We took the scenic drive south out of Missoula on Highway 93, as opposed to taking Interstate 90, and we are glad we did for at least several reasons.  First, we passed through the sleepy little town of Darby, an area that warrants further investigation from a real estate perspective.  Second, we stumbled upon a great, not-so-little ski area called Lost Creek Trail.  We were stunned because it is in the middle of nowhere, and we couldn’t quite get our heads around where the people come from to keep this sizeable ski hill alive.  We will certainly check this out on our winter pass through the area.  Third, we passed through the Big Hole Battlefield area en route to our next stop, Dillon, Montana.  We decided to stop so that our brains could absorb a little culture other than the beer culture we seem to gravitate to, although admittedly, we had no idea what we were about to see.  I remember asking myself  “what battle occurred out in this neck of the woods, anyway, and what makes all this development so historically significant?”.  The area is managed by the Department of the Interior.  There is employee housing, six homes to be exact, a welcome center, and several outbuildings.  As we approached the welcome center, we still had no idea what we were walking into.  Inside the building was a nicely-sized gift shop, a Park Ranger, and an unbelievable memorial to the battle that took place just outside the building in the valley below.  A history buff like Mully probably knows exactly what this place is, but I must have fallen asleep in history class when this segment was taught.  Or was it even taught at King Philip Regional?  I might be too old to remember, but the Battle of Big Hole occurred in 1877 between the U.S. Army and the Nez Pierce Indians.  The Nez Pierce had been moving across the west trying to outrun the Army after the Battle of Clearwater.  Colonel John Gibbons and his 206 troops staged a pre-dawn attack on the Nez Pierce camp on August 9, 1877.  The 200 Indian warriors fought back, eventually pushing the troops far enough back into the woods so that their remaining 550 family members could escape.  The battle apparently lasted 2 days and resulted in 70-90 Indian casualties (30 soldiers, the balance were women, children, and elders) and 31 Army casualties.  The Indians eventually retreated and made their way to Canada.  The view from the welcome center into the Big Hole Valley where the battle occurred is unobstructed and very well delineated as to how the battle was fought.  It’s a tragic but necessary reminder of some very hard times that occured in our country well before any of us were born.  I am glad we stopped, and I am glad I was able to be re-educated on this important piece of American history.  If you ever are in this area of Montana, please stop by and see this memorial…it’s really pretty special.  Honestly, it was sort of eerie and beautiful, all at the same time.  Maybe that’s what culture is all about…