‘Exploring with Custer’ revised ahead of 1874 expedition anniversary

In 2002 Ernest Grafe and Paul Horsted released the first edition of “Exploring with Custer: The 1874 Black Hills Expedition,” now a seminal book on some of the earliest recorded history of  exploration in the Black Hills area by non-Native people. More than 20 years later, the book is in its fourth edition, which comes with many exciting additions: newly colorized photos, more accurate photo recreations, a section on still-existing wagon ruts in the area that originated with the expedition, a reflection by Lakota scholar Jace DeCory on the significance of the expedition in relation to life for the Lakota, as well as other updates. Nearly every page and photograph has been updated or revised, and these additions add up to 36 new pages. 

The book has two main parts: one that explains the route of the expedition, complete with maps, GPS coordinates and first-hand accounts of day-to-day activities from those who were there. The second part brings the expedition to life through photography and rephotography, showing readers the path of the expedition in both the past and the present.

The new edition comes just ahead of the 150th anniversary of the Black Hills Expedition, led by General George A. Custer in 1874. In a way, the book shows the legacy of that original expedition—homes, power lines, highways and campgrounds now appear in the sites of those 1874 photos. That’s not all that has changed—years of wildfires, pine beetle infestations and other natural phenomena have made their mark on the ever-changing landscape. 

“The forest has undergone considerable change since the first edition was published,” Horsted said. 

“In some places, formerly dense stands of pine trees are now meadows due to the mountain pine bark beetle epidemic that took place during the past 20 years. In a few other areas trees have continued to grow, sometimes blocking views that were more open in 2002.”

Other things remain unchanged. For example, a stump shown on the right side of the cover of the book still stands in the same spot as it did when the expedition passed by. In fact, it’s stood much longer than that. A study of tree rings in that area revealed that another stump nearby had sprouted in 1417 and died along with the pictured stump in a large fire that covered most of the Black Hills in 1685.  

In this edition, all 50 of Illingworth’s original 1874 photos of the Black Hills Expedition have been rephotographed, something Horsted wasn’t able to accomplish in previous editions as a few photo sites remained a mystery until recently. 

Some of those new sites were discovered thanks to help from readers of earlier editions of the book. For example, one of Illingworth’s photographs of Black Elk Peak, which he called Godfrey Peak, was since determined to be located near the Rafter J Bar campground south of Hill City. Ken Marchand, a geographical information specialist, used satellite imagery to help determine the photo site. 

“The last few [photo sites] were difficult because of a lack of landscape clues,” said Horsted. He explained that sometimes they had the background correct, but struggled with the foreground. 

Illingworth’s photos are also of improved clarity in this new edition. Thanks to digital  high-resolution scans of the photos, which are held by the State Historical Society in Pierre. Some of these photos have also been colorized thanks to more accessible technology used for this edition. 

In fact, the colorizing was done by a professional in Australia whom Horsted had been in contact with online. They were able to collaborate to get the colors as accurate as possible. 

This edition also leads readers to consider the legacy of the expedition with the addition of the reflection by DeCory, who Horsted invited to contribute to the book. Horsted said she had an “important voice and perspective.” Her contribution came just before she died in late 2022. 

“She wrote a wonderful piece,” said Horsted.

On July 4 Horsted will sign copies of the new book at the 1881 Courthouse Museum from 1-3 p.m. and will have copies for sale. The soft cover is available at $49.99 while a limited number of 1,000 hard cover copies are available direct from Horsted for $99.99. 

Copies of the book can also be purchased at select Black Hills museums, galleries, bookstores and National Park and National Forest locations around the Black Hills. Copies can also be obtained through paul

horsted.com.