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 school year is right around the corner, and being the procrastinator that I am, I have yet to begin the packing process–no need to mention that I move this Tuesday. I am a master of procrastination, my tactics ranging from cleaning the entire house (other than my own room) to taking a nap or … 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
Why is there not a book of Minnie Two Shoes columns? That question might make a bit more sense if you had some context. Minnie Two Shoes was born in Poplar, Montana, in 1950 as Minnie Eder. She worked as a publicist for the American Indian Movement, an advocacy group for Native Americans founded in … 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
The crowd—small yet, it is still early in the season—waits in anticipation as the racers file into the starting gate. The “Call to the Post” blares scratchily over the loudspeakers. With an ear-splitting ring, the gate bursts open. The racer in the green silks pulls ahead early…rounding the first corner…into the backstretch…and stops abruptly, snuffling … 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
