The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
at Yellowstone Kelley

Luther Sage "Yellowstone" Kelly (July 27, 1849 - December 17, 1928) was an American soldier, hunter, scout, adventurer and administrator. He served briefly in the American Civil War and then in an 1898 expedition to Alaska. He commanded a U.S. Army company in the Philippine / American War and later served in the civilian administration of the Philippines. On June 26, 1929 Yellowstone Kelly was laid to rest with full military honors overlooking the Yellowstone Valley in Billings, Montana after an impressive funeral procession.

In the words of Kelly's biographer, "If destiny ever decreed a fitting locale for one man's final resting place, surely this spot was meant for Yellowstone Kelly.

sign at Yellowstone Kelly's grave site sign at Yellowstone Kelly's grave site

In 1915, after a few years gold mining in Nevada, Kelly settled permanently in Paradise, California, where, on 17 December 1928, he died. He was buried on a high bluff along the Yellowstone River just north of Billings Montana with the sword he captured from Legaspi at LaLud. “I feel my body will rest better in Montana, the scene of my earlier activities, than it would in the vastness of Arlington, where I purposed having it laid.” The bluff, within the boundaries of Swords Rimrock Park (City of Billings Parks & Recreation), is now referred to as Kelly Mountain.

Yellowstone Kelly's grave site

Military service: In the spring of 1865, with the Civil War winding down, Kelly secured permission from his mother to join the Army. He traveled to Rochester, New York, where he attempted to join the Fourth New York Cavalry but was turned down due his young age (15). Later he joined the 10th Infantry by lying about his age. He was unaware that the 10th Infantry was not a volunteer corps and that he would be obliged to continue serving after the war.

Kelly was sent to City Point, Virginia. After Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox, his regiment was sent to Richmond and then marched towards Washington, D.C., encamping south of the Potomac River until after the Grand Review of the Armies. Because Kelly's unit had not participated in the Grand Review, it was selected for a parade through Washington on June 8, during which Kelly served as part of the guard detail for the reviewing officer, "his first official duty of any real consequence".

Kelly's unit was stationed in Washington over the summer. In November they were moved by train to St. Paul, Minnesota to be stationed at Fort Snelling for the winter. In May, his company moved among Fort Abercrombie, Fort Wadsworth and Fort Ransom, all in the Dakota Territory. During his free time at these forts, Kelly hunted game to provide fresh meat for his fellow soldiers. In April 1868, Kelly's enlistment in the Army ended, and he was discharged at Fort Ransom.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

sign about Yellowstone Kelly

The Billings Chamber of Commerce is currently working to create the Yellowstone Kelly Interpretive Site in Billings, Montana. This is after numerous acts of vandalism at his grave site throughout the years. In addition to the Yellowstone Kelly Interpretive Site, Luther Sage Kelly was remembered with a Warner Brothers movie in his name, trading cards, several frontier and old west magazine articles and advertisements, and a number of books. Additionally, there is a Facebook page dedicated to his memory. He was perhaps best known for his hunting, trapping, and for hostile encounters with Sioux warriors; truly a man of the frontier.

Menu for the two RV Gypsies Adventures in Montana
(sites 17 - 20 on the 2016 USA map)
May 22 - 31, 2016

You may visit these sites in any order you choose.
There is also a link to Alberta, Canada below.

green bullet travel photos and Billings Village RV Park - (site 17)

green bullet Billings Welcome Center

green bullet Chief Plenty Coups State Park

green bullet Trader Dave's Restaurant

green bullet Pictograph Cave State Park - two pages

green bullet Pompeys Pillar - two pages

green bullet Riverfront Park

green bullet Swords Rimrock Park - Scenic Park

green bullet Yellowstone Kelly (this page)

bar & barn divide bar

green bullet Conestoga Campground in White Sulphur Springs (site 18)

green bullet Natural Mineral Hot Springs in White Sulphur Springs

bar & barn divide bar

green bullet RV driving day and snow lingering alongside the road - (site 19)

green bullet Fort Benton, Montana- the birthplace of Montana

green bullet Veteran's Memorial Park

green bullet Upper Missouri River Breaks Interpretive National Monument

bar & barn divide bar

Places in Great Falls Montana - (site # 20)

green bullet Great Falls, MT: paintings, bridges, statues, Pasta Montana

green bullet The Historical Depot Building

green bullet The Montana Veteran's Memorial

green bullet Lewis and Clark National Historic Interpretive Center - 2 pages

green bullet Giant Springs State Park, springs, waterfall, long and short rivers

green bullet Rainbow, Crooked, and Black Eagle Falls plus Sacagawea Overlook

green bullet Gibson Park: statues and a Flower Garden

Look Below for more navigation

there are more travel options below

continue on to the next adventure of the two RV Gypsies AFTER you have seen all of the above sections, please continue on to Alberta, Canada in June, 2016

OR

Continue Navigation in the order of your choice
via the alphabetical or category buttons below

search for items on this webpage beginning with the letter A search for things on this website beginning with the letter B search for things/places on this website starting with the letter C search for things/places on this website starting with the letter D search for things/places on this website starting with the letter E search for things/places on this website starting with the letter F search for things/places on this website starting with the letter G search for things/places on this website starting with the letter H search for things/places on this website starting with the letter I search for things/places on this website starting with the letter J search for things/places on this website starting with the letter K search for things/places on this website starting with the letter L search for things/places on this website starting with the letter M search for things/places on this website starting with the letter N search for things/places on this website starting with the letter O visit places the two RV Gypsies have been that start with the letter P search for things/places on this website starting with the letter P search for things/places on this website starting with the letter R search for things/places on this website starting with the letter S search for things/places on this website starting with the letter T search for things/places on this website starting with the letter U search for things/places on this website starting with the letter V search for things/places on this website starting with the letter W search for things/places on this website starting with the letter Y search this website for things/places starting with the letter Z such as ziplines find anything starting with the letter Q on this website
Menu for The two RV Gypsies in Alaska
The two RV Gypsies in Canada
Countries the two RV Gypsies visited cruises Lee and Karen Duquette enjoyed USA Destinations About Lee and Karen Duquette
Brian Duquette's life and tradgedy
e-mail The Two RV Gypsies
Karen Duquette's Flashbacks Please sign the Two RV Gypsies guestbook helpful information for RVers helpful hints for RVers and campers
Art seen by the two RV Gypsies Campgrounds in the USA and Canada Gardens the two RV Gypsies visited Lighthouses the two RV Gypsies visited Museums the two RV Gypsies visited National Parks the two RV Gypsies visited
Oddities and unusal things and places Restaurants the two RV Gypsies visited State Parks the two RV Gypsies visited Videos by Karen Duquette Waterfalls the two RV Gypsies visited wildlife seen by the two RV Gypsies