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Apsáalooke Place Names Database

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.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Aashúuchoosalaho (2)

  • Named after the practice, started by the leader Tip Of Fur, of piling buffalo skulls after successful buffalo jumps in the area.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where There Are Many (Buffalo) Skulls
  • English name: “Dry Head”

Aashúuwaalaaxash Annaaksheeiilitché

  • Area near road to Ok-a-beh by Pretty Eagle Point.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where Crazy Head Struck Coup

Aashkaatbakaxpe

  • Beauvais Creek as it flows from its origin by Little Mountain.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana (Little Mountain)
  • English literal translation: Where The Creek Flows Parallel
  • English name: “Beauvais Creek”

Aashkaatiiooshee

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Dipper Creek
  • English name: “Beauvais Creek”

Aashkaatshipia (1)

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Mud Creek
  • English name: “Muddy Creek”

Achikkéesh Alaihchipúa

  • Where Bow String Hold miraculously jumped across the canyon on horseback to avoid pursuing enemies. A cairn marks where he jumped from and another one marks where he landed.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where Bow String Hold Jumped
  • English name: “Dryhead Canyon”

Akússe Okahpe

  • Box canyon on east side of the Bighorn River behind the Yellowtail Dam. Provided the English name for the marina--Ok-a-beh.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Extended Basin
  • English name: “Box Canyon/Ok-a-beh”

Akalatshiihile Alahaawiio

  • Hayfield Fight, August 1, 1867
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where Gardners Were Annihilated
  • English name: “Hayfield Fight Battlefield”

Alíiliiluttuua (2)

  • Named after the use of the area for cutting tipi poles.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where They Get Tipi Poles
  • English name: “Lemonade Springs”

Alíiliiluttuua(1)

  • Named after the use of the area for cutting tipi poles.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where They Get Tipi Poles
  • English name: “Tipi Pole spring area”

Alaatchiawacheeitche (1)

  • A favorite camping spot on the upper east end of Lime Kiln Creek. Named after the shade produced by the thick box elder grove in this area.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Chief Shade

Alachishpé (1)

  • Ridge area immediately south of Peyote Point.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana (Peyote Point)
  • English literal translation: Where There Is A Gap

Alachishpaxawíia

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana (Bighorn Mountains)
  • English literal translation: Where There Is A Difficult Gap (To Cross)
  • English name: “Bad Pass Area”

Alachiwakáao (1)

  • Stone cross on ground near Three Springs built by Father DeSmet about 1842. (SEE Batbaka'lawishe)
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where They Pray
  • English name: “DeSmet Cross”

Alachiwakáao (2)

  • Cathedral like cave on south bank of Little Bull Elk Canyon. It caved in the 1940s.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where They Pray
  • English name: “Cathedral Cave”

Alachiwakáao (3)

  • Series of trees near the Hayfield Fight Monument. Planted by DeSmet after his second mass with the Crow. The first one was at the DeSmet Cross.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where They Pray
  • English name: “DeSmet Trees”

Alahpaláaxawaawaalaatuua

  • Ghost Writings is one name for Native rock art.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where There Are Ghost Writings
  • English name: “Hoodoo Creek Area”

Alasáh takaate

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Little Coulee
  • English name: “Pitchfork Creek”

Alaxáluua (2)

  • West end of Lime Kiln Creek
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where There Is A Crevice

Alaxakúpkaashe

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where It (The Canyon) Is Deep.
  • English name: “Black Canyon”

Alaxchíiahush Annaáxshelitche

  • Where Plenty Coups counted three of the four chiefly war honors to gain chieftanship. Name is a Pryor District reference. The hill is a prominent point visible on the Crow cut-across from the Bighorn side.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where Many War Deeds Counted Coup

Ammaáhpawaalaatuua (1)

  • Writing in this case refers to Native rock art.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where There Is Writing On The Cliffs
  • English name: “Hoodoo Creek area”

Ammaaaxxaxiio

  • Stone tool manufacturing area at Grapevine Creek as it flows into the valley, Grapevine Ranch of the Campbell Farming Corporation.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where They Sharpen Tools
  • English name: “Grapevine Ranch”

Ammilichipaasaau

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where There Is A Dam
  • English name: “Ft. Smith, MT”

Ammilihpúua

  • Bighorn River area in front of Yellowtail Dam. Named after the filming of a scene in a movie at this area in the early 1900s. The scene had local Crow people fighting a white hero, Yakima Kanook, in the water in this area of the river.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where They Swam

Ammishéelahpee (1)

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where The Buffalo Are Driven Over (The Ridge)
  • English name: “Grapevine Buffalo Jumps”

Amníashipite (2)

  • Shale cliffs along west side of Bighorn River. Named after the black mineral in the cliffs.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Black Cliff
  • English name: “Black Buttes”

Anmáachilappaxua

  • Where Bighorn District cut logs for its dance hall in the early 1900's.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where They Chop Pine Trees
  • English name: “Saw Log Canyon and Trail”

Anminnaxtúua

  • Battlesite on Grapevine Dome. Battle between the Blackfeet and the Crows. The Crow were victorious.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where There Is A Fortification
  • English name: “Grapevine Battle Site”

Annáshisee (2)

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Large Campsite
  • English name: “Ft. Smith Medicine Wheel”

Annúucheepe

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Mouth Of The Canyon
  • English name: “Ft. Smith, MT”

Attáte

  • Ridge east of St. Xavier, MT.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Sharp Points
  • English name: “Mission Buttes/Three Points”

Attalúupkaate

  • Two prominent hills near Muddy Creek in Foggy Crossing. Area where wild turnips were gathered.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Two Small Points
  • English name: “Squaw Buttes”

Awáassheele Hátchke (1)

  • Long Ridge in the Bighorn Mountains, near Little Land.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Long Ridge
  • English name: “Long Ridge”

Awalakuhké

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where The Land Is Small
  • English name: “Little Land”

Awannaxxálua

  • Bighorn Canyon
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where The Ground Slid
  • English name: “Bull Elk Basin-WHERE EXACTLY?”

Awapilíia

  • Small hills near Sugar Beet Dump by St. Xavier. Awapili'ia refers to barren hills or badlands.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Chapped Land

Awaxáape

  • Prominent flat outcroppings near mouth of Grapevine Creek.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Flat Land

Awaxaawísh Issaashké Annahpé

  • Present road to Black Canyon Youth Camp. Mountain's horse slipped and slid down into the canyon. The fall killed the horse.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where Mountain's Horse Went Down

Awaxaaw'ish Issaashké Annaxxálua

  • Present road to Black Canyon Youth Camp. Mountains horse slipped and slid down into the canyon. The fall killed the horse.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where Mountain's Horse Slid (Down Slope)

Awaxaawalapálee

  • North end of the Big Horn Mountains.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Rump of the Mountains

Awaxaawammáakoo(1)

  • Bighorn Mountains
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: High Mountain
  • English name: “Windy Point”

Axítchish Isbahée

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Wet's Spring
  • English name: “Spring near Hoodoo Creek”

Axxiimaalaxchiwisshíshte

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Looks Like Hair Knotted Above The Forehead
  • English name: “Warman Mountain”

Baáhpammaalaatbishe

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Cliff With Some Writing On It
  • English name: “Hoodoo Creek”

Baáhpe Hupé

  • Where Big Metal was thrown over the cliff by his step-father and later rescued by the Seven Sacred Rams, Bighorn Mountains.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Hole In The Cliff
  • English name: “Hole In The Rock”

Baahammishíisteesh

  • A canyon in the Buffalo Pasture, Bighorn Mountains.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where Something Seems Likely

Bacheeishdíio

  • Named after the many buffalo jumps in this area and its general abundance of game. Referring to the packs of meat carried by the men. A place where June berries and yampa was gathered.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Man's Road
  • English name: “Grapevine Creek area”

Bacheewáalaash Isalasáh te

  • One of Joe Medicine Crow's Crow name is Bacheewa'alaash/Winter Man. His uncle Jigs Yellowtail jokingly translated this name as Eskimo and the name became applied to a creek in the Bighorn Mountains where JMC was allotted land.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Winter Man's Coulee
  • English name: “Eskimo Creek”

Bahaá Chilía

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Cold Spring
  • English name: “Point Creek”

Bahaá Dáawiia

  • Big Horn Mountains, east of Black Canyon. Burnt Face was discovered using these springs.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Three Springs
  • English name: “Three Springs”

Bahaá Hísshe

  • Named after the red earth that the spring emanates from.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana (Wyola, MT.)
  • English literal translation: Red Spring
  • English name: “Red Spring”

Bahaá Hawátaakaatash

  • Big Spring on the south rim of Dryhead.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Only Spring
  • English name: “Big Spring”

Balápbishammachioo

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Place Of Our Revenge War
  • English name: “West Soap Creek”

Balachóosalaho

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where There Is Much Dry Wood
  • English name: “Woody Creek”

Balapuúxbishe

  • South of Warman Mountain, Big Horn Mountains. A historic campsite because of the resources - wood, shade and springs. From this campsite area it was typical to cross the ridge to the southwest to Black Canyon to hunt. (to left of Ok-a-beh Road heading south, 8 miles).
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where There Are Some Aspens

Balewaakeeáashaliishiio

  • Area with good spring (Lemonade Spring) below Windy Point on Bull Elk Ridge.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where The Bighorn District Camps

Balewaakeeáashe

  • Named after the extravagant giving of 400 horses by the Bighorn District people to the visiting Lodge Grass District people at a social gathering in the 1900's.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana (Bighorn District, MT.)
  • English literal translation: Give-away Valley

Balewaakeeáashe Annahpúa

  • A trail into Bighorn Canyon.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where The Bighorn District Descends

Basawaxaawúua

  • Location: Big Horn district,
  • English literal translation: Our Mountains
  • English name: “Big Horn Mountains”

Batbakálawishe

  • Stone cross marking site of Father De Smet's mass on the Bighorn Mountains, at Saw Log Canyon. September 1842
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where There Is A Cross
  • English name: “DeSmet Cross”

Biishihch'e (1)

  • Knoll near Muddy Creek, MT.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Rocky Hill

Bikkaatashé Alíiannee

  • Road from St.Xavier to Lodge Grass. Term used by residents of the Bighorn Valley.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Greasy Grass Road
  • English name: “Good Luck Cut-across”

Bilaxpáake Alíkua

  • Ridge between Bull Elk Canyon and Black Canyon Basin, MT. Named after the sighting of a man shouldering an elk and carrying it away.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where A Person (Man) Was Seen

Bilitawée

  • Named this since the creek rarely freezes - because of its high alkali content, not temperature.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Hot Water
  • English name: “Soap Creek”

Bilitxeekáate

  • Water falls on Point Creek.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Little Water Falls
  • English name: “Cowboy Shower”

Bishpáwishe

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana (Gyp Creek, MT.)
  • English literal translation: Where There Are Boxelder Trees
  • English name: “Gyp Creek”

Buluhpáashe (2)

  • Creek in town of Ft. Smith.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Plum River
  • English name: “Lime Kiln Creek”

Chúukeesh

  • A general term for the next valley from the location of the speaker. Most commonly used for the area of St. Xavier.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Next Valley
  • English name: “St. Xavier”

Cheétbahee (2)

  • A tributary of the Bighorn R. south of Beauvais Creek.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Wolf Spring Creek
  • English name: “Wolf Spring Creek”

Déaxkaashitchish Alaxapé

  • The famous chief Pretty Eagle fasted on this point. His fasting bed and grave are on the top of this point.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana (Bighorn Mountains, MT.)
  • English literal translation: Where Pretty Eagle Laid Down
  • English name: “Pretty Eagle Point”

Déaxkaashitchish Annaáksheelitche

  • Prominent ridge above Yellowtail Dam visitor's center.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where Pretty Eagle Counted Coup

Daxpitcheeannuussúua

  • Muddy Creek area near the Bighorn Mountains.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana (Muddy Creek, MT.)
  • English literal translation: Where They Ate Bear
  • English name: “Muddy Creek”

Daxpitcheemmilihpúua

  • Bighorn Mountains, MT.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana (Big Horn Mountains, MT.)
  • English literal translation: Where Bears Swim
  • English name: “Bear Hole”

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

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”

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”

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”

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”

Iisaxpúatahcheewilichke

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Big Horn Lake
  • English name: “Big Horn Lake”

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”

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”

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”

Kapíliashtiishte

  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Looks Like A Huckleberry
  • English name: “Warman Mountain”

Oowappe Alasáh te

  • The area at the headwaters of Lodge Grass Creek and Rotten Grass Creek.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Square Coulee

Shiitilítshia

  • Point between Windy Point and Sheep Mountain, Bighorn Mountains.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Stinking Hill

Shitsáhpua

  • Seven prominent buttes on the westside of the Soap Creek oil field area.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Seven Hills

Uwattisaash Annuussaao

  • West bank of the Bighorn River, below Yellowtail Dam at Spotted Rabbit Crossing.
  • Location: Big Horn district, Montana
  • English literal translation: Where Big Metal Was Laid Down
  • English name: “Big Metal's Grave”