There is a collection of letters and books at the Billings Public Library that adds an element to the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Little Bighorn. They are from a a woman who worked to preserve how she wanted her husband to be remembered for his role in the battle.
Elizabeth Bacon Custer worked for more than a half century writing and lecturing-- building the legacy she wanted for her husband, Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer.
Elizabeth’s thoughts are preserved in a collection of her letters and her books in the Montana Room, a trove of material on the region’s history in the Billings Public Library.
Librarian Joe Lanning shared some of Libbie’s comments from her letters.
“So she is sending books out because she wants to preserve the legacy of her husband; she’s looking to build the legacy of her husband at this point as well,” said Lanning. “She’s on this campaign to get the word out of what she wants to be remembered about him. And we’re about that. She’s sending materials to this area which is incredibly important in this area in the Battle of Little Bighorn.”
Libbie had thoughts on Major Marcus Reno and his role in the battle.
“There’s a letter in there that’s talking about she’s not too crazy about the idea Reno being commemorated at the battlefield and she has thoughts on that. It’s a wonderful way of seeing what Elizabeth Custer thought about Reno at that moment in 1921,” Lanning commented.
The Montana Room has letters from a committee of federal and local officials, working on the 40th anniversary in 1916 and the 50th in 1926.
The group strategized on getting trains to bring people from across the country to the commemoration…which survivors to invite and who not to invite. Lanning says it was a racially charged time.
“That’s an important part of the primary sources. And I’m really happy that we can provide these to the public because it shows every element. It really does punch you into the period of 1916 and 1926 and what was going on from at least one perspective,” Lanning said.
Anyone interested in seeing the Elizabeth Custer collection or other materials on the battle commemorations, contact the Billings Public Library.
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