Contact: Sharie Shada, 307-275-6120; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

“The First Home: Unpacking the Crow Tipi” Program Offered at Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site

BANNER, Wyo. — July 18, 2025 — Wyoming State Parks invites the public to a special tipi-raising program at Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site on Tuesday, July 22, at 6:00 p.m. This free, family-friendly event offers a unique opportunity to learn about the cultural and historical significance of the Apsáalooke (Crow) tipi through a live demonstration and interpretive talk.

Macariah Pine, a Native American Student Interpretive Ranger and member of the Crow Tribe, will lead the evening. As the tipi is raised in real time, Pine will share insights into the meaning and construction of the Crow tipi, including its symbolism, its use as a seasonal guide, and its continued significance in Apsáalooke culture.

“[I’ll be] talking about the meaning and history behind the tipi, such as why it is raised a certain way, the meaning behind each pole, and how the tipi was used to tell seasons and time,” Pine said. “This will be a live presentation where the tipi is set up while I talk.”

Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and meet near the fort’s historic stockade wall for this engaging outdoor program.

This initiative is part of the American Indian Student Interpretive Ranger Program, now in its third year. A partnership between Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site, the Fort Phil Kearny/Bozeman Trail Association, and the U.S. Forest Service, the program provides interpretive training to Native American college students. This summer, three student rangers are alternating between Fort Phil Kearny and the Medicine Wheel/Medicine Mountain National Historic Landmark in the Bighorn Mountains, sharing Indigenous perspectives and stories with park visitors.

Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site is located at 528 Wagon Box Road, Banner, WY 82832, and is part of the Wyoming State Parks system.

For more information, visit wyoparks.wyo.gov/fortphilkearny, follow along on Facebook at facebook.com/fortphilkearny, or call 307-684-7629.

Contact: Sharie Shada, 307-275-6120; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.