The First Montanans

10,000 years strong

As you might expect, the first inhabitants to Montana were its Native Americans. These aboriginal peoples formed a number of different nations within the region, including:

Smaller bands, such as the Pend d’Oreille and Kalispel, kept semi-permanent homes along Flathead Lake and the region’s western mountains, respectively.

The Crow

The Crow are credited by historians as the first of modern-day Natives to inhabit Montana. Populating the south-central and northern landscapes of the state, the Crow arrived in the area after a slow century-long migration from the Great Lakes region. They eventually settled upon the Yellowstone River in the late 17th century, with some members of the nation branching northwards into the Bighorn Mountains.

The Crow call themselves the Apsaalooke , which in their language means “children of the large-beaked bird.” Their most recognizable trait is their massive tepees, built with the skin of Bison and wooden stakes. The group is also historically associated with animals, having in their possession some 40,000 horses by the time of World War I.

The Cheyenne

A number of the other dominant Native American nations in Montana also migrated there from other regions. The Cheyenne share many cultural qualities with some Great Lakes Algonquin tribes, such as the Ojibwa or Chippewa. Little is known about the Cheyenne people before the 16th century, however, considering their ties to the Algonquin nations of the interior, it may be safe to assume that they, like the Crow, migrated westwards as English colonials began to creep inwards from the east.

The Blackfoot

Both the Cheyenne and the Blackfoot are known as militaristic groups, dominated by strong warriors. This was part of the reason the Native Americans were able to triumph despite overwhelming odds when facing Custer’s cavalry at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876.

The Unknown

Despite the strong presence of these groups - much of which is still felt today - none of the above are credited as the very first Natives to inhabit modern-day Montana. Simple art (pictographs) have been found along cave walls in a region six miles to the south of Billings. The etchings indicate the presence of some human group about 10,000 years ago, long predating the westward march of the Crow.

Although modern demographics are evidence that the white man eventually did reach and subsequently settle in Montana, the state’s Native population is amongst the most influential in American history. Comprised of a few battle-hardened nations, the aboriginals of the “Big Sky” state have defined themselves as a hearty group, capable of maintaining their own culture and the natural beauty of Montana.