Cemeteries in Montana (State)

Montana became the 41st state on November 8, 1889, following territorial status since 1864. Germans, Italians, and Finnish immigrants joined American pioneers in settling Montana, while English and Scottish cattlemen established ranches. Mining, particularly gold and copper extraction, shaped Montana's early economic development alongside cattle ranching. The revised Homestead Act of the early 1900s expanded settlement opportunities from 160 to 320 acres. Protestant denominations established churches throughout the territory, serving diverse settler communities across the state.

Custer National Cemetery, established in 1879 within Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, serves as Montana's most prominent burial ground. More than 5,000 armed service veterans and their families are buried at the site in Crow Agency. The War Department consolidated remains from 25 frontier fort cemeteries when military posts closed after the Indian Wars. Fort Custer National Cemetery provides additional burial space for veterans throughout Montana. Cemetery records in Montana document the state's frontier military history, mining boom settlements, and homesteading families. Cemeteries in Montana preserve the heritage of diverse immigrant communities and military service members who shaped the state's development.