Steve Adelson Little Bighorn Battlefield Tours

 

Steve Adelson is a former park ranger from Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument. He has also been giving private tours for years. He took my buddies and myself on a tour of the valley fight area. Very knowledgeable about the whole fight, including the time leading up to it. He is also famous for his ranger talks at the battlefield. He used to be a teacher and coach and you can tell in his delivery. We always tried to take in one of his talks during each trip.

He's now full on into the tour business. If you are interested in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, the plains Indian Wars, or western history in general, I urge you to take one of Steve's tours.

Steve Adelson's Little Bighorn Battlefield Tours

He is also on Facebook and YouTube.

Steve Adelson with Fred Wagner on a tour of the 
Valley Fight, June 26, 2009.

If you take one of Steve's tours, drop me a comment or an email and let me know how it went!

Books, Baby, Books

 I have recommended books here before but here is something a bit different.

The Battle of Gettysburg Podcast ran an episode where hosts Jim and Jody gave their picks for their favorite Battle of the Little Big Horn books. The 150th anniversary of the battle was June 25 & 26, 2026. It has focused more attention on the battle and people are asking for recommendations of what to read and study.

I agree with most of their choices. Let me know what you think.

Weir Point - Little Big Horn Battlefield

I've been fortunate enough to explore North/South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska and others with a great group of friends. We call ourselves Montana Mayhem. As we get older, the mayhem gets lamer. Regardless, I've been able to do some pretty cool things (well, as far as history nerds go). 

I took the photo below on June 26, 2013, at roughly 1:00pm MT, from the top of Weir Point at the Little Big Horn Battlefield. 

Weir Point - View to the N/NW
June 26, 2013, 1:00pm MT, taken with iPhone 5.

The next photo is from 2025, exactly 12 years later, but this one was taken at roughly 10:25am MT, also from the top of Weir Point.

Weir Point - View to the N/NW
June 26, 2025, 10:25am MT, taken with iPhone 15 Pro Max.

It looks like 2013 was a greener year with more moisture. 2025 was much more dry by the looks of things but, other than that, those photos are remarkably similar. After 12 years you would expect some changes and differences. Even though Weir Point is not within the boundaries of the Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument, it is still essentially part of the whole. This undoubtedly has a lot to do with the fact that those two pictures look alike. Although Weir Point is on private property***, the camera is pointing towards the battlefield where Custer and his troops were killed.

I hope to visit the battlefield and be there to take another follow-up photo in 2037.

*** - Much of the battlefield is restricted. You must abide by all National Park Service rules and regulations. Obey any orders given by park personnel. Stay on the designated and allowed paths. Large potions of the battle also took place on private property and this requires permission from the legal landowner. In the case of Weir Point, this is private property owned by the Custer Battlefield Preservation Committee. Members donated money to help preserve the battlefield by purchasing land as it came up for sale. A benefit of donating is that you can walk on CBPC land with your membership card and also bring a friend. Other than that, Weir Point is private property.

Trespassing is not cool. Ask for permission. Most landowners are decent people and will allow you to walk around. Ones I've met are proud of their property and know it's history. They can be a wealth of information. Not only on the history of the land, but also where the snakes hide out. The less friendly ones are probably sick of the trespassers. Don't ruin it for everyone.

See you out there.

It's Coming Down Fast

"This channel focuses on Custer's Last Stand & the Seventh Cavalry-- officers and soldiers, military spouses and families, enemies and allies, newspapers and books, artists and writers and lifestyle, events leading up to the 1876 Little Bighorn fight, as well as those that ripple out from it (the Reno Court of Inquiry in 1879 to the Custer Equestrian Statue in 1910, etc)."

That's from the introduction on Siobhan Fallon's YouTube channel. I highly recommend subscribing to her channel. You'll be alerted whenever she posts a new video. Typically, she focuses on a specific topic or person involved with the Little Big Horn battle per video. Sometimes, it's short book reviews. And other times, it's to pass out valuable information on current topics. This year marks not only the 250th birthday of our great country, but it's also the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Big Horn, or if you prefer, the Battle of the Greasy Grass.

It will eventually be for the best of the battlefield, but for now all the construction is causing some stress for those with the Park Service, interested parties, and visitors in general. Siobhan put together a great, informative video on the current state of everything, along with travel tips, and known scheduling. Please verify dates/times, as things are very fluid.

If you're planning on visiting the battlefield over the anniversary, this is required viewing. Even if you're going out after the big weekend, off season, whatever, give the video a watch for the great visitor/tourist tips.

I'll be in Sheridan, Wyoming, for the LBHA Conference. Then the next weekend, I'll be in Hardin for the CBHMA Conference. So if you see me, please say hello. I'll probably be with my buddies, but they don't bite. For the most part anyway. I'd love to meet you.

And now... here's Siobhan.

 

Custer’s Last Network: The Groups Keeping Little Bighorn History Alive

Reading, studying, and examining Custer, the 7th Cavalry, the plains Indian Wars, the Battle of the Little Big Horn, etc. is, for the most part, a solitary hobby. Indeed, many times your family, friends, and those closest to you don't understand the obsession. If you haven't heard the phrase "You're reading another book about Custer?" don't worry - you will.

Like pretty much everything else, Custer and the Little Big Horn battle can be found on the internet. There  are many websites dedicated to this period in history. Years ago, Custer buffs hung out on a variety of message boards and chat groups to communicate and trade information. With the rise of social media, those message boards and chat groups have pretty much been pushed to the wayside.

There are several organizations that cover our favorite timeframe in history. These organizations also have a social media presence, typically Facebook. Groups on Facebook are the current message boards of yore. In addition to their Facebook groups, in which you are free to join, read, and participate, they also publish newsletters, scholarly journals, have conferences, etc. Membership rates vary. 

Some groups are public and others are private. The private groups are free to join but do require registration. The private groups tend to be less prone to the antics that afflict social groups everywhere. All groups have moderators to keep the discussions on topic and watch for troublemakers. Here are my favorites in alphabetical order:

BTA-FTK: Bozeman Trail Association Fort Phil Kearny  FPK/BTA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to the preservation, development, education, and promotion of the historic sites at Fort Phil Kearny and along the Bozeman Trail. By becoming a FPK/BTA member you help to preserve and protect these historical sites. You will receive our LOOKOUT publication twice a year and a 10% discount in the Bookstore (when purchased in-store). The unofficial Facebook group for this organization is The Bozeman Trail and the Powder River Wars. The group is private but free to join.

CAGB: Custer Association of Great Britain is a wonderful organization that publishes the scholarly journal, The Crow's Nest. They also publish a club newsletter four times a year. They don't have a discussion group but by simply following their page, you will receive updates and other valuable information. The Crow's Nest is worth the membership fee all by itself.

CBHMA: Custer Battlefield Historical & Museum Association was the first organization I joined back in 1999. They publish their own scholarly journal, Greasy Grass, that is excellent. The CBHMA Facebook group is public and one of the largest as far as registered members. Again, membership is encouraged but not required to participate in the forum.

FRIENDS: Friends of the Little Bighorn Battlefield is an organization whose Facebook page states: "Our mission is to raise funds to aid & promote management programs of the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, formerly Custer Battlefield National Monument, and to inspire its visitors to learn more." No forum here either but by following their page, you will be sure to receive timely news about the battlefield.

LBHA: Little Big Horn Associates. A slick newsletter and the Research Review journal make this organization one of the old standbys for Little Big Horn fans. But it's not Little Big Horn all the time, 24/7. Articles on Custer's childhood, Civil War career, personal life, and the other characters involved are included. Their forum is private but free to join and is one of the most active.

OIW: Order of Indian Wars, now American Frontier History Association Assembly states on their Facebook page - "Study and dissemination of information, on that aspect of United States military history of Indian warfare, whether it is Indians against each other, or with emigrant settlers and soldiers alike. The history of the peoples and events in our past...on both sides. This page is dedicated to and focused on the history and discussion of the U.S. Indian Wars. Unlike the other groups, this one doesn't focus on the northern plains. You are just as likely to see a thread about Apache or Navajo topics as you are about Custer, the Sioux, or Cheyenne.

General George A. Custer History Forum: Unlike the others, General George A. Custer History Forum is a Facebook only group administered by Dr. Gregory Urwin. The discussion forum is highly moderated so there are less of the arguments that tend to break out on the other boards. Topics range from Custer in the Civil War to the Little Big Horn. Dr. Urwin wrote one of the classic Custer Civil War books, Custer Victorious.

There are other groups and pages as well but, these are my personal go-to favorites. I encourage you to check them out and give the forums a test drive. The groups that have been around for a while have a wealth of information in their files. Spend time looking through the documents, videos, photos, and posts that are featured. If you see me, drop me a note or private message to say hello.

Oh yeah... a bit of advice... get your feet wet by reading past entires. Get a feel for the individual board before posting. There are people in these groups that have been studying this topic for decades, including authors, film people, students, professors, park service employees, as well as seasoned and learned hobbyists. If you make a bold statement, be prepared to be called out. You need to backup what you post.

This battle may be approaching its 150th anniversary, but you can bet that feelings still run hot. Discussions and arguments are the norm. Whether you post or just lurk and read, you will learn something. And hopefully have a bit of fun as well. I'll see you over there...

Etched Back into Existence

John Cunningham and George Turner died while on the 1874 Black Hills Expedition with the 7th U.S. Cavalry. Private Cunningham died of chronic diarrhea on July 21 and Private Turner died from a gunshot wound inflicted by another trooper, over an argument about a cross-hobbled horse on July 22. Both were buried on the night of July 22nd, south of present day Sundance, Wyoming.

For nearly 100 years, the graves remained unmarked. On Veteran's Day 1968, the graves were marked with military stones and Cunningham and Turner were given the respect due them. Downloading the below image will allow you to zoom in.

Casper Star Tribune; Casper, Wyoming; November 07, 1968

The following appeared in the Casper Star Tribune five years later, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the deaths of Cunningham and Turner:

Casper Star Tribune; Casper, Wyoming; July 18, 1974

The Big 1-5-0!

Summer 2026 is a big one. Especially if you're a Little Big Horn student/enthusiast. In addition to our country's 250th anniversary, it's the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Big Horn. There are plenty of events to keep a person busy in the Billings/Sheridan area, particularly around the June 25/26 anniversary dates.

Both the Little Big Horn Associates (LBHA) and the Custer Battlefield Historical & Museum Association (CBHMA) have events planned near the anniversary dates. You can find membership and conference information on their respective websites. If you have an interest in this period of our history, I encourage you to explore both organizations. Please also check out these groups as well - Custer Association of Great Britain (their Crow's Nest publication alone is worth the cost of membership), Friends of the Little Big Horn, and the Order of Indian Wars (also covers battles and skirmishes not on the Great Plains).

The anniversary period is a great time to visit the battlefield, but it takes a bit more planning as there are more visitors, traffic, and over all congestion. Many of these places don't experience large visitor numbers so when they are bombarded, there may be some struggles. Please be patient. Especially 2026. With the battlefield visitor center under construction (hopefully but unlikely to be complete before the anniversary), there will be new rules and regulations governing your visit. Again...patience and pre-planning will be key.

I have three favorite things about visiting the battlefield around the anniversary timeframe:

1. My buddies. I am fortunate enough to have a group of buddies who share my interests and we make regular trips to historical battlefields, forts, graves, museums, and other sights that pique our fancy. We also enjoy having more than a few drinks and are always on the lookout for the perfect bison steak. I have experienced more with my buddies than I ever would have on my own. The nightly after action review discussions at the hotel are just as valuable and educational as the visits themselves. I have learned a lot from those knuckleheads.
2. As I mentioned earlier, there will be more people running around during the anniversary period than at any other time. This can be both great and troublesome. More people means more crowding, traffic, etc. But it also means there are more people who are interested in this period in history running around the area. It's a wonderful time to reconnect with old friends and also to make new ones. Most of us are doing our studying solo. It's fun to talk to and meet people with like-minded interests.
3. Number three is books. MORE BOOKS. This is also the perfect time to shore up your history library. Many authors are also in the area, so it gives you a good chance to get your new book inscribed and signed. Or just to ask a quick question about a book you particularly enjoyed. Every author I've ever approached to sign a book has been very friendly and accommodating. Just use common sense and good manners.

If you're on Facebook, there are a number of groups that cater to this period in history. I would suggest checking these groups out. Please keep in mind, that there are many opinions that are thrown around in these groups, and the discussions can get heated. There are moderators but it helps to police yourself. If you do decide to post, just know that you may be asked for clarification or the sources you used. This will help solidify your post and also promote discussion. Don't take everything too personally and have fun. There is a wealth of information in these groups and it's searchable. Using the (sometimes hard to find) tools on Facebook will help you locate the information that interests you. Some of these groups are public and others are private. Either way, they are free to join whether you are a member of the organization or not.

Little Big Horn Associates Facebook group.

CBHMA Facebook group.

Order of Indian Wars Facebook group.

Bozeman Trail and Powder River Wars Facebook group.

Both the LBHA and the CBHMA are having conferences near the battlefield this year. They offer tours, bookrooms, symposiums, and lots of other activities to keep you busy. Check out their websites and Facebook groups for more information.

A portion of one of the bookrooms at the 2024 LBHA Gettysburg conference.

The bookroom at the 2009 LBHA Billings conference.

The one and only Robert M. Utley, signing my copy of
Custer and Me; 2005 LBHA Rapid City conference.

The cover of the LBHA newsletter, September 2005. That lower
right-hand photo is us at the hotel bar, 2005 LBHA conference.
L to R: Frank Bodden, Michael "Max" Reeve, Greg Michno, Michael Olson,
Father Vince Heier, Perry Baker (RIP), and yours truly, Scott Nelson.

If you are out and about in Montana or Wyoming this summer, and happen to see me stumbling around, please come up and say hello. I love meeting fellow history enthusiasts. None of us bite.