Garryowen, Montana

Infobox City
official_name = Garryowen, Montana
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Montana
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Big Horn County
leader_title = Honorary Mayor & Owner
leader_name = Chris Kortlander
established_title = Founded
established_date = 1895
established_title2 = Private Town
established_date2 =
area_total_sq_mi = 1
area_total_km2 = 2.6
timezone = Mountain
utc_offset = -7
timezone_DST = Mountain
utc_offset_DST = -6

Garryowen is a private town in Big Horn County, Montana, United States owned by Chris Kortlander. The "Townhall" currently houses a Conoco gas station and convenience store, a Subway, an arts & crafts store called "The Trading Post," and the Custer Battlefield Museum This town is currently for sale.

Attractions

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier & Peace Memorial

The tomb is a monument that officially marks the end of hostilities between the Lakota-Cheyenne and the U.S. Government. Within the tomb lies the remains of the soldier, and a tomahawk. The tomb was dedicated during an event called "Burying the Hatchett."

Custer Battlefield Museum

The Custer Battlefield Museum features many artifacts from the Battle as well as books and memorabilia.

The Trading Post

The Trading Post is a beautiful gift shop packed with many great collectibles. A sister store is also located across from the entrance to the Last Stand Hill Monument that features similar wares and a café.

The Center Pole

Located on Wellknown Buffalo's historic Indian trust land on the Crow Indian Reservation, this Native, non-profit organization's mission is to "empower Native American youth through knowledge, experience and global awareness" as well as to "promote the exchange of information, ideas and understanding between Indian reservations and the mainstream." It is a partner organization to Billy Mill's Running Strong for American Indian Youth (www.indianyouth.org) with a donations warehouse serving those in need in the community. The Buffalo Nickel Thrift Store, a community enterprise selling recycled clothing and housewares, welcomes visitors. Three of the buildings are hybrid straw bale constructed buildings. For more information see [http://thecenterpole.org/Home.htm their website] .

History of Garryowen

In 1895, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad established a tiny station on the Little Bighorn River, where water was taken on and US Army troops, supplies and mail were off-loaded for delivery to nearby forts and homesteads. This station was called Garryowen, after the marching song of George Custer's 7th Cavalry. When the Crow Reservation lands were created in 1868, Garryowen became part of the Crow's holdings, but the land was later sold by the tribe and the Federal government to private citizens. By 1926, the "town" of Garryowen was in private hands, but still consisted of little more than a small market. It was at this time, just a month before the 50th Anniversary of the Battle, that work was being done on an irrigation ditch just East of Garryowen - along Reno's line of retreat. Much to their surprise, work crews uncovered a nearly complete set of skeletal remains (no skull was ever found), accompanied by several bullets and buttons, clearly indicating that this had been a Cavalry soldier. Because 14 of Reno and Benteen's men were never accounted for following the Battle, accurate identification of the remains was impossible. However, with planning for the celebration's events in full swing, The Custer Memorial Association decided a memorial service, with full military honors, was due this long-lost Unknown Soldier.

The body was to be entombed in a special monument in the battlefield cemetery following a "Burying of the Hatchet" ceremony at Garryowen, in which US government and Indian representatives would smoke a peace pipe and place a tomahawk in the base of the monument.

The Battle of the Little Bighorn

Garryowen is located on the same lands that the southern edge of Sitting Bull's encampment once sat upon. Major Reno and his detachment fired the first shots just a few hundred yards away from Garryowen.