Trails Center hosts: “The Continuing Search to Preserve a Lost Indian Wars Mass Grave in Central Wyoming.”
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CASPER, Wyo. - What happened in June 1865 during a battle between 20 United States soldiers and two to three thousand Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors at what has become known as the Battle of Red Buttes? Join the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center for a special presentation on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at 1 p.m. regarding the Battle of Red Buttes. This interesting program provides the community with the opportunity to connect with America’s cultural heritage.
The search for the location of the Battle of Red Buttes began in the 1920s. A revaluation of the battle including additional archaeological field and archive research has been ongoing since 2005, but has not located the mass grave of the 20 soldiers killed. While a four-hour battle may have a short-lived footprint, it is still visible magnetically because of the battle activities (i.e., artifact distributions, burned wagon parts). Field studies in 2016 found the best evidence to date for the battle location. In 2018, the landscape became part of America’s public lands.
“This presentation will bring to life the archaeological side of the Battle of Red Buttes and all the historical findings which has accompanied it throughout the years”, said Trails Center Director Chris Wilkinson. “We are very excited and honored to have Danny Walker here at the NHTIC to share his discoveries and stories with everyone.”
The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center is free and currently open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.
For more information, please contact the Front Information Desk at (307) 261-7780.
The NHTIC is a public-private partnership between the BLM and the National Historic Trails Center Foundation. The facility is located at 1501 N. Poplar Street, Casper, Wyoming.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.