What makes this park special?
People who lived near the caves always knew that there were curious pictures painted on the walls of the caves. They called this place Indian Cave or Inscription Cave. It was not until about 60 years ago that they discovered the many items that the ancient people had left behind. These items are called artifacts, and they tell us how the ancient people lived so long ago.
Although a popular place for residents of Billings, Montana to visit in the early 1900s, it was not until more than a third of a century later that the archeological significance of the site was discovered. Early in 1937, a group of local visitors discovered arrow points, bones and other artifacts in the cave.
Later that same year, an archeological excavation project was organized under the New Deal program know as the (WPA) Works Progress Administration. In 1937 and 1938, about 15 to 20 workers under the supervision of Melvin Sayre and Oscar T. Lewis uncovered more than 30,000 artifacts from Pictograph Cave and Ghost Cave. These artifacts included arrow points, the bones of all large mammals known to this region, pieces of baskets and footwear, and sherds of pottery. Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, Pictograph Cave State Park Trail Guide, 1997.