Editor’s Note: These are the kind of posts that happen when you turn a history major loose in a museum. These posts were inspired by, and draw heavily on, an exhibit at the Montana Historical Society in Helena. Neither Empty Nor Unknown is an incredible exhibit that examines what life in Montana looked like during … Read more
Neither Empty Nor Unknown Editor’s Note: These are the kind of posts that happen when you turn a history major loose in a museum. These posts were inspired by, and draw heavily on, an exhibit at the Montana Historical Society in Helena. Neither Empty Nor Unknown is an incredible exhibit that examines what life in … Read more
In July of 1864, four down-on-their-luck prospectors chanced across gold in the Prickly Pear Valley, a wide, peopleless valley just east of the Continental Divide. By October, that same stretch of barren gulch was a virtual metropolis, teaming with miners, merchants, and prostitutes. The region’s citizens realized that they needed to turn their mining camp … Read more
The Montana Constitution of 1972 recognizes the importance to protect Montana’s unique Indian heritage through education. Yet I (along with most people I know) managed to escape high school with next to no understanding of Montana’s twelve Indian tribes. The 1972 Constitution was little more than words. Teachers were left to their own devices as … Read more
Oddly, the Baroque gables and adobe walls of Boulder Hot Springs don’t look out of place nestled in the foothills south of Boulder. Something about Montana’s arid landscape lets the Alamo-esque style make sense. A little surprising, perhaps, but not outrageous. One could even assume, based on our state’s name and a number of … Read more
You should know something about me: if I have the chance to reference A River Runs through It I will, even if that means spending an entire day rereading the book so that I can find a relevant quote. The obligation to read a lot of Montana literature is one of the two best things … Read more
One of my favorite Charlie Russell stories comes from an essay by Rick Newby called “Bookmen of the Montana Frontier:” “Early in the twentieth century, Montana folklore has it, a Helena couple visiting Paris stumbled upon Charlie Russell in the galleries of the Louvre. Russell greeted them warmly but begged them not to mention to … Read more
Tomorrow Scotland votes on independence, and I have been marking the occasion by reflecting on Montana’s debt to the people of Scotland. There are so many Montanan Scots, and I’ve looked at only a few, please feel free to let me know if you have others that you would like to read about. In the … Read more
In a few short days, Scotland will vote on independence from the United Kingdom. This impending referendum has left me musing on the role that Scots played in the history of Montana. Last week I profiled two pioneering cattlemen who helped shape Montana. Today I want to look at another pioneering spirit with Scotch blood … Read more
I have been thinking a lot about the Scots. Were there Scots in Montana? If so, why did they not leave a lasting mark on the Montana identity? Why, for example, do Montana Universities offer Irish Studies, but no Scottish Studies? Turns out, this is a theme across the West. While many Scots and Scots-Irish … Read more
