In the News: Billings library unveils new Heritage Garden

KULR8, August 9, 2022

BILLINGS, Mont. – Monday was the grand-opening for the new Heritage Garden at the Billings Public Library.

The garden includes a new front entrance with features embodying the community’s heritage, made possible through a donation from Diane and Mark Gorder.

“When envisioning what a new front garden could look like, we all felt strongly that like our award-winning Library building, the entrance should mirror our beautiful surroundings,” Billings Public Library Foundation Director Leslie Modrow said in a release from the library. “Working with the original landscape architect for this building, Jim Foley, we chose plants that are native to Montana and boulders that look just like the rims we see every day.”

BPL said the garden features the influence of the Crow language and culture. The Library Foundation collaborated with a group of Crow language speakers and elders to create signs for plants written in the Crow language.

“It was important to include elements of the Crow language and culture as we considered the heritage of Yellowstone County,” Modrow said. “We are so thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with the Crow Nation Language Club and other Crow experts to include traditional names for these plants.”

The garden also features etched representations of indigenous petroglyph art on the central boulders, which include buffalo tracks, a horse with a rider and two shield bearer illustrations. The figures are replicas of the ones seen at Pictograph State Park.

“We wanted walking into the library to feel like a welcome to Billings and to Yellowstone County. We’re thrilled that it’s turned out so well,” Modrow said. “This is just one example of the ways that the Library Foundation uses public-private partnerships to go above and beyond for our library and our community.”

Community members may learn more about native plants and petroglyphs through the informational pamphlet at the reference desk at the library.