Recently I was updating the SouthWest Montana ghost towns page. Some of the listings consisted of nothing more than part of an old mill, a few sheds, or the pit of a foundation. Others have been carefully preserved. Some flourish in continual celebrations of their past. Still others remain inhabited by people going about their … Read more
Christmas is a time for spending with family and friends, but lots of people in Montana in the 1800s ended up spending Christmas away from their families. Miners, and lumberjacks, and railroad workers all ended up spending many Christmases in camps scattered across the unpopulated plains and mountains of Montana. It may seem bleak but, … Read more
The transition between the days of the buffalo and life on the reservation was not easy for the Native American peoples. As the white men continued to move across the country, and settle in the west, the Native American way of life was undergoing immense changes that would forever affect the people. Chief Plenty Coups … Read more
Reynolds Creek Fire Update I’m sure many, if not all, of you have heard about the Reynolds Creek Fire that is burning in Glacier National Park. I mean it’s national news, and has even been mentioned on the Today Show. The fire has burned around 4,000 acres, but Glacier National Park covers 1.1 million acres. … Read more
In one way or another, I am sure everyone has had the experience of saying, “let’s give it one last chance.” Whether it was a relationship, hobby, business endeavor, or career path, the sentiment is far from foreign. The Four Georgians, who are to thank for putting Helena, Montana on the map, also shared this … Read more
Fatigue grips your body. You have been travelling for hours with no shelter from the elements. There is snow covering the ground and the wind is howling, freezing your extremities. In the distance you hear the cry of a bobcat, and something rustles in a bush at your feet. Along the horizon you make out … Read more
The whoop and cry of the braves. The startled bellows of the bison as they plummet to their death. The schthichk of skin ripped from flesh. The chanting murmurs of the butchers. Wood smoke. Dust. Blood crushed grass. Raw meat, slowly heating in the sun. This is the pishkun, the deep blood kettle. For over … Read more
I remember taking a family road trip to Glacier National Park as a child. Driving from Helena, MT to East Glacier, we carefully followed US 89 (a route known as the National Park to Park Highway as it connects twelve National Parks, but we will save that for another post). As we followed the trail … Read more
You know what’s the worst? Having an idea for a book, and finding out that it has already been written. This happens to me all the time. For example, I have been working on this brilliant metaphorical novel about a ship’s captain who goes mad in pursuit of a white whale, only to find out … Read more
Every state has a variety of symbols that are meant to represent the history and heritage of the state in perpetuity: a state flag, motto, animal, flower, bird, and song. Yet, there are 7 states that have not adopted a state fossil—lame! Montana of course, rich in dinosaur bones, is not one of those states. … Read more
