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
I have a friend who was talking about a trip he took to Texas. “The problem, with Texans,” he said, “is that they are all so proud of Texas. They think that Texas is the best place ever.” “Montanans can be pretty arrogant when it comes to talking about our state too,” I replied. He … Read more
The weather’s been weird lately, so it may very well rain tomorrow and then be warm and sunny next week. But regardless of what the weather says, it is very much fall. I know because the leaves are changing color and it is dark when I wake up. Fall means two things: soup and corn … 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
Being a travel writer requires a lot of journalistic sacrifice. I will do whatever it takes to make sure that you get the very best information. If that means giving up my weekend, so be it. This weekend, we made a loop in the middle of SouthWest Montana. On Friday, we went to Tizer Gardens. … 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
On my recent trips to Butte, I went to some cool museums, took fun tours, and ate delicious food. I also spent a lot of time just wandering around. The activities are fun for sure, but there is something very alluring about just wandering around a place, looking at things. Butte has an air of … Read more
Did you know that today is the first day of fall? Of course you do. Turns out, so do the people at Montana’s official tourism regions. Back in the old days, fall meant roundups. the big ranches would bring their cattle in from their summer pasture to winter them closer to home. Today, fall … 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
