An Indian Memorial Helps to Re-Image Little Bighorn Battlefield National

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument offers a prime example of re-imaging in NPS context. Custer’s Last Stand occurred at this place, but so did the last stand of the Plains Indians. In 1991, a landmark redesignation acknowledged that the battlefield has a duel identity. More recently, an Indian Memorial has helped to re-image the place as hallowed ground for Indians as well as whites.

Re-imaging, a concept very familiar to celebrities, politicians, and tourism promoters, is a tool that can be used to change the basic way the public perceives or thinks about a person, place, or activity. It is usually intended to trade an unfavorable image for a better one, but is also highly useful for replacing an inaccurate or misleading image with something lots closer to the truth.

Suppose that a national park were in need of re-imaging. How would you go about it? Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument offers an excellent case study.