August 5, 2009
Today we took Hwy 1806 from Cross Ranch all the way along the Missouri River to Mandan and then continued seven miles south to Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park which is also situated on the Missouri River. This is the place from which General George Armstrong Custer led his cavalry of almost 300 men to engage Native Americans in battle at the Little Big Horn in Montana. It took him 45 days to get to his last stand in July of 1876.
The house in the above photo is an exact replica of General Custer’s house which faced the parade field. He lived here for only three years with his wife from 1873 until 1876. He was assigned here in order to protect the Northern Pacific Railway as it was biulding more track west of Bismark.
The Sergeant in the other photo is our interpreter who entertained us during the tour of the Custer home. The piano behind him is a Steinway, built in New York City and shipped via rail to Bismarck. One upstairs room in the house was used as an officers’ club where cavalry officers could play billiards or cards, “properly dressed in uniform, of course.”
We saw cavalry barracks and stables and visited the visitor center which had a variety of historical books for sale. We enjoyed some gourmet coffee with raspberry scones.
Our interpreter was a crusty military character and he stayed in character all the way through. He refused to recognize any question which was post-1873. I forgot and asked a question about Little Big Horn and he said, “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you are talking about.”
Today we took Hwy 1806 from Cross Ranch all the way along the Missouri River to Mandan and then continued seven miles south to Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park which is also situated on the Missouri River. This is the place from which General George Armstrong Custer led his cavalry of almost 300 men to engage Native Americans in battle at the Little Big Horn in Montana. It took him 45 days to get to his last stand in July of 1876.
The house in the above photo is an exact replica of General Custer’s house which faced the parade field. He lived here for only three years with his wife from 1873 until 1876. He was assigned here in order to protect the Northern Pacific Railway as it was biulding more track west of Bismark.
The Sergeant in the other photo is our interpreter who entertained us during the tour of the Custer home. The piano behind him is a Steinway, built in New York City and shipped via rail to Bismarck. One upstairs room in the house was used as an officers’ club where cavalry officers could play billiards or cards, “properly dressed in uniform, of course.”
We saw cavalry barracks and stables and visited the visitor center which had a variety of historical books for sale. We enjoyed some gourmet coffee with raspberry scones.
Our interpreter was a crusty military character and he stayed in character all the way through. He refused to recognize any question which was post-1873. I forgot and asked a question about Little Big Horn and he said, “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you are talking about.”
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