Long-term environmental monitoring usually requires complex sampling designs. By necessity, these designs sample a limited set of conditions on just a fraction of the landscape, which results in missing data. This article summarizes recent research that applies Bayesian modeling to three case studies in national parks. This approach allows park ecologists and analysts to move beyond missing data to support data-driven management and monitoring of natural resources. Two technicians record observations along a transect tape on sandy ground dotted with shrubs. Judith Córdova Judith Córdova experienced discrimination as a child in her Denver-area neighborhood. As an adult, she continued to fight against it in her job as an equal opportunity employment specialist for the National Park Service (NPS). Eventually she rose through the ranks herself, becoming the first Latina superintendent in 1993. Judith Cordova in an NPS baseball cap looks into the camera. Managing Invasive Grasses at Northern Great Plains Parks Non-native plants don't stop growing at a park's boundary. It takes a cooperative effort to control their spread. Ranger Roll Call, 1940-1949 Only a small number of women held temporary ranger positions in national parks during World War II. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, national monuments in the Southwest, and historical sites in the East continued to employ more women. Although a few women veterans benefitted from post-war veteran hiring programs, most veterans were men and permanent positions became even more difficult for women to get. Catherine Byrnes and Barbara Dickinson stand outside modeling the NPS uniform. Barbara Ann Sutteer (Booher) In 1989, Barbara Sutteer (Booher) became the second Native American woman appointed superintendent by the National Park Service (NPS). Her determination to tell the story of the Native Americans at the Battle of Little Bighorn and to convey the reasons for and significance of the battle rather than celebrating Custer earned her criticism from some but it didn't stop her. She went on to develop plans and practices to improve how the NPS consults with Native American Tribes. Barbara Booher in her NPS uniform standing outside. Making an Impact: Long-Term Monitoring of Natural Resources at Intermountain Region National Parks, 2021 Across the Intermountain Region, Inventory & Monitoring Division ecologists are helping to track the effects of climate change, provide baseline information for resource management, evaluate new technologies, and inspire the next generation of park stewards. This article highlights accomplishments achieved during fiscal year 2021. A man looks through binoculars at sunrise. Working Together to Control Invasive Plants and Restore Prairies National parks preserve natural and historical landscapes and the wildlife that depend on them. Park managers work to maintain healthy, natural ecosystems with a variety of plants and animals native to the region. Field of green and brown grasses Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park System To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera.