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cowboy music and stories, cookbooks, T-shirts, posters, post- cards, video and audio recordings. The museum is open Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday the rest of the year. Admission is free and guided tours are available. For more information, call 406-357-2590. On the Net: Blaine County Museum Web site: www.blainecountymuseum.com
Bear Paw Battlefield
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ocated 15 miles south of Chinook, on Highway 240, the Bear Paw Battlefield commemorates the final battle of the Nez Perce War of 1877. Following the breakout of war in Idaho, nearly 800 Nez Perce spent a long and arduous summer fleeing U.S. Army troops first toward Crow allies and then toward refuge in Canada. Forty miles short of the Canadian border and following a five-day battle and siege, the Nez Perce ceased fighting at Bear Paw on Oct. 5, 1877, with Chief Joseph's immortal speech: "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."
Blaine County Museum, 501 Indiana St., in Chinook. The museum offers the audio/visual presentation, "Forty Miles to Freedom," which depicts the battle and siege at Bear Paw. In the summer months, the museum is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., (closed noon to 1 p.m. for lunch) and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. In September and May the museum is open from Mon-
day through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Between October and April the museum is open Monday through Friday, 1 to 5 p.m. For information call the Blaine County Museum at 406-357-2590. A brochure with a trail map is available at either the museum or the battlefield. A self-guided 1 Âź mile interpretive trail winds through the battlefield. The trail is moderate in difficulty, but people are reminded to bring a hat and plenty of water
during the hotter summer months because these are not available on site. Picnic tables and vault toilets are available on site.
Social Media Bear Paw Battlefield has a presence in cyberspace. The battlefield has a photo-sharing site on Flikr; a Twitter feed; and is part of the Nez Perce National Historical Park's Facebook page.
Visiting the Battlefield
The battlefield is open daily, year-round, during daylight hours. The first stop should be the visitor center located at the
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