Ekalaka, MT

Ekalaka is a town in and the county seat of Carter County, Montana, United States. The 2020 census counted 399 residents. Ekalaka was named after a Sioux girl, Ijkalaka, who was the wife of David Harrison Russell, a scout. Ijkalaka was an Oglala Lakota and the daughter of Wombalee We-chosh. Ekalaka is part of the Montana Dinosaur Trail and is home to the Carter County Museum, which is known for its dinosaur collection. The prehistoric bird Magnusavis ekalakaensis was named after the town.

Ekalaka Public Schools educates students from kindergarten through 12th grade. There is the Ekalaka Elementary District and Carter County High School. The through line in Ekalaka is the way its history and present-day settings remain visible on the same map. Ekalaka makes the most sense through those concrete details, with its history still visible in the settings people use today. The area is known for its sandstone rock and open plains. Nearby is the Custer National Forest.