Blaine County Museum
This is one of the best small-town history museums I have ever visited. The highlight of your visit will definitely be their multimedia presentation "40 Miles to Freedom." The show uses film and paintings to reveal the events leading up to the Battle and Siege of the Bear Paw, where Chief Joseph surrendered with the famous words "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever." In addition to artifacts from the Bear Paw Battlefield, the Blaine County Museum offers a wide range of exhibits relevant to local history. You'll see and learn about dinosaurs, Native Americans, the early West, and the homestead era. Be sure to check out all the exhibits in the museum's basement, as well as their fine bookshop.
Bear Paw Battlefield
After viewing the multimedia presentation at the Blaine County Museum, you'll want to drive the 15 miles to the Bear Paw Battlefield, part of the Nez Perce National Historic Park. A battlefield brochure and trail map is available at either the museum or the battlefield, where a self-guided 1.25-mile interpretive trail winds through the historic site.
