The Billings KOA is the first KOA. They are starting some new things. They have
premium sites which have large cement patio's and parking areas. Also shrubs and
flowers. We did not go for the premium, just the regular site. Even that is better
than most KOA's.
We did not plan on stopping at Little Bighorn Battlefield. But we are glad that we
did. It was very interesting. They had very good talks and presentations. The movies
which were made in Hollywood about Custer's Last Stand really did not portray much of
the truth.
After the battle, the Indians removed all of their dead and buried them. When the
Indians left the soldiers from Reno's group came out of the woods and buried the
soldiers where they fell. (This was after the Indians stripped them and took scalps.)
Each grave was marked with a stick. The graves with officers were identified by name.
The army later returned and put up headstones. They also removed all of the officers
and laid them to rest back east. It was a lopsided battle. The army was better equipped
and trained. The army attacked a sleeping Indian village and caught them off guard.
But for every Indian killed, 5 soldiers died. Custer really screwed up.
One intresting item: the battle was in 1876. Yellowstone National Park was established
in 1872, 4 years before the battle.
The one thing I learned on this trip is to get some good books from the library about
the battle and also about Lewis and Clark.
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Billings KOA
On our patio. Each site has a swing and a table.
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Billings KOA
If you have the 2002 KOA directory, this cabin is on the cover.
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This was the spot of Custer's Last Stand.
The fenced in area is where Custer and his remaining troops died.
The large monument was erected to honor all of the army dead. Including
soldiers, Indian scouts, and civilians.
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Little Bighorn Battle Monument.
In 1881, all of the enlisted soldiers, indian scouts, and cililians were
removed from their graves and burried in a mass grave under this monument.
The monument was erected in 1976.
The last name in the right column is Richard Farrell.
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There is a path which winds through the area of the battlefield.
You can see where each of the soldiers fell.
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