Faculty and students at Little Big Horn College have been compiling Crow place names and the narratives associated with them in an ongoing project that began in 1996. Over five hundred names have been recorded. The majority are within historic Crow Territory but some are as far away as central Alberta, Utah, Oklahoma and Washington, D.C.
You can search the database by entering an Apsáalooke or English place name or by initial letter of Apsáalooke name or by State or Reservation District.
Road south of Pryor Gap that allows access to the top of the Pryor Mountains. Built in 1937-38 as part of IECW, Indian Emergency Conservation Works (the Indian version of the CCC), projects. An aboriginal trail, still visible, followed the opposite side of the draw. Before this road the only access by vehicle (wagons) was the Sage Creek Road.
Location: Pryor district, Montana
English literal translation:Snake Road
English name: “Snake Road”
Iaxassee Ahó
A prominent hill east of Crow Agency. Used by warparties as a lookout point.
Location: Black Lodge district, Montana
English literal translation:Many Snakes
English name: “Snake Hill”
Iáxuhpish
So named because of the jagged appearance of the butte, similar to a hide scraper.
Location: Hardin to Bozeman district, Montana
English literal translation:Hide Scraper (hair side)
English name: “Sheep Mountain”
Iáxuhpish Aashkaate
The first Crow Agency-Mission Creek Agency, MM343, I-90. Where Iron Bull and Thin Elk came home from a successful raid. Where the Crows almost starved to death. "Potato Camps" started-camping in a row. Sits In The Middle Of The Land buried near Mission Creek.
Location: Hardin to Bozeman district, Montana
English literal translation:Hide Scraper Creek
English name: “Mission Creek”
Ichxéexaxxiash Annappiio
In 1820 or 1822, Hanging Feet's camp was attacked by the Cheyenne and nearly wiped out. Survivors were captured and tortured or integrated into the tribe. At least one boy escaped and induced Sore Belly to lead a revenge raid the next year (SEE Bernardis 37-38; Plenty Coups 210; Fighting Cheyenne 26-32; Collier 48; Cheyenne Memories 130-132; Denig 172-182). PC "Passed the snow covered Mountains (in WY on train to DC) and travelled through still some other mountains. Old Crow said, 'This is the place where Hangs His Feet was killed.'" Grinnell says in Powder River basin; Denig says at headwaters of the Cheyenne River; George Bent says at mouth of Horse Creek, on the North Platte.Old Crow's description would appear to match more closely with Bent.
Location: Wyoming area district, Wyoming
English literal translation:Where Hanging Feet Was Killed
English name: “area north of Cheyenne, WY”
Ihchísshish Isalasáh te
Location: Reno district, Montana
English literal translation:Nest's Coulee
English name: “Nest Creek”
Ihkahisshash Alauuwishe
Site of an ambush by cowboys against a groupd of Crow Police.
Location: Pryor district, Montana
English literal translation:Where Red Star Was Wounded
English name: “Indian Battleground”
Ihkaléaxdaakua Alahaawíio
So named because General George Armstrong Custer was called Child Of The Morning Star by the Crow.
Location: Reno district, Montana
English literal translation:Where Child Of The Morning Star Was Wiped Out
English name: “Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument”
Ihkapíliish Iilapxe
Location: Wyoming area district, Wyoming
English literal translation:Foretop's Father
English name: “Heart Mountain”
Ihkapíliish Isbahée
Crater Lake, Pryor, MT.
Location: Pryor district, Montana
English literal translation:Foretop's Spring
English name: “Crater Lake”
Ihkapílwishishte
Called Peyote Point because of the use of the area by Crow Peyotists to escape persecution in the early 1900s.
Location: Big Horn district, Montana
English literal translation:Looks Like A Foretop
English name: “Peyote Point”
Iichíilaashe (1)
Iichi'ilaashe is the original term for elk, so the antiquity of this name would be better translated as Elk River.
Location: Hardin to Bozeman district, Montana
English literal translation:Horse River
English name: “Jefferson River”
Iichíilaashe (2)
Named after a particularly large giving of horses by the Pryor District to visitors. Said to have been all or nearly all of their horses, and it occurred in the 1890s.
Location: Pryor district, Montana
English literal translation:Horse River
English name: “Pryor Creek”
Iichíilaashe Aliakáate
Location: Pryor district, Montana
English literal translation:Small Horse River
English name: “East Pryor Creek”
Iichíilalashee
A battle site where the Crow and Sioux fought. The Crows used their horses as a barricade after the horse where killed in the crossfire. The superior Sioux force after three days of fighting. All the Crows survived uninjured.
Location: Other areas in the United States district, Wyoming
English literal translation:Where The Horses Died
English name: “spring near Absarokee”
Iichíilalashee (2)
Coulee north of rest area on I-90 between Hardin and Billings. Site of a fight between the Crow and the Sioux. The Crows killed the horses of the entrenched Sioux. For sometime after the remains of the horses were visible.
Location: Hardin to Bozeman district, Montana
English literal translation:Where Horses Were Killed
Iichíile Anahpé
Cliffs at the entrance of Summit Creek Canyon. A man's horse slipped, fell, and survived.
Location: Pryor district, Montana
English literal translation:Where The Horse Fell
Iichíilikaashaashe
Location: Hardin to Bozeman district, Montana
English literal translation:Elk River
English name: “Yellowstone River”
Iichíilikaashaashe Alachiliche
Alachiliche means the source of a river.
Location: Wyoming area district, Wyoming
English literal translation:Where Elk River Begins
English name: “Yellowstone Lake”
Iichíilikaashaashe Alakuppíisee
Location: Hardin to Bozeman district, Montana
English literal translation:Great Bend Of Elk River
English name: “Big Bend In The Yellowstone”
Iichíilikaashaashe Aliakáate
Yellowstone River in canyon above Springdale.
Location: Hardin to Bozeman district, Montana
English literal translation:Where The Elk River Is Small
Iichíilikaashaashe Koón Bahaatawée
Crow war parties made snow shoes at this spot.
Location: Hardin to Bozeman district, Montana
English literal translation:Hot Springs On The Elk River
English name: “Hunter Hot Springs, Livingston”
Iichíilikaashiakaate
Probably a translation of the English name into Crow.
Location: Big Horn district, Montana(Big Horn Mountains, MT.)
English literal translation:Little Elk
English name: “Little Bull Elk Ridge”
Iichíilikaashiakaate Aashkaate
Probably a translation of the English name into Crow.
Location: Big Horn district, Montana
English literal translation:Little Elk Creek
English name: “Little Bull Elk Creek”
Iichíilikaashisee
Probably a translation of the English name into Crow.
Location: Big Horn district, Montana(Bighorn Mountains, MT.)
English literal translation:Big Elk
English name: “Big Elk Ridge”
Iichíilikaashisee Aashkaate
Probably a translation of the English name into Crow.
Location: Big Horn district, Montana
English literal translation:Big Elk Creek
English name: “Big Bull Elk Creek”
Iichiilixaxxish Anmaawulua
A cairn marks where Spotted Horse whipped his younger brother in anger. This act brought him disgrace and a loss of status. Spotted Horse Creek is a tributary of the Powder River.
Location: Wyoming area district, Wyoming
English literal translation:Where Spotted Horse Fought
English name: “Spotted Horse Creek”
Iichíilxaxxish Isalasáh te
Location: Lodge Grass district, Montana
English literal translation:Spotted Horse's Coulee
English name: “Sunday Creek”
Iichíinnaakalahshee
So named because of the loss of colts in an early spring snow storm.
Location: Other areas in Montana district, Montana
English literal translation:Where Many Colts Died
English name: “Tullock Creek”
Iikkaashish Déaxkaashannutche
Joe Carpenter (Tent Peg) used ropes to get down to an eagle nest on a ledge in the slide area. He caught two eagletts.
Location: Wyola district, Montana
English literal translation:Where Tent Peg Caught Eagles
Iikooshtakáatbaatchaache
Location: Wyola district, Montana
English literal translation:Mighty Few
English name: “Wyola”
Iikooshtakáate
Location: Wyola district, Montana
English literal translation:The Few
English name: “Wyola”
Iisáakshammaaiaschiluua
Location: Other areas in Montana district, Montana
English literal translation:Young Man's Store
English name: “Park City”
Iísahchaxuummishe
Steep ridge west of Youth Camp that is covered with sagebrush.
Location: Big Horn district, Montana
English literal translation:Where There Is Some Sagebrush
Iisalapiwishaashe
Location: Pryor district, Montana
English literal translation:Tattooed Face Creek
English name: “Hay Creek”
Iisaxpúatahchee Annahpúua
Sheer cliffs on south side of mouth of Little Bull Elk Canyon, Bighorn Mountains. Named after the cornering and escaping of bighorn sheep down the sheer cliff, from Crow hunters.
Location: Big Horn district, Montana(Big Horn Mountains, MT.)
English literal translation:Where The Bighorn Sheep Descended
Iisaxpúatahchee Isawaxaawúua
Location: Big Horn district, Montana
English literal translation:Big Horn Sheeps' Mountains
English name: “Bighorn Mountains”
Iisaxpúatahcheeaashe Aliakáate
This river is commonly refered to as simply Aliaka'ate/Where It Is Small. The term specifically applies to the area of the river near Spear Siding, Wyola District.
Location: Black Lodge district, Montana
English literal translation:Small Bighorn Sheep River
English name: “Little Bighorn River”
Iisaxpúatahcheeaashisee
Name dervives from the story of the Seven Sacred Rams.
Location: Big Horn district,
English literal translation:Large Bighorn Sheep River
English name: “Bighorn River”
Iisaxpúatahcheealawaache
Location: Wyoming area district, Wyoming
English literal translation:Where The Bighorn Sits
English name: “Sheep Mountain in the Bighorn Mountains”
Iisaxpúatahcheewilichke
Location: Big Horn district, Montana
English literal translation:Big Horn Lake
English name: “Big Horn Lake”
Iisbíiaassaao
Location: Hardin to Bozeman district, Montana
English literal translation:Mountain Lion's Home
English name: “Pompey's Pillar”
Iisbíialawache
Location: Wyoming area district, Wyoming
English literal translation:Where The Mountain Lion Sits
English name: “Grey Bull River”
Iisbíiamaache
Location: Hardin to Bozeman district, Montana
English literal translation:Where The Mountain Lion Lays Down
English name: “Pompey's Pillar”
Iisbíiwahee
Location: Pryor district, Montana
English literal translation:Mountain Lion Spring
English name: “Crater Lake (?)”
Iisbishúa Aashe
Location: Pryor district, Montana
English literal translation:Crooked Face Creek
English name: “Indian Creek”
Iischíxaxxalahiilappee
River crossing used since prehistoric times to the present. Once part of the Bozeman Trail and later used by cattle drives. Named after the original allottee that lived near the ford.
Location: Big Horn district, Montana
English literal translation:Spotted Jackrabbit's River Crossing
English name: “Spotted Rabbits Ford”
Iisée Annúttuua
Spring at the head of Lost Creek.
Location: Pryor district, Montana
English literal translation:Where They Get Bear Root
Iishbíiannappiio
Named after the killing of a mountain lion in 1934 by John Strong Enemy.
Location: Big Horn district, Montana(Soldier's Trail, Big Horn Mountains, MT.)
English literal translation:Where The Mountain Lion Was Killed
English name: “Soldier's Trail”
Iishdúuptasseesh Annuussaao
A large cottonwood tree once stood at this place. The famous Crow warrior Two Faces, brother of Plays With His Face, was placed on a scaffold in this tree.
Location: Wyola district, Montana
English literal translation:Where Two Faces Was Laid Down
Iishipia
Lodge Grass District camping area beside the town of Lodge Grass, MT.
Location: Lodge Grass district, Montana
English literal translation:Muddy Mouth
English name: “Lodge Grass campground”
Ikkúhphachish Isalasáh te
Named after original allottee.
Location: Big Horn district, Montana
English literal translation:Packs The Hat Coulee
English name: “Packs The Hat Creek”
Ikkúhphachish Isammáakoo
Prominent hill on the south of the Good Luck Cut Across on the Bighorn side. Named after original allottee.
Location: Big Horn district, Montana(Bighorn Valley, MT.)
English literal translation:Packs The Hat's High Point (Hill)
English name: “Good Luck Cut Across”
Iláhchissash Annáapiio
Prominent butte north of Miles City (west of highway). Famous site of the annihilation of a Crow warparty by the Sioux. The Sioux warrior Fast Horse was with the Crow and was also killed by the Sioux.
Location: Other areas in Montana district, Montana
English literal translation:Where Left Arm Was Killed
English name: “Crow Rock”
Isaashbishxíile Isalasáh te
Named after the original allottee
Location: Lodge Grass district, Montana
English literal translation:Grey Blanket's Coulee
English name: “Gray Blanket Creek”
Isbaatawuaxapé
So named because the bell used to call workers fell from its holding brace.
Location: Reno district, Montana
English literal translation:Fallen Bell
English name: “Reno District”
Issaatbishéelaxpe Annáapiio
Area in the Pine Hills where a line rider was killed by Crows when he discovered the Crows butchering a cow.
Location: Other areas in Montana district, Montana
English literal translation:Where The Cowboy Was Killed
Issaatxalúash Isalasáh te
Named after original allottee
Location: Black Lodge district, Montana
English literal translation:Space Between Legging Flaps' Coulee
English name: “Two Leggings Creek area”
Isshéelannuuwiimmishe Isalasáh te
Named after original allottee
Location: Pryor district, Montana
English literal translation:Braided On Top Of Heads Coulee
English name: “East Pryor Creek area”
Istáxialutchush Alaxape
White chalk points where Takes The Gun fasted. He used the white clay as his medicine afterwards.
Location: Wyola district, Montana
English literal translation:Where Takes The Gun Laid Down
