History & Culture

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument was first set aside as a National Cemetery, memorializing the soldiers of the 7^th Cavalry Regiment who died in the 1876 battle. Over time, interpretation of the battle and the participants on both sides spurred the designation of a national monument in the 1940s. Today the National Park Service manages the site to protect its cultural and historic resources for future generations.

The history of this battlefield park is a sum of the people involved with the battle, the places where the fighting occurred, and the stories which connect these tangible elements. Of course, the primary story is of the battle itself, which you can read as an account along with its historical context. The park also cares for an extensive museum collection and assists many interested parties in researching the battle and its associated artifacts.