Friends Events June 27-28, 2008

Jerome Greene Live -- Stone House (White Swan Memorial Library)

You might be thinking about what we have planned for June 27-28, 2008? It’s a good one for sure. With the spring 2008 release of Jerome Greene's Stricken Field: The Little Bighorn Since 1876, we have the privilege of Mr. Greene sharing with us, in person, some of the history of the battlefield since 1876. Mr. Greene will present, answer questions, and sign books the evening of June 27, 2008. This opportunity for you to spend the evening with Mr.  Greene will be held at the Stone House while the battlefield surrounds us. The evening is a fundraiser for Friends to support future projects at the battlefield. Tickets are $25 for Friends members, $30 for non-members, and $35 at the door.  We will announce at a later date more of the plans for the evening as we get closer to June. Maybe we’ll take another walk up to Last Stand Hill after the monument closes. You can purchase tickets by mail with check or credit card (see link to form below). Seating may be limited, so first-come, first-served. For questions about Mr. Greene's presentation please send an email to: greene@friendslittlebighorn.com or call Kay Hunsaker at (909) 628-3544 if no answer, please leave message.

Trail Volunteers

Because the 25th falls on a Wednesday this coming year, we’ll have volunteers interpreting along the trails Friday and Saturday, June 27-28, 2008. We'll notify all volunteers once we know the location of our command post. For further information on how to volunteer, or to volunteer please send an email to: interpreter@friendslittlebighorn.com  or call Mike Semenock at (425) 334-9719 if no answer, please leave message.

3rd Annual Friends Feast & Tour of the Archives

To thank our members and volunteers for the success we’ve had with Friends, we’ll have another Friends Feast Saturday, June 28, 2008 at the administration building on the battlefield. We’ll also hold the annual Friends general membership meeting during the Feast. For the first time, we’ll also stay after close the evening of the Feast. Superintendent Darrell Cook has been very generous and flexible for Friends events in the past and this year is no exception.

Last year Chief Curator Sharon Small planned to share items from the archives during her presentation, but we were concerned about transporting items to the administration building, so Sharon showed slides instead. Well, we’ve figured out how to do it better this year.

After the Feast on Saturday the 28th, Sharon will take us on a personal tour of the archives and vault which reside in the basement of the visitor center. This opportunity to actually see the archives, hidden away from the public, does not come lightly. I don’t know when we’ll have this chance again.

There is more material in the archives than we’ll have time to view; however, there are some specific items never before displayed in the museum. Two items top my list that I know only a handful of people have seen: the 7th Cavalry regimental standard and Company I’s guidon (Keogh guidon -- mind blowing). Supt Cook has granted us the privilege of viewing these two very important archived items.

It is believed the regimental standard was left with the pack train, so did not accompany Custer into battle. If it had, it would have been lost. The Keogh guidon is another story all together. It is battle related and its condition is so deteriorated that it will never see the light of day, but you will see it during our field trip.

The Keogh guidon was taken from the battlefield by the victors but later found in American Horse’s village after the Battle of Slim Buttes on September 9, 1876. The guidon was given to the battlefield, already in terrible condition, long before the NPS began to manage the battlefield.

Sharon, Darrell, and I will be working on the details between now and June 28, 2008 to ensure you will enjoy an experience that is once-in-a-lifetime.

This is a free event for members only and one member of their family or one guest. Additional family members or guests will be charged $15 each. We need you to RSVP by June 6, 2008 with the number in your party, or you cannot attend. For more information on the feast or to register for the feast please send an email to: feast@friendslittlebighorn.com and advise us how many of your family members will attend with you, or call Bob Reece at 303-776-9419 if no answer, please leave message.

It’s looking like June 2008 is shaping up to be a great one.

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