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.