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Scenic Stop: Local artist adds WOW factor at Pompeys Pillar National Monument

May 31, 2024

Imagine this. You’re driving across eastern Montana on I-94. It’s a warm, summer day. Last stop was two hours ago, when you got some iced tea. Large. Are we there yet?

Whether it’s the main destination or an unplanned rest stop, Pompeys Pillar National Monument is a welcome break for travelers. Located adjacent to the interstate, the Pillar with its shady grounds and staffed interpretive center draws 25,000 visitors each season. Now, thanks to the talent of a local artist, even the vault toilets offer a reason to linger.

Artist Rilie Tanè, a native Montanan who was born and raised not too far from Pompeys Pillar, recently completed murals on the interior of the two small buildings. One shows what you might have seen at the Pillar many years ago, and the other depicts current views. If her work looks familiar, you may have seen some of her other murals on buildings around Billings, Missoula and other Montana locations.

These restrooms are typically the first buildings that visitors enter after parking their vehicles, and the new murals will help introduce them to the site. We were looking for a way to “wow” the visitors and help them connect to the cultural and natural significance of this special place.

photo of a mural in blacks and grays on the inside walls of a vault toilet — Notice the mountain lion on top of the Pillar. One common Crow name for the Pillar is Iishbiiammaache [“ish – bia – machya”] - variously translated as “Where the Mountain Lion Lies,” “The Mountain Lion’s Lodge,” or “Where the Mountain Lion Preys.” And did you see the steamboat? On June 3, 1875, the steamboat Josephine reached Pompeys Pillar, carrying an expedition up the Yellowstone River led by Captain Grant Marsh.

Full color mural on inside wall of vault toilet showing mule deer, teepee and train in front of Pompeys Pillar. — The railroad is also significant in the Yellowstone River Valley. In 1882, the same year that the Northern Pacific Railroad was completed, the Northern Pacific Railway Company acquired a 400-foot right-of-way through the area about a half mile south of Pompeys Pillar. The railroad provided transportation through the The Yellowstone River Valley, and Pompeys Pillar was plainly seen from passing trains. Passengers stopping at the railroad station a half mile south of the Pillar routinely visited the site to view Clark’s inscription.

Story by:

Ann Boucher, Printing Services Specialist

Blog Topic:

National Conservation Lands

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Scenic Stop: Local artist adds WOW factor at Pompeys Pillar National Monument

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