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Boothill Cemetery Letterbox LbNA #20711

Owner:EVERCUR?OUS
Plant date:Mar 3, 2006
Location:
City:Billings
County:Yellowstone
State:Montana
Boxes:1
Found by: Oh Shoot!
Last found:Sep 17, 2021
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Last edited:Mar 3, 2006
To find this Box you must first find Boot Hill Cemetery, which is located in the small triangular piece of land between Airport Road (secondary highway 3), and West Main Street (US 87) in Billings Montana.

You’ll know you’re in the right place if you can see Applebee’s, the Metra Park, and Boothill Inns and Suites, located downhill.

Oh yah, you’ll also know you’re in the right place if you see a large metal sign labeled BOOTHILL CEMETERY. This sign describes only a part of the rich history of the area.

Boot Hill Cemetery was deeded to the City of Billings, on March 28, 1927 by ID O’Donnell. O’Donnell had acquired the land 20 years earlier from the Billings Land & Irrigation Company on May 1, 1907 for a fee of “one dollar currency of the United States of America”, with the intent of maintaining the site as an historical monument.

Stand facing the large metal sign and turn to your right. You will see the fruits of Mr. O’Donnell’s labors. This large stone obelisk was dedicated on April 25, 1921. The verses on the obelisk were written by Mrs. B.F. Shuart, wife of Billings' first minister

After reading the verses on the bottom of the obelisk, look up. You’ll see a set of power lines running directly overhead. Follow these power lines across the road (remember to look both ways before crossing). Continue to follow them up the hill past the first large wooden power pole. As you continue climbing up the hill following the power lines, look to your left (south) and you should see a small sandstone outcrop a small distance away. Make your way to this small outcrop. Standing on this outcrop you will have a great view of the cemetery.

When a person was buried in Boothill cemetery, it was practice to shove a small piece of sandstone from the nearby bluff, into the ground at either the head or foot, or both, to mark the grave. No permanent markers were made to denote the actual burial.

In accordance with this tradition, this letterbox is disguised as a slab of sandstone. Under the stone lip closest on the downhill side of the outcrop, you will find the letterbox.

After you’ve finished, remember to re-hide the box so that no one will suspect that it’s there.

Thank you for visiting this peaceful spot.

This is my first letterbox, so please drop me a note and let me know if you enjoyed yourself.