Montana Historian 2014

Issue 6 2014-2015

IN THIS ISSUE lone mountain ranch winter in yellowstone the art of jim dolan the story of walter cooper

Photographs courtesy of Donnie Sexton and the Yellowstone Historic Center Museum

ECOSTAR AWARD WINNING LODGE

LODGING AND DINING HISTORIC DISPLAYS & MATERIALS PORTRAYING THREE BEAR LODGE FROM 1932-PRESENT

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Two Top Adventures Snowmobiling Vacations and Tours in Yellowstone National Park

With bubbling geysers, active wildlife and unmatched scenery, Yellowstone Park is one of the most beautiful areas in the lower 48—and the best way to experience it all is riding on a snowmobile. That’s exactly what Two Top Snowmobile Rental has been facilitating for nearly 50 years. Since 1966, they’ve been helping guests enjoy the wonder and beauty of America’s first national park in the most intimate way possible.

“The previous owner bought his first snowmobile in ‘64 and really got into the rental business by ‘69,” says David McCray, current owner of Two Top. “It was a real mom-and-pop operation. And by 1980, we’d become a full-fledged rental company. We’ve grown every single year since.”

That continuous growth has positioned Two Top as the single largest snowmobile company in West.

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the Park Service, restricting the number of guides, permits and types of snowmobiles that could be used. Thankfully, by working to find compromises with the Park, things have turned out for the best: by the 2015-16 season, they’ll be able to put in as many as 100 snowmobiles in a day.“It’s the most we’ve ever had,” McCray says.“It’s a very exciting time.”

Whether an expert or a beginner, every guest can ride a clean-burning, Park-compliant four-stroke snowmobile over well-marked, groomed trails beginning right out the front door. And for guests that are after a more mellow experience, Two Top offers snowcoach tours. With hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, there’s almost no limit to what guests could experience.

“We have clients that come out every season. They’ll bring their kids and, years later, their kids will come with families of their own. It’s real fun to see the same familiar faces year after year,” McCray says.

“All our rides are guided, and our staff are all in West Yellowstone because they love it,” remarks McCray.“The knowledge they have is really amazing.”

From quick trips into the Park to multi-day adventures, Two Top can deliver the experience of a lifetime.

Through the years, the company rode the wave of changes enacted by

To schedule a trip, check out twotopsnowmobile.com.

Montana Historian

features Publisher Mike Rey

Editor

Jessica Bayramian Byerly

Marketing Director Chris Rey

Design Jared Byerly

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Lone Mountain Ranch

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Dinos, Drusy & Rocks

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A Forester's Adventure

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Living History Farm

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100 Years of the Real Montana Experience Prehistoric Montana Treasures

The First Ascent of Granite Peak

25 Years of Living History at Museum of the Rockies

Winter in Yellowstone

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A New Chapter After 50 Years

Sarah Antonucci Ellen Baumler Dave Berghold Jessica Bayramian Byerly Evelyn Boswell Ralph Heinz Lisa Hendrickson Emily Johnsen Anica Lees Babs Noelle Heidi O'Brien Dave Reuss John C. Russell Clyde Seely Dale Williams

Ad Sales

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Soldiers Chapel

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Making History

Black Timber Furniture

Mike Rey Joseph Spinelli Chris Rey

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Planet Harrington

Published By

The Story Behind a Big Sky Landmark

A Look at the Celebrated Montana Artist

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Treasure

Finding it in Montana

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"Doc" Bembrick

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Jim Dolan

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A True Montana Pioneer

An Interview with the Renowned Sculptor

Walter Cooper

The Story of the Legendary Montana Businessman

Calamity Jane

The True History

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Seeing Blue

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Contributors

The History of Yogo Sapphires

Montana Historian

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Rey Advertising 3220 Hillcrest Drive Bozeman, MT 59715 406-539-1010 reyadvertising@q.com

On the Cover Lone Mountain Ranch

a letter From The Editor Montana Historian 2014/2015 Montana’s history is as rich and diverse as its resources. From

with an unswerving focus on preserving character, enhancing

John Bozeman to Jack Horner, C.M. Russell to Jeff Bridges,

community and integrating nature. In so doing, they move

the people of this great state are lively, unique, talented and

history forward, seamlessly merging Montana’s past with its

adventurous. Like the gold, copper and sapphire veins that

future in perpetuity.

striate the landscape, Montanans have indelibly tattooed and informed their state’s rough-and-tumble past and vibrant

American Historian Howard Zinn once wrote, “The future is

future since well before it was granted statehood in 1889.

an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think

In this issue of the Montana Historian, we profile the people

human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around

of Montana, inarguably its greatest asset and most

us, is itself a marvelous victory.” Montanans are, if anything,

treasured resource.

a defiant bunch. Choosing clean air and kinship over metropolitan industry and opportunity, we

With its proximity to nature and tight-knit communities

make our concessions, but we are

reminiscent of years past, Montana attracts visitors from all

among the lucky few that,

reaches of the globe with one thing in common: they come for

by way of intention

a glimpse and stay for a lifetime. Visitors like the snowmobiling

or chance,

aficionados drawn to Clyde Seely’s “Winter in Yellowstone”

not only

experience; or men like “Doc” Bembrick, one of Montana’s

live as we

earliest settlers, who became a successful hunter, rancher,

think, but

miner, entrepreneur and, eventually, Montana legislator;

as we know

or modern marvels like internationally acclaimed artist Jim

we should.

Dolan, who knew Montana was his home before he even set

We always have

foot on Treasure State soil. Modern Montanans, like their

and, as the sage

ancestral counterparts, have an unbridled passion for nature,

old adage promises:

proclivity for small-town community and desire, above all else,

history is destined to

to slow down and enjoy a simpler way of life.

repeat itself.

Alive with the bustling activity of any modern city, Montana

- Jessica Bayramian Byerly

communities are also reflective of their rural roots, honoring what was, while embracing what is to come. Locally owned companies like Bechtle Architects, Big Sky Build and Biggerstaff Construction among others are building Montana 8

Montana Historian

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The Bozeman Clinic Serving Patients in the Gallatin Valley Since 1930

Some of the most important people in a town are its physicians, and doctors have been calling Montana home since its earliest days. From working at military outposts to running modern hospitals, medical professionals touch every part of the region’s history. One of the longest continually operated medical providers is the Bozeman Clinic, which has called Bozeman home since the beginning of the 1930s.

Dr. Bernard Heetderks started the Heetderks Clinic in Bozeman in 1930, after taking over Dr. Clem Seerley’s local practice. Dr. Heetderks trained in medicine in Chicago before heading off to serve his country in France during World War I. Following the war, he worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad hospital, treating the workers laying the tracks to connect the country.

In 1936 Dr. Roland G Scherer joined his brother-in-law at the Heetderks Clinic following his work for the Mayo Clinic. The two doctors practiced together for two decades until Dr. Scherer departed in 1955.

By then, Dr. Heetderks’ son, John, had finished medical school and was ready to join his father at the clinic. Dr. John had previously served in the Navy before studying at Montana State University and the University of Minnesota where he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1954.

Following his education, Dr. John decided to join his father back in Bozeman. Though it remained a family business, they renamed the clinic to The Bozeman Clinic, cementing its connection with the town.

Soon after, in 1957, another son, Dr. Albert De Heetderks, known as Dr. De, united with his family at the clinic. Dr. De also studied at Montana State and the University of Minnesota. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Science and M.D. from Stanford University in 1954.

The father and two sons continued to practice together, often dressing in a suit and tie to make house calls or deliver babies in the middle of the

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Montana Historian

night. In fact, Dr. Heetderks mixed many of his own medicines for patients using meticulous notes he kept in a small notebook. Such was a doctor’s life on the frontier.

The family continued to practice together until 1969 when the eldest Dr. Heetderks passed away at age 74. His sons continued to grow and modernize the practice through the years, offering a broad range of medical care and surgical procedures.

Writing about the Clinic in the 1980s, the doctors noted that The Bozeman Clinic “offered quality diagnostic and treatment facilities including a clinical laboratory, with registered laboratory personnel; a radiology department with hospital grade diagnostic x-ray equipment including [an] image intensifier under the direction of registered x-ray technicians.”

Dr. De retired in 1987 and left the clinic in the hands of his brother. Dr. John continued the practice until 1995, by which time the number of physicians had grown and were ready to take the reins. Dr. Gabor Benda joined the clinic in 1989 and was soon joined by Drs. David McLaughlin, Larry Sonnenberg and Leonard Ramsey before Dr. John retired.

Today, the clinic has expanded to seven physicians specializing in the full spectrum of medical care for the whole family. The clinic has added Drs. Heather Wheeler, Steven Roberts and Christine Mitchell to provide a unique breadth of individualized care under the banner of a single practice. The Bozeman Clinic offers everything from pregnancy care to minor surgical procedures, continuing the clinic’s long tradition of offering compassionate care to the Bozeman community.

100 Years of the Real Montana Experience The History of Lone Mountain Ranch

By Dave Reuss

Almost everyone who has made the winding drive up to Big Sky has noticed the words “Lone Mountain Ranch” carved into timber arches just off Lone Mountain Trail. For nearly 100 years, the Ranch has been a fixture in Big Sky’s rugged and beautiful landscape. Over the last century, this property has experienced a rough-andtumble history: from humble beginnings as a quaint working ranch, then a troubled boys camp, conversion to a logging operation, and finally to a vacation retreat. It has weathered booms and busts, a slew of different owners, and over 100 of Montana’s harsh snowy winters to emerge as one of the state’s finest guest ranches.

Lone Mountain Ranch’s history starts at the turn of the last century. Under the Forest Homestead Act of 1906, anyone who traveled to the untamed West could file for homesteads within national forest land for just $10, as long as they lived there for five years and made improvements. In 1915, Clarence Lytle traveled from Wisconsin to do just that. Clarence’s brother, William, and his friend, Eugene Crail, built many of the original structures on the Ranch, including the barns, corrals and fence lines. They ran the property as a ranch for 11 years, cutting hay, running cattle and tending horses.

In 1926, a paper mill tycoon from Chicago named J. Fred Butler spent another summer vacationing again in Montana on the Gallatin River, and he was determined to own a piece of the state he loved so much. He bought the Ranch for $50 an acre, renaming it the B Bar K Ranch. That much per acre was a lot of money in those days, especially for something that was mostly wooded and away from the river, but Butler was certain that this ranch was the perfect location.

Clarence Lytle

He and his wife, Lillie, and his daughter and son-in-law, Florence and Don Kilbourne, built the first structures and cabins on the Ranch. Sparing no expense, they spent an estimated $110,000 improving their new vacation ranch. Over ten buildings were custom-made for the Butler family—workers cleaned and washed the native lodgepole pine logs by hand, dragged them out of the woods using teams of draft horses, and hammered them together. Florence and Lillie used to travel extensively to the desert Southwest and they brought back many pieces that reflected the region’s unique style: dressers, throw rugs, and art decorated the Ranch—a few of which are museum-quality pieces still at the Ranch today. After J. Fred Butler passed away in the late ‘30s, Don and Florence ran the property as a dude ranch for many years, often welcoming guests from the East coast and featuring all the latest amenities of the age.

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Montana Historian

By 1946, the nearly 8,000-acre ranch went up for sale. Henrietta Joyce purchased the property to construct a boys’ camp for at-risk youth. Robert Turner, Henrietta’s nephew, was an ambitious minister who wanted to instill quality values in young men. He planned to bus them from Ohio to Montana where they could ride, fish, camp and hunt. But once Earl saw how rough the boys were on the Ranch, he decided that he and Louise would run it as a dude ranch where guests could enjoy the wilds of Montana. By 1948, it reached a significant milestone by becoming the very first location in the state with underground electricity.

In the early 1950s, Minnesotan Don Corcoran purchased the Ranch and converted the property into a logging operation. Due to the large number of families living on the Ranch at the time, the B-K and Hilltop Cabins were turned into schoolhouses for the children—as many as 78 kids were packed into a single classroom. Many of the families lived in 9’x12’ tarpaper shacks, which had dirt floors and virtually no insulation.

Timber was cut, dragged by teams of horses, and brought to the roads where workers loaded them onto trucks. They were taken to Gallatin Gateway and then moved by rail via the Milwaukee Railroad to Minnesota for processing. Corcoran’s logging business lasted about five years and abruptly ended when the timber market was oversaturated and demand plummeted. The operation did have its upsides—it was critical in getting Highway 191 paved. Construction crews even changed the course of the Gallatin River in some areas to better accommodate the new highway.

In 1954, Jack and Elaine Hume bought the property, retitled the location Lone Mountain Ranch, and converted it back into a scenic retreat for travelers from across the country. In a 1955 brochure, they promoted the ranch as an “11,000acre working ranch with hundreds of white faced cattle,” advertising a “Vacation for all the Family.” They specialized in pack trips, hunting and fishing. They also acquired the Crail Ranch, which is in today’s Big Sky Meadow Village area.

Sam and Florence Smeding purchased Lone Mountain Ranch in 1962. The Smedings continued the long tradition of welcoming guests to their home in Montana—much like today, the couple would travel to the Bozeman airport to greet their guests and then bring them back to the Ranch. For $120-130 per person, per week, they offered horseback riding, meals and lodging. They even installed a top-of-the-line Ester Williams swimming pool for their guests.

Hunting and pack trips took place every fall.

By the early 1970s, Chet Huntley, Chrysler, Conoco and other corporations were drawing out plans to turn Big Sky into a world-class destination and purchased the Ranch. It was referred to as “The Guest Ranch at Big Sky” during this time and was primarily used as a base camp for the development of Big Sky Resort and as a place to entertain possible investors.

2014/2015

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Throughout the ‘70s, operations began to slow and the Ranch was put up for sale once again. Bob and Vivian Schaap purchased the location with plans to run the Ranch as a cross-country ski and guest ranch. They spent the spring of 1977 restoring the property to its former glory and laying the groundwork for how the Ranch runs today. For over 30 years, the Schaap family established a successful summer and winter guest ranch, welcoming guests from all over the world. They provided folks with unparalleled adventures in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, as well as exceptional customer service. In October of 2013, Makar Properties purchased Lone Mountain Ranch.

Today, Lone Mountain Ranch is stronger than it’s ever been.

During their last season, they had 70 employees working full time. To accommodate up to 75 guests, they have 24 cabins and their Ridgetop Lodge. As many of the owners and staff have done for close to 100 years, the Ranch provides the finest in guest-ranch vacations with unforgettable experiences and unparalleled service. All concentrated within 20 miles of the Ranch, there’s nearly every outdoor activity you could imagine: horseback riding, canoeing, mountain biking and Orvisendorsed fly-fishing.

The Ranch has come a long way from dirt floors and sod-roof cabins, and the future looks bright for Lone Mountain Ranch. With new management, planned upgrades to cabins and buildings, and a welcoming staff, they’re ready to accommodate another generation of guests eager to enjoy the real Montana experience.

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Montana Historian

Jack and Elaine Hume

2012/2013

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The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same

By Dave Berghold, Owner of The Last Wind-Up Occasionally, I'm asked: “Do people still wear pocket watches?” My response is always a resounding, “Absolutely!” That watch just comes in a different case that also happens to include a phone, email and apps.

When pocket watches first appeared, they were suspended from a belt or sash by a chord or metal chatelaine (chain) outside of the pocket. Though they did tell the time, they were mostly a status symbol afforded only by the very wealthy. As time passed, these mechanical wonders became smaller and were fitted with new complications, or features, such as the date and phases of the moon. Some would strike the time at the top of the hour (clock-watch), while others would strike when the owner pressed a button on the side of the case (a repeater). Still others were used to track short lapses of time, as in a horse race (a chronograph). These were the 18th, 19th and 20th century “apps” for a watch.

With the advent of mass production and interchangeable parts, the watch became more cost-effective, enabling the average person to have independence with a personal timepiece. Even women wore watches, as pendants on long chains tucked into a skirt or blouse pocket or, later, as a bracelet, an early and timeless fashion statement. For men, the pocket watch reigned until WWI, when preferences changed to wristwatches for accessibility and convenience sake, particularly for troops.

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Montana Historian

In the wake of the war came growth in a range of industries and interests, including timekeeping. New materials allowed for watches to be almost completely anti-magnetic, improving their accuracy dramatically. Watches were developed that could be plunged to the depths of the ocean or withstand great impacts of shock. In the mid 1920s, Henry Graves commissioned Patek Philippe, the Swiss premier watchmaker, to make the world’s most complicated watch. Eight years later, the watch was completed . . . with 24 different complications. This same watch sold at auction in 1999 for over $11 million. (Incidentally, the watch is being offered for sale again in November of 2014 and is expected to bring over $14 million.)

By the 1960s, space travel was in sight. Television programs and films of the 60s and 70s imagined what would soon become reality. Captain Kirk and Dr. Spock communicated on the flip phone of yesterday. Now, the smartphone, with all of its applications and accouterment, can provide near limitless information, accessibility, connectivity and the exact time in cities around the globe at the touch of a few buttons.

Dating back to our beginnings, we are a population obsessed with time, its measurement and its passage. And, at the end of the day, it is the singular feature of our very expensive, very complicated 21st century pocket watches to which we unswervingly gravitate, across countries and cultures, again and again and again.

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Dinos, Drusy & Rocks (oh my!)

Prehistoric Treasures of Montana

by Babs Noelle

Dasha Bough, age 11, might only fully realize what a special summer she had last year once she has the ability to look back through a bit more time. Thanks to a certain remarkable keepsake, she will certainly be able to remember what happened during her dinosaur dig at Montana’s Milk River last August. Her “Eureka!” experience should serve as a reminder of our state’s rich prehistory, one which has left numerous organic and inorganic treasures in its geologic wake. And absolutely anyone can find one of these treasures and enjoy its enduring beauty.

Participation in a Jack Horner dino dig is certainly highlight enough for any kid, but Dasha’s individual discovery of a tyrranosaurid tooth instantly tied her to the dramatic geologic events of the Cretaceous period some 75 million years ago, and also to the more recent history of Lewis and Clark (the latter of whom named the Milk River for its unusual white color), and to Joseph Leidy, who in 1856 was the first known person to locate a similar fossil. Paleontologist Jack Horner allowed Dasha to keep the fossilized tooth, since it was an orphan lacking a more complete, accompanying skeleton.

Such an object is so ancient, so interesting, and yet so personal. Dasha’s mother, Jill, closed that circle in a way that humans have since time immemorial. She decided to have the tyrranosaurid tooth made into a piece of jewelry for Dasha. It was my privilege to craft the pendant that Dasha will enjoy for many years to come.

As is my tendency when working with “found objects” of prehistoric significance or gemological wonder, I try to leave very little of my own mark as a designer on the finished piece. After all, it is the object itself that is so striking. In the case of this tooth, everything about it is compelling and interesting: its amazingly smooth exterior, its subtle bands of earth tones, as well as its clearly intact and sharp serrations.

While discovering intact dinosaur teeth might require far more luck (and paleontological expertise) than most of us possess, there are thankfully a number of Montanans, self included, who keep our eyes peeled for fossilized dinosaur bone, petrified wood, agates ranging from translucent to drusy, and sapphires of remarkable beauty.

Staying within the same epoch as Dasha’s discovery, there are all manner of gem-quality fossilized dinosaur bone fragments. Unremarkable as fossil specimens, these partial pieces of dinosaur bone have been vividly colored by the particular minerals that buried the original animal. With the exception of shaping them so that they will not pierce one’s skin when worn and polishing them to bring out their unique palette, these colorful wonders are wildly different from each other. That uniqueness from piece to piece is courtesy of the different original bone structures, the minerals present, and the rate of fossilization.

Whether finding one myself or plucking an extraordinary one from a willing seller’s collection, I am always taken away by these beauties. Most people seeing one for the first time cannot believe that they are not dyed. Nope: you can thank iron for the red and orange hues, uranium for the yellow and green, and manganese for the blue and violet.

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Montana Historian

Thankfully, the same geologic events that fossilized the dinosaurs also preserved some of their contemporaneous plant life. The Hell Creek Formation has yielded a number of true-to-originalform petrified Metasequoia from "Agates have fascinated man for thouthe Cretaceous sands of years and are now one of the world’s most epoch, some 65.5 million years ago. popular gemstones. Perhaps part of this fascinaOther species tion lies in the fact that no two agate nodules are went through ever exactly alike. The range of their colors, patthe century-long petrification terns and shape are almost endless and yet all have process later, thought to have been formed by the one natural so much of the petrified wood process. This variety is true of no other gemstone you will find however rare or exclusive it is." throughout

-from Scottish Agates by Montana can be as “new” as 3

Nick Crawford and David Anderson million years.

Petrified wood scratches about as readily as amethyst or other quartz, but its durability can be quite high. Because all the organic material of the original wood was replaced with quartz but retained the wood’s structure down to a microscopic level, a tightly-grained piece of wood, once petrified, yields a very durable, very tough gem. As such, it is a wonderful material to inlay in jewelry. And since wood grain is a natural and familiar pattern without frills, men are particularly drawn to it.

Much like fossilized dinosaur bone, petrified wood comes in a variety of colors, again courtesy of the trace minerals present during its formation. My favorite variety, which is sadly not so easy to find, is “burned” petrified wood, which has a very dark brownish-black color due to the presence of carbon, most frequently present due to the wood having been burnt before it was buried at the beginning the petrification process.

Keep your eyes open! You can find petrified wood all over the state. From my place on the Yellowstone, I have located everything from small, beautiful, river-worn chunks suitable for pendants to full trunk or limb cross-sections. Whether inlaid into a ring or decorating your coffee table, they are wonders caused by floods and volcanic ash millions of years ago.

Unlike fossilization, which takes life forms from the earth and subjects them to Mother Earth’s processes, other treasures are formed deep below Her surface.

Quite some time after Dasha’s dinosaur roamed the earth, approximately 50 million years ago, Yogo sapphires were forming deep in the earth in a metamorphic crustal source at temperatures exceeding 900 degrees Celsius. As the resulting magma cooled slowly over time, atoms of oxygen and aluminum

(the building blocks of sapphire) combined and crystallized. The crystals were contained within a distinct, vertical dike 7000 feet below the earth’s surface.

Eventually, the sapphire crystals were brought much closer to the surface by another burst of volcanic activity.

As Mike Roberts, the owner of the Yogo sapphire mine likes to say,“Humans aren’t meant to be underground.” He ought to know. Working the sapphires out of the hard rock is unusual in the world of sapphire mining anywhere in the world, and darn hard work. Thankfully, he does it anyway. Unlike most sapphires, which are found at secondary sources due to water flows or decomposition of host rock, Yogos are contained within their primary source rock. East of Utica, Mike Roberts goes about 300 feet deep into the earth to extract these blue beauties that have been one of our state’s official gems since 1969.

Sharing the honor of Montana’s state gem is Montana agate. Easier to locate and extract from the earth, and a relative baby at 2 million years old, Montana agates, unlike the Yogo sapphires trapped within their primary host rock, are prolific travelers. Some travelled hundreds of miles, floating down the Yellowstone and other rivers to their final home.

Montana agate originally formed in the Yellowstone National Park area as a result of volcanic activity. A tremendous amount of silica-rich ash was spewed over a wide area. When things settled down, volcanically speaking, and the rains came, the mineral-laden silica water flowed into the pockets and cavities in the ash.

As the flows of water slowly filled the air spaces with liquefied silica, Montana agate was created. Any cracks or fissures in the agate were then further filled by other water-borne minerals, which produced the color variegation that marks a fine Montana agate. Another crystalline wonder that occasionally occurs is the formation of tiny quartz crystals within a larger agate. These crystals are called drusy, and they make for a very different gem. Rather than being polished to a smooth surface, the drusy surface of an agate is left in its natural state, with the sharp, sparkly crystals exposed for all to see.

Any cracked or otherwise structurally compromised Montana agates invariably crumble apart during their tumble down the Yellowstone. So, provided your search for agates sticks close to the river, the intact gems you will find are mostly strong and durable, as they survived the trip. Add to that the tight, cryptocrystalline internal structure of agate, and you have a gem that exhibits a lovely finish once it is polished. While most often forming as nodules or veins, Montana agate is typically cut into slices that show their semi-translucency and colorful bands and plumes.

This little slab of earth we call Montana has produced a very rich variety of prehistoric wonders. Whether sparkly or sleek, tyrannosauric or woodsy, they are within your reach. Find your inner Dasha, and perhaps join me for a search on the river sometime.

Going to the Sun Highway & Tunnel, Glacier National Park, Infrared, circa 1930s

OWN A

WORK OF ART AND A PIECE

OF HISTORY PURCHASE AUTHENTIC PRINTS FROM ORIGINAL SLIDES & NEGATIVES AT

Babs Noelle is the owner of Alara Jewelry in Downtown Bozeman.

SOURCES Sinkankas, J. (1959) Gemstones of North America, D. Van Nostrand Co, New York.

Reiner, T.A. (1941) “Agates of the Yellowstone River Valley, Montana”, Rocks and Minerals, v. 16, no. 9, p. 319-325.

Crowningshield, R. (1963) “Fossilized Dinosaur Bone,” Gems and Gemology, Summer, XI: p. 41-43.

Daniels, F.J. (1998) Petrified Wood: The World of Fossilized Wood, Cones, Ferns, and Cycads, Western Colorado Pub Co, Grand Junction, Colorado.

Voynick, S.M. (1987) Yogo: The Great American Sapphire, Mountain Press Publishing Co, Missoula, Montana, p. ix – x.

WWW.FRANKBYERLY.COM OR ASK YOUR LOCAL GALLERY IF THEY CARRY THE FRANK BYERLY VINTAGE COLLECTION

2014/2015

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A FORESTER’S ADVENTURE The First Ascent of Granite Peak

North face of Granite Peak from Mount Tempest, 1923

By Steven B. Jackson, Curator of Art and Photography at the Museum of the Rockies In the years following the creation of the United States Forest Service in 1905, Yale, Cornell, Iowa and Michigan Universities established the first forestry schools in the country. The early graduates of these schools represented a small group of young college trained foresters who would go on to play key leadership roles in the Forest Service. One of these foresters was James Campbell Whitham.

Born May 11, 1888 in Fairfield, Iowa, James was the youngest of three children. Charlie Clark, a man whose relation to the family is unknown, raised James after he lost both his parents in 1894 and 1895. It isn’t known when James became interested in the West, but he made at least one trip to Montana in 1909 after his graduation from high school. That same year, he enrolled in the Agricultural College School of Forestry in Ames, Iowa.

Following his graduation in 1911, Whitham headed west for a job as assistant supervisor of the newly establish Beartooth National Forest in Montana. During his college years (1909-1911), James (known as “JC” or “Whit” to his colleagues) had worked to survey and map the continental divide between Montana and Idaho. As a part of that work, he spent the summer of 1910 working on completing a topographical survey of the Beartooth Mountains, in the south-central part of Montana and northern Wyoming. Equipped with packhorses and their hiking and climbing skills, Whitham and a small crew were tasked with completing a survey (started

by James Kimball in 1898) exploring and mapping the valleys, peaks and high alpine plateaus.

This survey resulted in the original mapping and naming of many lakes, streams and mountain peaks in the rugged Beartooth range.

James Campbell Photo with his horse, Montana, 1912

As the assistant supervisor of the Beartooth National Forest in Billings, Montana, Whitham continued the topographical survey work in the Beartooths and began to survey the timber resources of the forest.

In addition to his skills as a backcountry ranger, James was also an avid photographer, taking numerous photographs of his travels and experiences in the forest. During the course of his survey work, Whitham

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successfully climbed many of the highest peaks of the Beartooths, but one mountaintop, Granite Peak, eluded his efforts. In August of 1914, he headed an expedition with forester R.T. Ferguson and two others to climb Granite Peak from Rosebud Lake. In addition to two organized attempts – one in 1894 by James Kimball’s survey party and another in 1910 by Fred Inabnit of Billings, Montana –there had been an earlier attempt at climbing Granite Peak in 1889, but Granite Peak, the highest point in Montana at 12,807 ft., had remained insurmountable.

Whitham writes: The party was too hastily organized and upon reaching the top of Mt. Tempest at the upper end of the Rosebud plateau, no wood or fuel could be found, so we burned our walking sticks to boil coffee and found it necessary to abandon the attempt. We spent an uncomfortably cold night on the 29th of August at a camp at the 12,200 foot level, took a lot of pictures of the Granite Peak region and returned to Rosebud Lake determined that the next time we would go better prepared and be more successful.

Climbing party on Mount Tempest with Granite Peak in the background, 1914

In 1916, James Whitham became the supervisor of the Sioux National Forest, headquartered in Camp Crook, South Dakota and located in the southeast corner of Montana and the northwest corner of South Dakota.

He married Lillian Kirby in June of 1917 in Billings, Montana. The Sioux National Forest was combined with the Custer National Forest of Montana in January 1920 and James moved with his wife to Miles City, Montana from South Dakota, becoming the supervisor of the new Custer National Forest that same year. George Kirby Whitham, their only child, was born on June 23, 1920 in Miles City.

In August of 1922, Mr. Fred Inabnit of Billings organized another attempt at reaching the summit of Granite Peak with a well-equipped party of five that included experienced mountain climbers. Their approach to the mountain was from the southwest via Skytop Creek, with a plan to climb the mountain from the south.

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Again, Whitham writes: After some most difficult climbing, in which ropes and all other equipment known to experienced alpine climbers were taken advantage of, they reached one of the big saw tooth notches between the two main pinnacles of Granite Peak, scarcely 300 feet from the top. After trying for several hours by every possible means to find some way of continuing the ascent, they were forced to give up again and hasten to their camp at Skytop Lake.

group was organized to reconnoiter a route on the south face.

Undeterred by two previous unsuccessful attempts, Fred Inabnit began plans to organize another expedition to climb the peak in August of 1923.

Expedition packing at the East Rosebud Chalet, August 27, 1923 Inabnit’s 1923 party included Billings residents Harold Rixon, W.H. Banfill, George Osten and Verne Johnson. When Fred Inabnit discovered that an attempt to climb the mountain was also being planned by three Forest Service supervisors – James C. Whitham, supervisor of the Custer National Forest; R.T. Ferguson, supervisor of the Beartooth National Forest; and Elers Koch, assistant regional forester in Missoula – it was decided that the two parties should Expedition members taking a break the first day join forces.

The climbers set off the next morning by daybreak. Koch, Ferguson and Whitham climbed the 1400 feet from Avalanche Lake to the northeast ridgeline.

Following the ridge, the climbing consisted of steep scrambling until, at approximately 9am, they reached a snow-filled notch in the ridge, about 800 feet below the summit known today as the snow bridge.

Here, the route finding and climbing became more difficult. Unable to continue directly up the ridgeline, the climbers followed a route off the south side of the ridge. Slow progress was made working back and forth to the south and north of the ridge until they reached a steep face about 300 feet below the summit. Seeing three possible routes up the barrier, each was tried in turn without success.

The combined climbing parties left East Rosebud Chalet on the morning of August 27th. Their approach to the mountain followed the Slough Creek trail, branching off on an unmarked trail that climbed the side of Mt. Fairview. They made camp the first night at timberline at the head of Slough Creek. The following day, leaving their packhorses with their packer, the group “man-packed,” following a route that led up through Froze-toDeath Pass and along the rim of Phantom Creek Canyon. They reached the summit of Mt. Tempest Phantom Glacier and Mount Peale from edge of Froze to Death Plateau, at noon. summit of Granite Peak rises about the plateau on the right The party then descended the ridgeline between Tempest and Granite Peak, dropping 1800 feet to their campsite at Avalanche Lake on the east side of Granite Peak. While several members set about making camp, a

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Whitham writes: After a good husky supper a conference was held and it was decided that the party would be divided, and the ascent the next morning attempted from opposite sides. Koch with Ferguson and Whitham were to make the attack up the northeast ridge, while Mr. Inabnit with the other members of the party assisting were to storm the southwestern slopes.

Whitham writes: It began to look as if another attempt at old Granite was doomed to failure as we were now confronted with an uninterrupted extension of the same series of cliffs and broken walls of granite that had been the undoing of so many expeditions in the past.

At this point, the three climbers retreated to a vantage point where they could better study the challenge before them. The solution was found by angling left via a chimney toward the south face where a ledge was discovered leading back to the

The northeast ridge of Granite Peak, 1923

Elers Koch climbing on the northeast ridge, 1923

R.T. Ferguson and Elers Koch climbing on the northeast ridge, 1923

ridgeline. Once again, another steep cliff face confronted them. This time they found that the only feasible route led out to the right onto the precipitous north face.

Whitham writes: A crevice led out across this steep slope for several rods, then dwindled into a mere crack in the rocks that was only big enough for short toeholds.

Here the most dangerous part of the entire trip was encountered – where a slip meant a drop of 1500 feet to the Granite Glacier below.

The climbers continued to encounter difficult route finding and climbing until they emerged from the last steep rock chimney, where relatively easy climbing led to the top. At this point, within site of their goal, the climbers halted to discuss who should be the first to stand on the summit.

Koch and Whitham felt that Ferguson, the supervisor of the Beartooth National Forest, should have the privilege of being the first human to stand upon the “monarch” of his forest. Ferguson steadfastly refused and the trio finally reached a compromise,“walking arm in arm to the top.”

The summit of Granite Peak was reached at 11:10am, August 29, 1923.

The party remained on the top for two hours building a rock cairn to support a stars and stripes fastened to an eight-foot hardwood staff and chiseling their names and the date deeply in the summit rocks. As the official photographer for the climb, Whitham photographed a series of panorama views from the summit and each climber had their portrait taken at the top. An effort was made to call out to the other climbing party but they could not see or hear any sign of them on the south side of American flag on the summit of Granite Peak with R.T. Ferguson the mountain. and Elers Koch chiseling their names in the summit rocks, 1923

While the success of the three foresters was heralded and congratulations were in order, the efforts of Fred Inabnit were also acknowledged in the September 1st edition of the Billings Gazette: “Much of the credit for the final scaling of the state’s highest peak is due to Mr. Inabnit, who has made several previous surveys and one attempt to reach the final objective.”

(Inabnit had actually made three attempts to climb the mountain.)

Each climber would later chronicle the climb: James Whitham, through his 1923 article,“Planting Old Glory on the Dome of Montana”; R.T. Ferguson in a 1927 article; and Elers Koch in his 1998 book, Forty Years a Forester.

James Whitham moved with his family to northern Idaho in 1924 where he served as supervisor of the Kaniksu National Forest, a job he held until moving back to Montana in 1932 as supervisor of the Gallatin National Forest in Bozeman. Whitham retired from the forest service in 1939, but came out of retirement in 1945, taking a timber survey assignment for the Kootenai National Forest in northwestern Montana. It is unclear when the tireless forester retired for good, but he lived out his retirement years in Bozeman, collecting pre-cancelled stamps, raising a flower garden and creating a herbarium. James Campbell Whitham died on June 6, 1963 and was buried in Bozeman.

Original photographs by James C. Whitham from Museum of the Rockies Photo Archive Collections.

Quotes from “Planting Old Glory on the Roof of Montana,” by James C. Whitham, 1923.

They began their decent at 1:10pm as a thunderstorm was forming west of them in Yellowstone Park and they thought it best to avoid getting caught in a rain- or snowstorm on the upper mountain. In many areas, the descent was more difficult and dangerous than the climb and they often resorted to using the rope to aid and protect their climb down. They had shrewdly constructed rock cairns on their ascent and these markers made finding their route down much easier. The successful trio arrived safely back at their Avalanche Lake camp at 5:30pm. The second party had reached a highpoint a mere 200 feet below the summit on the south face of the mountain before being turned back. Hearing the calls of success from the summit, they consoled themselves with the fact that Granite Peak had, at last, been conquered.

The successful trio: (l to r) J.C. Photo, R.T. Ferguson and Elers Koch, August 29, 1923

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Relighting History Ambiance Lighting Illuminates a Bright New World

By Jessica Bayramian Byerly

“No one lights a lamp in order to hide it behind the door: the purpose of light is to create more light, to open people's eyes, to reveal the marvels around.”

- Paulo Coelho

Toby Zangenberg, lighting designer extraordinaire and owner of Ambiance Lighting (Ambiance), isn’t merely a designer or autoCAD drafter or project manager or consultant. He is, though all of those as well, an artist at heart. A new build is his muse, architectural plans a canvas upon which he paints a picture in all of the varying tones and hues of light and darkness. And with the sprint at which technology continues to advance in the areas of lighting design, home automation and decorative aesthetics, his picture is only becoming brighter and more refined by the minute. Ambiance is the premier provider of commercial and residential lighting design and automation systems, an accolade hard earned through years of personalized service, coordination and collaboration with community partners to illuminate the beautiful, to create drama and depth with the flip of a switch.

One of the greatest advancements of late in lighting technology is with light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Initial issues with concentrated light beams and cost have been remedied in recent years as the product has become both more affordable and effective.“Some people think that they hate LEDs, not knowing that the color temperature of the bulbs can make a huge difference,” remarks Zangenberg.“They can look like fluorescent lights if you don’t know what you’re looking for. It’s details like that that make all the difference and, unfortunately, they’re details most people don’t know to consider.” But with a projected lifespan of 50,000 hours (20 to 30 years) and power usage of approximately 80% less than their incandescent counterparts, LEDs are inarguably the future of lighting, a future for which Zangenberg is both prepared and excited. By employing the wide gamut of LED options to each of his projects, Zangenberg and his team not only create unique lighting environments and specialized, custom formulations, but they provide thousands of dollars in cost savings for their clients (nearly $7,000 for the average 25-bulb household).

Automation is another area of exponential technological growth. Thanks to advancements with Vantage, Ambiance’s automation system of choice, lighting, audio/visual, heating, water, etc. can now be integrated into one, fully automated system requiring a single computer. Whether the client has a new construction or an older home with conventional switching, Ambiance can design a system to efficiently and effectively automate any given circumstance. Further, the systems are fully customizable. Ambiance consults with the client and programs the home with presets based on client desires. Then, after the client has lived with the system, Ambiance staff revisits the presets with the client to determine what has worked and what hasn’t, adjusting accordingly. Additionally, iPad/android apps allow for wireless system control, both inside and outside of the structure. With Vantage and Ambiance, the possibilities are truly endless!

But the technological advances are only as valuable as the minds and hands employing them, an arena in which Ambiance, once again, finds itself center stage. In fact, part of Zangenberg’s love for his work comes from the constantly changing, always improving range of possibilities and continued need for

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education, adaptation and creativity. “I always find something that I’m not looking for,” jokes Zangenberg as he points to some of the new styles and innovations in one of many biblesized catalogues he consults on a regular basis.

“The technology is always evolving and the lighting needs and scenarios ever changing. It’s a surprisingly exciting field of work.”

For Zangenberg, each project involves equal parts problem solving, innovation and application, elements he includes in every one of his detailed electrical design plans, the hallmark of an Ambiance project. Providing layers of information, Zangenberg’s plans are both exhaustive in detail and easily readable, with each layer of information cleanly illustrated and labeled. But it’s not always about the bigger picture. Sometimes, the greatest challenges are his clients’ unique lighting needs. Like his friend in southern California, for instance, who wanted his sports collectibles, boxing gloves specifically, to be on display in his home gym. Zangenberg’s solution? Have a famous Mohammed Ali photograph laser etched onto an 8’ x 8’ mirror, which he then backlit with programmable LED lights and surrounded by specially lit glass cases showcasing the gloves. The result was a professional and personal triumph. Zangenberg’s design not only involved innovation and creativity, but also attention to critical details, like how the bulbs would be changed and the best colors and styles to use. “When they see my work,” states Zangenberg, “I want people to absolutely know that a lot of thought has gone into it.” Considering Zangenberg’s thriving business, they inarguably do.

Since Zangenberg first opened Ambiance in 2003, he has led the local industry in professional quality lighting design. For a little over a dollar per square foot, Zangenberg drafts detailed electrical plans that take into consideration building design, client usage and needs, unique custom accents and flourishes, automation and budget. Further, his rate includes his time, whether weekly meetings and walk-throughs with his clients or consultations with electricians and architects, through completion of the electrical rough-in. “I love working in this field, with these clients and these amazing structures,” remarks Zangenberg. “Each house really has its own character, special features, unique spaces. I get to highlight those nuances and accent those features, illuminating the shadows and bringing the home to life.”

Located at 7620 Shedhorn Drive, Ambiance is open Monday through Friday, from 9AM to 5PM. For more information about products and services or to make an appointment, please call 406.585.2276 or visit www.ambiancelighting.net.

2013/2014

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25 Years of Living History

The Living History Farm at Museum of the Rockies

By Evelyn Boswell

A log house carrying memories from the homesteading days of Montana merged into traffic and joined the cars and trucks streaming east on Interstate 90.

As angry drivers backed up behind it, the slow-moving Tinsley House rolled from Three Forks to Belgrade, south to Four Corners and east to Bozeman before settling next to Montana State University’s Museum of the Rockies in 1986.

“I could always tell the progress we’d made each day by the angry phone calls,” said Michael Hager, head of the museum at that time and now president and CEO of the San Diego Natural History Museum.

“We backed up traffic for 30 miles on the interstate and truckers were really mad. Then, when it arrived in Bozeman, if trees or mailboxes were in the way, they were removed and a stack of firewood was left for the homeowners along the street “We started off with a sign on the back of the home that said,‘Follow me to the Museum of the Rockies,’” Hager said.“Charles Kuralt did a national news story about it. We took it off after the angry phone calls started coming in.”

Sentiments changed, however, after renovators prepared the Tinsley House for more company than it had seen in a century near Willow Creek.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Living History Farm’s public opening. The Tinsley House now attracts 20,000 people a year who are curious about homesteading life between 1860 and 1910, said David Kinsey, manager of the Living History Farm. Among them have been Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, movie stars and the producers of the PBS reality show “Frontier House.”

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Shelley McKamey, current director of the Museum of the Rockies, said, “Many people came to Montana in the first wave of homesteaders in the 1880s and 1890s and many of them were involved in agriculture. Helping students and visitors understand what life was actually like at this time in Montana’s history is an important part of the Museum’s mission.

Whenever kids can connect with past in a tangible way, it helps them understand that what happened before was real -- real events happening to real people, just like them.”

The Tinsley House was built in 1889, the year Montana became a state. It opened to the public in 1989, the year Montana celebrated its centennial. Since then, the two-story, four-bedroom house has been joined by a root cellar, garden, chicken house, granary, barn, blacksmith shop, outhouse, machine shed, apple orchard, wheat field, chickens and the occasional sheep and milk cows. More than 70 volunteers -- including children, families and senior citizens – now spend their summers demonstrating what life was like for Montana homesteaders.

Some volunteers tend the garden, where all the plants are grown from seeds that are at least 100 years old and seem to have stories behind them.

“Red Orach,” for one, is the first plant to emerge every spring, Kinsey said.

It’s loaded with vitamins and sometimes called “mountain spinach.” The seeds of “Snow On The Mountain” were collected by Lewis and Clark and sent to President Thomas Jefferson to grow at Monticello. By the 1880s, the plant was included in seed catalogs that homesteaders might have received.

Other volunteers demonstrate cooking on a wood stove, forge tools, plow fields, spin yarn, weave rugs, and make bread, butter and biscuits. Walter Mason, who became a volunteer in 1989 and continued until his death at age 96, demonstrated leather working.

“He was raised on a ranch in North Dakota, so he knew how to do some of these things that they did on ranches in those days,” said his 93-year-old wife and longtime museum volunteer, Allagene.

Still other volunteers lead children’s games, conduct tours through the house and share their knowledge of Montana’s homesteading past, and the story of William and Lucy Tinsley and their eight children.

William and Lucy Tinsley, a dressmaker, married in 1867, Kinsey said. For more than two decades, they lived in an 8-by-16 house near Willow Creek with their growing family. In 1889, they built the larger log house that now sits at the Museum of the Rockies.

The fact that the house was made of logs indicates that the Tinsleys were relatively poor compared to those who built brick houses along Willson Avenue in Bozeman, Kinsey said.

Hager said the condition of the Tinsley House and a touching story about the children’s involvement were part of the reason he was attracted to the house.

“It was built exactly 100 years prior to the new Museum of the Rockies building, and I thought it would illustrate 100 years of change in our region,” Hager said.

“It was in incredibly good shape and the personal story of the Tinsley children making a two-day wagon trip alone to get the logs (from the Tobacco Root Mountains) was very compelling.”

McKamey said the museum has three main goals for its Living History program.

The first is to operate and maintain a historically authentic Montana homestead as typical of those established between 1864 and 1917. The second is to provide an opportunity for visitors and students to experience, participate in and understand the importance of Montana’s agriculture and rural heritage. The third is to enhance the meaningful involvement of the agricultural community and the general public in the organization, support and activities of the Living History Farm.

“Even after 25 years of operation, some people don’t know anything about the farm and it’s just too great an experience to have anyone miss it,” McKamey said.

The Tinsley House opens May 24 this year and will remain open through Sept.

21. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. As part of the Museum’s 25 anniversary celebration, admission to the Living History Farm is free this season, although admission to the main Museum and its exhibits still applies.

Upcoming events are: 1. Hops & History. A tasting of locally brewed beers and a discussion of Montana’s brewing history that takes place the last Tuesday of every month.

2. Wild West Wednesdays. Hands-on activities for the family run from 1 to 3 p.m. every Wednesday through Sept. 3.

3. More courses in the Urban Homesteading Series. They will run from 6 to 8 p.m. on June 5 (raising gardening beds), June 10 (straw bale gardening), June 17 (composting and soil maintenance), Aug. 19 (bee keeping basics), and Sept. 4 (raising urban chickens). Pre-registration is required.

For more information about the Living History Farm at Museum of the Rockies, go to http://www.museumoftherockies.org/

Explore one of the country’s largest dinosaur collections at the Siebel Dinosaur Complex.

From our famed Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops and other fossils to the Martin Children’s Discovery Center, Regional History Center, Changing Exhibits, Living History Farm and state-of-the-art Taylor Planetarium, Lonely Planet describes MOR as “Montana’s most entertaining museum.” Come spend the day with us and experience MOR. For more information, visiting hours and directions, visit museumoftherockies.org.

600 W. Kagy Boulevard Bozeman, MT 59715 406.994.2251

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Rustic Elegance Rocky Mountain Design-Interiors

A simple Hardin wood slab dining room table sets gleaming in the morning sun,

its polished surface accenting the inherently unique grain is nicely juxtaposed against the grooved, roughly textured natural bark live-edge of the walnut trunk from which it was harvested. It is the sort of rustically elegant piece around which one designs an entire room, maybe even a house. Specializing in beautiful furnishings from around the world – leather-wrapped console tables from Peru, solid oak tables from France and antique rugs from Ukraine – Rocky Mountain Design-Interiors (RMDI) has the perfect piece to impart personality, character and understated refinement to any space.

Beautiful wood, butter-soft leather, warm textiles and organic accents adorn the Bozeman showroom. Just past the six-foot-tall elk antler chandelier that dominates the entrance, vignettes showcase over 20 different commercial and residential design concepts. From rustic to contemporary, modern to classic, John and Carina Russell and their talented design staff can furnish to suit every palate and preference. Montana natives working in the field of interior design for over 35 years, the Russells have the knowledge and experience not only to realize a client’s vision, but improve upon it.

The couple started their business in Livingston in 1978 and expanded into Bozeman in 1998, adding another 9,000 square feet. Between their two stores, they have over 15,000 square feet of showroom to display their inventory.

Particularly accomplished in projects throughout Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, RMDI is a complete resource for furniture, fabrics, area rugs, fine leathers, artwork, window coverings, lighting and accessories. But RMDI is more than just a furniture store; it's a showroom specializing in customized interior design as well.

As a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Carina can cater to any and every design preference while providing specialized expertise with window coverings, custom draperies and fabrics.

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When they’re not in Montana, John and Carina travel the country visiting different furniture markets, finding distinctive artisans and working with over 500 vendors in the interior design industry. “We’re always looking for new, exciting designs,” remarks John. With such a massive network of vendors at their disposal, RMDI is a wellspring of possibility. Alongside their more exotic offerings, they stock the finest American-made furniture and fabrics from Hardin, Henredon, Classic Leather, Bausman and Old Hickory Tannery.

With clients throughout Montana and across the country, RMDI can work with any budget and need, from a single inexpensive accent piece to a house full of custom furnishings, providing unparalleled commitment and personalized care every step of the way. For more information about products and services, call 582-9300 for the Bozeman showroom, 222-6262 for the Livingston location or visit www.rockymountaindesign.com. Located at 4020 Valley Commons Drive, RMDI-Bozeman is open Monday through Friday, from 10AM until 5PM, and Saturday, from 12PM to 4PM. RMDI-Livingston is located at 601 West Park Street and open Monday through Friday, from 9AM to 5PM.

Rocky Mountain Design-Interiors Carina Russell, ASID Bozeman, MT ~ (406) 582-9300 | Livingston, MT ~ (406) 222-6262

www.rockymountaindesign.com

WHAT MAKES A COIN VALUABLE?

by Dale L. Williams

Determining a coin’s value requires examination of many factors. The two most important are rarity, which means how many of these coins exist, and grade, how much wear does the coin exhibit.

Let’s talk about rarity first. In 1893 the beautiful Morgan silver dollar, which was minted from 1878 to 1921, was struck at the Philadelphia Mint and the San Francisco Mint. Rarity depends on how many were struck at any given Mint that particular year. Using our example above, the 1893 Philadelphia Mint produced 11,150,000 Morgan silver dollars while the San Francisco Mint Morgan struck 293,000 silver dollars. It is obvious that the 1893 San Francisco Morgan silver dollar should be more valuable based on mintage alone and that indeed is the case.

To show how important mintages are in determining value, the 1893 Philadelphia Mint Morgan silver dollar in Mint State 65 condition is worth $4,000 while the 1893 San Francisco Mint Morgan silver dollar in Mint State 65 is worth $195,000. The number of coins struck at any given Mint is one important component it determining a coin’s value.

The second important consideration in determing a coin’s value is grade or condition of a coin. Most coins can be found in many grades, the highest

grades costing the most. Coin collectors have always had limited budgets with which they can afford to collect coins.

How much wear a coin exhibits determines not only its grade but helps in assigning a value to it as well. The nicer the condition of any coin the more valuable the coin becomes.

Let’s continue to use the 1893 Morgan silver dollars as our examples to show how grade or the amount of wear a coin received help determine its value in the market place. In the grades of GOOD (G) to ALMOST UNCIRCULATED (AU), there are 16 different grades! One might ask,“how in the world can anyone place so many grades on a circulated coin and then know exactly what grade coin that coin may be?” It takes experience and a trained eye. Dealers who have been in the business many years and literally have examined thousands of coins will be right 75% of the time or more. No one dealer can be perfect all the time.

To show how wear or the grade of a coin affects value, the 1893 Philadelphia Mint Morgan silver dollar coin in VERY GOOD (VG-8) condition is worth $250 while the San Francisco Mint Morgan silver dollar in VERY GOOD (VG-8) is worth $2,800. If you continued up the grading scale, the disparity in value grows and grows. One can now see how important rarity combined with the grade of a coin is in determining a coin’s value.

There are other factors which go into determining a coin’s value as well.

One of the first noticeable things one will see on a coin is strike. Is the coin well struck or weakly struck? A weakly struck coin has a negative effect and will lessen a coin’s value.

The New Orleans Mint produced the least desirable examples of Morgan silver dollars. Their examples are notorious for being weakly struck. A coin in pristine condition but weakly struck makes it less desirable to own from a collector’s point of view. It will also be a graded lower than a well struck example.

Another important factor which goes into determining a coin’s value is eye appeal. The easiest way to describe eye appeal is to say how pretty the coin is. Although “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is a cliché, coins fit that description. Comparing two coins in the same Mint State (MS) grade, one coin can be many times more valuable than the other. Color, luster, strike and toning are all factors contributing to the determination of what a coin is ultimately worth.

In summary, the best way to determine a coin’s grade is to have it professionally graded by PCGS or NGC. These third-party grading services charge a fee for their expertise and for encapsulating the coin.

This process makes the grades accepted in the marketplace and thus easier to sell at published prices. Collecting coins makes a wonderful hobby that can be enjoyed for a lifetime and even included as an activity with a grandchild.

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“The Gallatin Valley, a Superior place in which to live.”

1863 journal entry by my 3x Great Grandfather. Traveling West by oxen train to Virginia City, MT.

A History of ProfessionAl MArketing & sAles of MontAnA ProPerty.

leah olson, Montana real estate Broker, Accredited land Consultant 406.539.7665 | mtranchbroker@gmail.com | leaholson.com

©2014 An independently owned and operated broker member of BRER Affiliates, Inc. Prudential Montana Real Estate logo Prudential, the Prudential logo and Rock symbol are service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Used under license with no other affiliation of Prudential. Equal Housing Opportunity.

2014/2015

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Little Bear Interiors

In September of 2004, a thriving Bozeman community welcomed Little Bear Interiors: a one-stop location for local, unique, refined rustic furnishings and accessories. Named for a small canyon area in the Gallatin Forest, Little Bear Interiors has doubled in size since opening almost 10 years ago. Owner Debra Young decided to leave the corporate world and open a retail store that caters to varied lifestyles, but still provided customers with many choices of furnishings. Working with crafts people and artists locally and regionally, Debra and her evolution of products and services have made Little Bear Interiors one of the most unusual and creative stores in Montana.

Customers visiting Little Bear Interiors are often heard saying:

“We always bring our company from out-of-state here it’s so interesting!”

“Little Bear is the only store my husband will actually come in and shop at.”

“This place is huge—it just goes on and on.”

“Where do you find all of these unusual things?”

one of the most unusual and creative stores in montana

Little Bear Interiors has amazing furniture, but they also have ready-made art, lamps and lampshades, antler chandeliers, permanent florals, pillows, rugs, and antique cabinets. All of these items are also available in a huge assortment of customized choices.

Design assistance is also available at Little Bear Interiors and is complimentary to our customers. Available services include space planning, paint and color selection, furniture, art placement, and total turnkey packages. And design assistance does not stop there.

Mary Wolf Interiors is located within Little Bear Interiors, and she carries the Kasmir fabric line exclusive to our area. She also has more cut fabric yardage available than any other fabric store in Bozeman. Mary provides custom bedding, draperies, pillows, and professional installation. Mary Wolfe Interiors is a priority dealer for Hunter Douglas.

Whether your home or business is in need of a cozy dinette table or a huge conference room table, Little Bear Interiors can assist you with any furnishing needs. Also, if your home or business needs rustic elegance, transitional, or traditional furnishings—or you just want the latest and greatest mountain contemporary—you must see Little Bear Interiors. If you like dealing with a full-service company that says “yes we can,” you will not want to miss the experience of Little Bear Interiors.

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2014/2015 2012/2013

33

Winter in Yellowstone

The Opening of a New Chapter After 50 Years

By Clyde Seely It was early in the winter of 1964 when I turned up the lane to the old farmhouse where I was raised in western Idaho. My brother’s fatherin-law, Owen Jensen, was visiting with a machine that I had never seen.

Shaped like a motorcycle on skis, it had an aqua green hood that covered an engine; there was a bright orange seat on which to sit and a set of handlebars to hold on to. On the side was written Johnson Skee Horse. I was told it was a snowmobile and Owen instructed me to sit on it while he pulled a rope (similar to starting a lawnmower) and the engine started. He told me to push on the lever with my thumb to make it go. I did and, to my amazement, off it went. I steered it down to the cow pasture through about eight inches of snow traveling at 15 mph. I felt the wind on my cheeks as I was going up and down the gentle hills of the pasture. This was the first time I had ever heard of, seen or ridden a snowmobile.

After graduating from Idaho State University and working in West Yellowstone in the summers during college, I received a teaching position in West. I taught sixth grade in the new addition of the school, the first year West Yellowstone had a high school. My wife Linda and I leased Three Bear Lodge and, as was the custom in the fall, would drain the water, board up the windows and wait for the long deep winter to pass. It worked out very well to teach in the winter and operate the motel in the summer months.

Snowmobiles were more common in West Yellowstone. Some of the local guys would get together and go snowmobiling. It looked like fun, so it wasn’t long before I bought a used Johnson Skee Horse from local resident Ehlert Koski for $600. After school I would get dressed in my makeshift snowmobile gear and head off for a ride. I normally stayed close to town because if the machine ever got stuck, it was really stuck, and it could be a cold, long walk for help plowing through deep snow. Back then, the machines were heavy, not very powerful and had very little clearance between the running board and the bottom of the track. However, when I could find a drift, I would hit it at full throttle (maximum speed about 20 mph) and try to catch a little air. I was doing pretty well if I could jump the machine a couple of feet off the snow for a distance of around six to eight feet.

In order to make this a family affair, I worked on building a wooden pull behind sled after school so I could pull the kids. It ended up looking more like a Santa Claus sled, but color-coordinated with the Johnson colors of aqua green and orange.

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Eventually, the Johnson became too mundane, so I bought a used Polaris that I thought was pretty soupy. It had a narrower track and would go about 40 mph. With more power and the company of friends we could now tackle Two Top Mountain, about 12 miles away. It was spectacular with trees totally encased in snow, like white ghosts. It was easy to imagine ghost figures out of the trees; my favorite was the one I called “Old Man Winter,” that looked like a huge man with his cheeks puffed out as though he were blowing the wind. This machine also allowed me to travel into Yellowstone National Park in winter, providing me opportunities to photograph the magical winter scenes. The amazing photos of the ghost trees, along with other scenic shots and images of Old Faithful eventually went on a road trip with me to Minneapolis.

The Evolution of West Yellowstone’s World Snowmobile Expo The West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce began to sponsor snowmobile races twice a winter – one in December and a final “Round up” in March at the old West Yellowstone Airport. Snowmobile racers came to West Yellowstone from all over the country to participate.

They came to race and watch, but, while here, stayed longer to ride in the mountains and into Yellowstone National Park. West Yellowstone became a mecca for snowmobile enthusiasts. To add a little interest, we added a jumping contest. The jump was made out of a single piece of plywood with a steep trajectory. The object was to see who could jump the greatest distance on their snowmobile. The one that hit the jump the fastest usually ended up winning. The snowmobiles at that time had very little suspension, so landing was a spine-jolting experience.

Undeterred by such trivialities as a couple of cracked ribs, Jack Tremain won the contest with a 68foot jump.

Contrast that to the “Free Style” of today at the West Yellowstone Expo, where riders fly off long, steep jumps made out of plywood and steel. The rider goes into the jump at just the right speed and by holding the thumb on the throttle, the spinning of the track pulls the rider over backwards causing the rider and snowmobile to do back flips and still land right side up on an opposing hill about 100 feet away.

The races began to increase in popularity, as participants didn’t just enjoy the races, but also the fantastic snowmobiling in the surrounding area and Yellowstone. Of course, the races created a need for lodging, so the motels in town would open for the December event. I remember turning on all the heat, then the water and running from one room to another to make sure there were no leaks. When the weekend race was over, we would drain all the plumbing, turn off the heat and go through the whole process again for the March races.

March of 1969 had an added personal commitment. I had taken Linda to her mother’s house in St. Anthony where she awaited the delivery of our second child. On March 8, as I was about to give Linda a hug and a goodbye kiss, she said,“You better wait a minute.” It was more than a minute as I rushed her to the hospital and Stephanie was born. Opening the motel would have to wait as I had more important things do. Most of the motels in town were built only for summer use. Who would have guessed that, one day, there would be a need to keep them open in ­40 degree temperatures?

As the popularity of the winter races increased, the demand for other venues followed. The speed oval races became popular and the U.S. Forest Service issued a Special Use Permit where a permanently banked earthen oval track was built about a half-mile west of town. In preparation for the races, we would haul truckloads of water to form an ice base. This was successful for a few years, but it took all the profit from the races to plow the road to the track and to prepare the racetrack and pit areas.

Searching for a better solution, the Chamber committee decided to bring the races back to the old airport west of town and draw even more people. The World Snowmobile Expo in 1990 was the brainchild of Glen Loomis. He became the Chairman of the Expo Committee with Marge Wanner, the Winter Events Coordinator, myself and about 10 other committee members. It was determined to hold snow­cross races at the old airport instead of a smooth speed oval. A course was set up with jumps and turns that created a whole lot more excitement. We started putting up a large tent so the snowmobile manufacturers could display their new model snowmobiles at the same time. This was less than adequate, with mud and water sloshing around in the tents and no regular bathroom facilities. At the Expo in 1995, Bill Howell and I announced that we would build, and have ready for the 1996 Expo, the West Yellowstone Conference Hotel. It would feature a restaurant, 123 rooms and a 10,000-square-foot convention facility. We would also arrange for a 7200-square-foot tent extended from the hotel. We made it happen. The 25th anniversary of the World Snowmobile Expo will be in 2015.

Yellowstone in the Winter was Discovered Jan 2, 1970, I was teaching school and came home at noon to sign the papers to buy Three Bear Lodge. Linda and I had first managed Three Bear, then leased it from the Wilsons and, at their suggestion, decided to buy it. We signed and mailed the purchase agreements and I returned to teach in the afternoon, feeling pretty good about it. Then, at 2:00 pm, someone came into the classroom and told me the motel was on fire. I ran home and, sure enough, the back of the motel was burning. Our little volunteer fire department came and hooked up to the railroad fire hydrant across the street. Seven rooms burned, including the laundry room.

Realizing the need to have the motel up and running prior to the upcoming summer season, I quit teaching to rebuild the motel and Linda, also a teacher, finished out the year for me. A friend of mine, Frank Turner, and I worked hard; I learned a great deal in carpentry skills from him as we worked to get the rebuilding finished in time for the March races. At that time, Frank was renting snowmobiles out of the Big Western Pine Motel and we began talking about me keeping Three Bear Lodge and Restaurant open during the next winter. He was guiding the Great Salt Lake Boy Scouts on snowmobiles during the Christmas holidays and was doing well with it. I decided to contact the Ogden and Provo Scout Councils and offer to do the same.

With a bird almost in hand, I decided to keep the motel and restaurant open in the winter and to purchase some rental snowmobiles for the next year. I contacted Howard McCray, the Scorpion snowmobile dealer, and we struck a verbal partnership. I told him “If you’ll fix’em, I’ll rent ‘em.” We did just that. We went in together to purchase 15 shiny new metallic-red Scorpion snowmobiles and rental clothing. We would split the profits at the end of the year if there were any. We did all this with just a verbal agreement.

It had become obvious to me that Yellowstone National Park in the winter was the world’s best-kept secret. West Yellowstone was becoming quite well known to snowmobile racers and riders, but going into Yellowstone was just an added bonus.

It was in the early fall of 1971, when I decided to fly to Minneapolis, Minnesota to solicit customers. Minnesota was a hotbed of snowmobile activity. The Armed only with the 8x10 photos of “Old Man Winter” on Two Top, a few shots of Old Faithful, some images of area wildlife and an itinerary hand-typed and copied onto light blue paper, I boarded a Northwest Airlines flight to Minneapolis. The plane just seemed to hang there as we slowly descended. I could see the tall buildings in the distance

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and the vast expanse below with not a clue what I was going to find, or do, let alone where to begin. I wondered why I was doing such a crazy thing with no direction or experience in marketing. Yet, knowing the beauties of the Yellowstone area firsthand, I was certain that if I could just find the right people, I could convince at least one person or group to come.

Undeterred by my lack of experience, I felt confident that I was doing the right thing and that it would all turn out for the good. Just recently, I landed there again. As I was landing, memories and feelings of that first time flooded back to me, as though it were just last year.

The plane landed and I checked into a motel in Bloomington. I got out the phone book (no websites or cell phones then), perused the yellow pages and started making a list of travel agencies and snowmobile clubs; the next day I began cold calling. It wasn’t hard to get people interested, first by showing them my 8x10 photos and then explaining the proposed itinerary.

I contacted the Lake Minnetonka Snowmobile Club and convinced the president to bring her group to Yellowstone the next winter.

Chuck Ericson was the leader of another group that had their own snowmobiles and traveled around to different destinations to ride. No one had heard of, much less thought of, coming to Yellowstone. They were impressed with the concept and the prospect of seeing Yellowstone’s majestic beauty. I assured them that they just needed to bring themselves and I would take care of the rest. We would meet them at the Bozeman airport, have rooms waiting for them and also have Three Bear Restaurant open. I would guide them and show them the time of their lives. (I was not exaggerating.) These first two groups trucked their own machines out. They had such a phenomenal experience that Chuck Erickson’s group metamorphosed into Brian Nelson’s group that has ended up coming back for 25 years straight.

We had a great time and “Clyde the Guide,” as I was soon to be known, had the best time of all. I loved to lead the group around a bend at Two Top and stop and watch the faces and smiles as they saw this awesome place for the first time. It was a whopping success and there was no doubt in my mind that, in time, we would be overrun with business.

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As far as I know, I was the first to put together and promote complete “Yellowstone in the Winter” packages.

During the Christmas holidays that first year, we put together what we called our “Scout Package.” This included a snowmobile (double riding), complete snowmobile clothing, a guide, five meals and two nights lodging for just $55 per person per day. At the peak times, between Frank at the Big Western Pine and me at Three Bear Lodge, we were taking over 1,000 Boy Scouts and their leaders on snowmobile trips during the Christmas holidays each year. We would take those that didn’t have driver’s licenses out of the park so they could have the experience of driving a snowmobile.

This continued on for years; it was an amazing experience for the kids and also for us, as we shouldered the organizational and logistical challenge of taking that many kids on snowmobiles. They were all good kids and we had very few problems. There were a few fender benders, but nothing real serious. Once, two girls ran off the road and their snowmobile ended up in the Firehole River. Today, we still see some of those kids that ventured out on a scouting trip many years ago. Now middle-aged adults, they bring their kids and grandkids to enjoy the ride.

We began to fill our motel and I would ask some of my neighbors why they didn’t stay open? They did and eventually the town was booming in the winter. Ten new hotels were built and over 70,000 snowmobiles would go through the West Gate in the winter.“Yellowstone in the Winter” was becoming a winter destination of choice. However, we could see that we might be on a collision course with the National Park Service (NPS).

The Snowmobile/Snowcoach Controversy Begins Bill Howell and I had just completed the West Yellowstone Conference Hotel (Holiday Inn) and the first meeting held there, in 1996, involved all the major winter access players. The snowmobile manufacturers, NPS (Yellowstone National Park Management), Chamber of Commerce and our local snowmobile rental operators were all there. I was asked to chair the meeting.

The NPS indicated that the resource was being impacted and that we would need to cut back on the number of snowmobiles in the Park. It was obvious at the time that the environmental organizations were putting pressure on the Park to do away with snowmobiles in Yellowstone. Thus

began the long litany of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), lawsuits and exchanges between those who wanted to ban snowmobiles and those who believed that action to be extreme. It was like a dark cloud looming over West Yellowstone.

Eventually, so many snowmobiles were going into the Park on inadequately groomed trails that they became rough and two stroke snowmobile engines burned a mixture of gas­oil that caused a blue haze and smell to hang over the Park entrance. It became obvious that something needed to change. While we now had a thriving winter economy, we also knew that we could not overuse the Park and its resources. This would be like the farmer who killed the goose that laid the golden eggs. He thought by so doing he could get rich faster, only to find that there were no more golden eggs inside. We didn’t want that to happen to Yellowstone.

Arctic Cat snowmobile dealer Bill Howell and I stressed the need to the Arctic Cat Corporation to build a quieter, cleaner snowmobile. It was obvious that, unless drastic changes were made in snowmobile technology,

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these sleds would no longer be allowed in Yellowstone.

We also believed this could have a far reaching impact on snowmobiling beyond park boundaries. We were told that, after Yellowstone, the next target would be the forests and public lands.

Arctic Cat listened and, in 2001, sent us two prototype four­stroke snowmobiles. They allowed us to name these the “Yellowstone Special.” They were really quiet and did not burn a gas/oil mixture. The next year Arctic Cat built 50 Yellowstone Specials for us as rentals. These machines were amazing. In my estimation, if it weren’t for the Yellowstone Special coming out just in time, there wouldn’t be snowmobiles in Yellowstone today. One of these original snowmobiles is in the West Yellowstone Museum.

Shortly after we received the first two four-stroke snowmobiles, Don Berry, Assistant Secretary of the Interior, came to West Yellowstone to speak to the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, an environmental group that was urging the elimination of snowmobiles in the park. In his speech, Don vowed to get snowmobiles out of Yellowstone. The next morning, we set up a meeting with him and demonstrated the new four­stroke snowmobile.

He was visibly impressed.

Through a series of meetings Don and I became friends, or at least developed a mutual respect for each other despite our stance on opposite sides of the issue. One day he called me and said he was resigning his position as Assistant Secretary and he wanted me to know that I was just the third person he had called to tell. He had called The Secretary of Interior, one other person and then me. His going away party was at the lavish office of the Secretary of the Interior. By chance, I happened to be in Washington D.C. at the time, so I went. About 80 of his friends and fellow employees were there. After all the roasts and toasts, it was time for him to say his piece. He thanked everyone for coming and then said,“but the one I am most pleased to have here tonight is Clyde Seely, from West Yellowstone, Montana,” and then shared a few other things about our relationship.

He was resigning to become an executive of the Wilderness Society. A year or so later, the phone rang in my office,“This is Don Berry and I would like to come and meet with you in West Yellowstone.” He came and

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after some pleasantries, told me why he had come—he wanted to know if there was anything his group could do to get me to change my position on keeping snowmobiles in the Park. He indicated they would help me get set up with snowcoaches if I would back off keeping snowmobiles in the Park. My reply was something like this: “Don, you’re being paid to get snowmobiles out of the Park, my livelihood depends on keeping snowmobiles in the Park and I will never, ever give up.” I thought the best thing to do was to agree that we disagreed and let it go at that.

Eighteen years have passed since that first meeting in 1996. During that time, I, along with Bill Howell and other snowmobile rental operators, have been to Washington D.C. many times for meetings with the Department of the Interior, the NPS, legislators and even the Vice President’s Office to try and strike a balance of winter use between snowmobiles and snowcoaches. The International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association (ISMA), the American Council of Snowmobiles Association (ACSA), Blue Ribbon Coalition and the West Yellowstone Snowmobile Rental Operators stood firmly. Along with a change in the administration – nationally and locally – and within the NPS, positions began to change. Things have now begun to settle down and it looks like a balance will finally be achieved. Many EIS, Winter Use Rules and Records of Decision (ROD) have been issued, only to be overturned by one lawsuit or another. Finally, it looks like the one signed in 2013 will prevail. While I believe this leaves the Park vastly underutilized, it looks like it will be a sustainable decision.

The number of snowmobiles entering through West Yellowstone has dropped from a high of 75,000 to around 7,000 entries per year and the use of snowcoaches has resulted in a significant increase of snowcoach passengers, partly because of the cap that was placed on the number of snowmobiles allowed to go into the Park.

In 1995, I began operating snowcoaches. The first ones were regular 15-passenger vans retrofitted on a tank track-like system with large skis in the front. These looked fairly promising as a snowmobile alternative, but, in the end, turned out to be highly inefficient and expensive to operate. I thought it was shortsighted and ill advised for the environmental groups to propose a “snowcoach only” alternative when that alternative really didn’t work. I believed that the “snowcoach only” alternative would have been the Achilles heel of the very plan they were proposing. The vehicles that were retrofitted into snowcoaches were simply not developed to the point that they could handle the power and structural demands of oversnow travel.

Over the years, local snowcoach providers have made strides to arrive at a better alternative. After three years of research and development, our company, See Yellowstone Tours, has come up with a snowcoach that is built from the ground up and able to withstand the rigors of over-snow transportation. I am hoping that the Yellowstone Grizz will become a snowcoach of the future, providing people the opportunity and excitement of seeing Yellowstone in eco­friendly comfort.

Yellowstone Winter Use Plan Nearing Completion Over the past 15 years, a cloud of uncertainty regarding snowmobile and snowcoach access has hung over future right of use. The NPS completed a number of EIS and each demonstrated a different outcome.

Meanwhile, public access in the winter was sometimes quite tenuous. It appeared like a child’s game of “tug of war” between opposing judges, the NPS, environmental groups and the snowmobile industry (including local operators). I will list only a few of the major events with the end hopefully in sight:

Where urban style meets rural roots.

Shop local in the heart of historic downtown Bozeman!

2000: The final EIS was released as a result of Judge Sullivan issuing the order to ban snowmobiles in the winter of 2003­04.

February 10, 2003: Judge Brimmer issued preliminary injunction against banning snowmobiles. (A personal note on my commitment: At the time, I was in the Idaho Falls hospital with blood clots in my lung.

Knowing I was supposed to testify in court the next day, I talked the doctor into releasing me early. Glen Loomis picked me up at the hospital that evening; we drove to and spent the night in Jackson, Wyoming; and were picked up by the State’s plane and flown to Casper, Wyoming the next morning. When called to the stand, the strain of walking caused me to be out of breath and I had to explain why I needed a moment to catch my breath. We were successful in maintaining snowmobile access into the park.)

2013: On October 23rd, the Federal Register published the Final Rule, which provides for snowmobile and snowcoach access over the next 10 years. Contracts will be awarded to operators of over-snow vehicles at each of the Park’s gateways. Three Bear Lodge, See Yellowstone Tours and Yellowstone Arctic Yamaha each submitted requests for contracts; contracts were awarded in April of 2014.

Open Mon-Sat 10-6 & Sun 12-5

24 W. Main Bozeman, MT 406.587.2153 www.headwestbozeman.com

Don’t miss the Consignment Corral basement full of bargains, hand-selected resale & vintage!

t h is is s u e of t h e

My old Johnson Skee Horse has long since been retired. The park remains alive and vibrant. A chapter is closing on 18 years of public access uncertainty. What lies ahead is a certainty that the Park will remain open to both snowmobiles and snowcoaches. The public will be able to plan well into the future their vacations to Yellowstone in the winter, to truly enjoy an experience of a lifetime.

i s d e d i c at e d t o t h e l ov i ng m e m o r y o f

M aurice Jarman 1935-2013

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The Story Behind Soldiers Chapel

By Emily Johnsen

In 1954, the people of Gallatin canyon needed a church, but they faced an ageold problem: lack of funding. At the same time, affluent Bozeman residents, Nelson Story III and his wife, Velma, planned to build a memorial in honor of their son, Nelson Story IV, a fallen soldier of World War II. When the Storys joined efforts with residents of Gallatin County, they created something more than a picturesque place of worship. Today, Soldiers Chapel is a well-known cultural landmark, a stone and timber monument to the people of Montana’s past, present and future.

Nelson Story Sr. with his sons, Walter Perry Story and Thomas Byron Story, and grandson, Malcom Story.

The Soldiers Chapel, a modest cruciform structure, is framed by an awe-inspiring view of Lone Mountain. Velma Story donated the chapel’s sublime location.

This 6.92-acre property has since become the gateway to Big Sky Resort and community. Colonel Nelson Story III, who served in the 163rd Infantry Regiment with his son, designed the chapel’s basic structure and donated most of the building funds. Construction of the chapel began in the spring of 1955 and was completed by October of that same year.

Sergeant Jack C. Gunter, also of the 163rd Infantry, drafted the trademark rose window above the chapel’s entrance. The ornate, stained glass window portrays a wounded soldier reaching toward the outstretched hand of God. Lieutenant Colonel Harold M. Siqueland, Chaplin of the 163rd, dedicated the memorial chapel to the fallen soldiers of his regiment on October 2, 1955. A plaque just outside the chapel entrance reads, “In tribute to those immortal soldiers of the 163rd Infantry who, with courage and devotion, died in pain defending their country and the cause of freedom for all men.”

The 163rd Infantry Regiment The story of Soldiers Chapel began with Lieutenant Nelson Story IV of the 163rd Infantry, a regiment of the Montana National Guard that fought in the Pacific during World War II. When the Japanese military established strongholds in New Guinea, as part of a movement to overtake Australia, the men of the Montana National Guard helped reclaim this strategically vital region.

As the fighting dragged on in the sweltering, insect-infested jungles of New Guinea, deadly illnesses such as malaria, typhus and dysentery

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took their toll. At one point during the Pacific campaign, disease caused as many as two-thirds of war casualties. Eighty heroic men of the 163rd Infantry, 41st Division of Montana, lost their lives in New Guinea.

Among them: Lieutenant Nelson Story IV, great-grandson to one of Montana’s most renowned frontiersmen.

The First Nelson Story: Frontiersman, Entrepreneur, Millionaire If you have ever read the book or seen the movie “Lonesome Dove,” you may already be familiar with the first Nelson Story. Larry McMurtry’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel is based on Story’s epic journey from Texas to Montana with more than 1000 head of longhorn cattle.

In the years following the Civil War, northbound routes out of Texas were fraught with danger. In 1866, due to escalating, violent conflicts with Indians and bandits, the U.S. Army often blocked civilian attempts to cross into northern territories. Despite military blockades, Indian attacks, and marauding cattle thieves, Nelson Story successfully drove his cattle from Texas to Montana. In December of 1866, Story and his team arrived in the area east of the Gallatin Range, now known as Paradise Valley.

Story and his crew were the first to accomplish this remarkable feat, and the only for many years afterward.

With this original herd of longhorns, Nelson Story established the prosperous Story Cattle Company and Ranch—still owned and operated by his great-great grandson, Mike Story. Then, in 1882, Nelson built the highly profitable Story Flour Mill. Nelson Story’s shrewd business decisions soon made him the area’s first millionaire. He used his fortune

and influence to shape Bozeman, which was little more than a trading post at the time, into the thriving community it is today.

Story’s flour and cattle industries, combined with several mercantile stores, provided numerous employment opportunities and generated revenue for the area’s new populace. He helped launch Gallatin Valley National Bank, one of the first banks in the area, and in 1893, donated 160 acres of land to start an agricultural college, which has since become Montana State University.

Story Heritage In modern-day Gallatin County, evidence of the Story family’s impact is everywhere. A statue of Nelson Story on his famous cattle drive stands in Lindley Park. Nelson’s wife, Ellen, was the inspiration for the still operating Ellen Theatre on Main Street. The current “Story Mansion,” a gift from Nelson Sr. to his son, Thomas Byron, now functions as a community special occasion venue. Of course, there is also the Soldiers Chapel, a memorial to Nelson Story the IV and gift to the people of Gallatin County.

The land directly behind Soldiers Chapel is still owned by the Story family. Mikel Kallestad, grandson to Colonel Nelson Story III and current owner of the property, vows that his family will never develop this prime real estate. In a recent interview, Kallestad reaffirmed his former sentiment, saying,“It’s our responsibility in perpetuity to maintain that view corridor to Lone Mountain…or else a bolt of lightning will strike us down.”

Kallestad’s own history is closely entwined with the Chapel’s: in 1956, he was the first baby ever baptized there. He has since exchanged wedding vows and baptized his daughter at Soldier’s Chapel. He also serves as president of the Soldiers Chapel Corporation, a non-profit organization that operates the chapel.

Many people share Kallestad’s high regard for the church. Soldiers Chapel is a popular location for weddings, baptisms and holiday functions. Memorial services draw crowds of veterans, active military members, families and friends. Whether for celebration or quiet contemplation, the chapel welcomes visitors of various Christian denominations.“It has no membership roll. It is instead a fellowship of believers, a fellowship composed of varied beliefs, but one faith…many viewpoints but one Christ.”

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Biggerstaff Construction

When Bob Biggerstaff built his first custom home in Big Sky over 30 years ago, he considered lifestyle – the look and feel of a home, the views and light, the way space accommodates a family and their interests – a key design component.

Today, Bob’s son, Jerad, runs the family company and is equally committed to his father’s values. The father and son team enjoy the outdoors and, when they’re not ensconced in the family business, they may be found with their families trout fishing in a pond or stream, making some turns together on the ski hill or golfing with friends. Realizing that their clients choose Big Sky for the same reasons they do, their mission is to build a home that is a true reflection of a client’s way of life.

Biggerstaff Construction specializes in custom and single-family homes and takes pride in the quality of their product and developing client relationships.

The company is small; thus, projects are closely managed and costs kept aligned with the client’s budget. When constraints surface, the Biggerstaff team steps in quickly.“Our team excels at coming up with alternate solutions for finishes that give the same impression or feel that a client wants,” Jerad says, noting that excavation costs can also quickly derail a budget. Dealing with water, clay and a sloping landscape can be expensive and a good soils engineer is a requirement for building in Big Sky’s mountainous terrain.

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Jerad has developed an appreciation for all aspects of running the family business.

Having grown up wearing a tool belt, he’s worked in the business from excavation to finished product, filling in wherever his dad needed help. After earning a degree in business management and marketing at MSU, he stepped in to run the company when his father semi-retired.

Biggerstaff has designed houses and commercial buildings throughout Big Sky, including the Arrowhead, Hidden Village and Yellowstone Condominiums.

With the shifting economy, the company has seen an increase in remodeling projects. “People who have postponed building their dream home are remodeling existing spaces,” Jerad says. In addition, with the growing movement toward energy efficiency, the company is building more Energy Star certified homes.

Biggerstaff Construction has also expanded into the Bozeman area where the construction industry has experienced a speedier recovery; however, they have no plans to leave Big Sky. “Our family has deep roots in the Big Sky community,” remarks Jerad, “and we’re here for the long haul.”

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Bozeman’s finest pet care facility with a great and caring staff

“Pets are members of your family and we treat them like they are members of ours.”

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We pursued certification to become the first AAHA certified hospital in Bozeman (of which only 12% of hospitals in America meet these standards.) We did this because we care about your pet and we continually strive to provide the highest level of care possible.

Services

Montana Veterinary Surgical Service MVSS is Montana’s most skilled and experienced small animal surgery referral service. Dr. Mark Albrecht is the only small animal residency trained surgeon in Montana. He is one of the first 50 surgeons in the world to be trained by Dr. Slocum to do Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomies (TPLO) and the first person in Montana to offer TPLO surgeries.

We are a beta test site for the Canine Unicompartmental Elbow Procedure (CUE)- a revolutionary treatment for elbow dysplasia.

Gallatin Veterinary Hospital GHV provides complete general and advanced pet care, including extended and Saturday hours.

• Acupuncture - Dr. Sara Hann, DVM,CVA (one of our new team members) is using acupuncture to provide complimentary care to treat arthritis, lameness, postoperative pain, nerve injury, back and muscle pain, GI problems, lick granulomas, allergies and general wellness.

• Advanced anesthesia care based on recommendations and consultation with a Board Certified Veterinary Anesthesiologist.

• Every pet that undergoes anesthesia has a dedicated anesthetist whose sole job is to make sure anesthesia runs smoothly and your pet is safe.

• Uniquely designed anesthesia recovery area and warming kennels help provide a smoother, gentler recovery after anesthesia.

• Experienced oncology (cancer care) for pets from surgery to chemotherapy.

• Dental care from prophylactic cleanings to advanced care. Dr. Kari Swenson, DVM has completed further training in advanced extractions and restoratives with Dr. Tony Woodward of Montana Pet Dental, a Board Certified Veterinary Dentist. Dr. Woodward also provides service to Montana at Gallatin Veterinary Hospital every month.

• Rehabilitation services with Jen Hill, CCRP and Kali Randall, CVT including laser therapy, therapeutic ultrasound, e-stim and customized at-home exercises.

• Laparoscopic surgery including minimally invasive spays - the least painful way to spay your pet.

• On-site laboratory services for fast results for critical care patients and special pricing from Antech for outside services allowing for advanced testing with great pricing.

Community Involvement

In the last year, we have made monetary donations (in conjunction with our wonderful clients) through projects such as our Holiday Pet Pictures and the Bozeman Canine Classic K9-9K. In addition, we have also donated services to the following shelters: Heart of the Valley (Bozeman) Stafford Animal Shelter (Livingston) Lewis & Clark Humane Society (Helena) Chelsea Bailey Butte

Siverbow Animal Shelter (Butte) Albert’s Angel Fund (Butte) Bitterroot Humane Society (Hamilton) Bassett Rescue of Montana (Missoula) For more information on our humanitarian projects, please give us a call at 587-4458. Or visit us at 1635 Reeves Rd. E., or online at gallatinvethospital.com.

• Digital Radiography (X-rays) along with digital dental radiography. This technology and our level of expertise allow us to better diagnose and then treat your loved ones. Digital images facilitate fast, easy consults by Board Certified specialists.

• Diagnostic ultrasound, with monthly visits from Dr. Brit Culver - one of only two Board Certified Small Animal Internists practicing in Montana.

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THE HISTORIC CRAIL RANCH From wrecking ball to the National Register of Historic Places, the 112-year-old Crail Ranch proudly sits amid modern condos and golf course greens in Big Sky. Now a homestead museum, the Crail Ranch displays architecture and artifacts from the 60 years that the Crails, and later the Humes, called the ranch home.

In 2004, the Historic Crail Ranch Conservators located Frank Crail, grandson and ranch founder namesake. He donated nearly 400 items original to the homestead. His notes led Conservators to other descendants, who have also contributed family heirlooms.

A few years later, another connection proved equally valuable. Conservators hired part-time Big Sky resident, Scott Carpenter, who specializes in archaeology and architectural history. With degrees from the University of Colorado and George Washington University and work experience at the Smithsonian Institution and National Park Service, Carpenter advises on artifact documentation and building preservation. His Bozeman-based company, InteResources Planning, Inc., has studied sites throughout Montana and the U.S. since 1991.

Although Carpenter investigates many rewarding locations, he includes the Crail Ranch historic property among his favorites. “I’ve researched the area’s prehistoric use of higher elevations. It’s interesting to contrast prehistoric land use with historic ranching,” remarks Carpenter. “I’m really fascinated with the Homestead Era.”

Eugene Crail stands beside the main Crail Ranch home (circa 1908), a structure with two rooms.

His first project at Crail Ranch was the Historic Structures Report, which helps conservators make decisions on building preservation and maintenance. Carpenter advises,“We don’t want to recreate Crail Ranch with modern materials. We want to retain as much of the original structures as possible, in keeping with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Properties.”

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Conservators delivered hundreds of original ranch photos and documents to Carpenter for documenting construction history and subsequent alterations. The ages of family members in photos provide approximate dates of completion and reveal three phases of construction. This information is further supported by dates in newspaper insulation, deeds, maps and homestead records.

“It’s like working a puzzle in reverse,” says Carpenter. “We can see the finished product, but we needed to understand the stages of construction to make correct preservation decisions, particularly when seeing some foundation subsidence and other elements of deterioration.”

Conservators acted quickly after that discovery. Ultimately, Carpenter used a fiber optic camera under the floor to determine foundation conditions.

Frank and Sallie Crail (seated) posed with their three children in the background.

He recommended improved The second story of the ranch home was completed circa 1912. water drainage to prevent further “It’s amazing that a lightly maintained handmade log building damage rather than reconstructing the foundation at the from another century still stands near a creek in Big Sky,” quips time. “We knew we had to intrude, but as little as possible, Carpenter. After installing period-appropriate rain gutters and on the original architectural fabric,” states Carpenter.“We re-grading the landscape, Conservators expect the main home recommended a system of drainage away from the structure.” to stand beside that creek for another hundred years, testifying to Big Sky’s ranching past.

Celebrate our ranching heritage VISIT

ORIGINAL SETTLERS’ HOMESTEAD & MUSEUM Open for free tours, Saturdays & Sundays during July & August.

Plus special events throughout the year.

Big Sky Meadow Village 2110 Spotted Elk Road Across from the Community Park NEW HISTORY ANNEX with year ‘round exhibits Big Sky Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center 55 Lone Mountain Trail at US 191

crailranch.org

A project of the Big Sky Community Corporation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit entity created in 1998 to promote, acquire, preserve and maintain land, parks, trails and easements.

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Making History

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Black Timber Furniture Company

By Jessica Bayramian Byerly

After 20 years of service in the U.S. Army, Todd Fullerton settled down with his family in Bozeman and began looking into turning a lifelong passion for making furniture into a business.

The recession hit furniture-manufacturing companies hard, forcing two local businesses to close their doors in 2010. After reviewing and amending those business plans, Fullerton set forth to meet the continued demand for heirloom quality handcrafted furniture by forming Black Timber Furniture Company (Black Timber) of Montana. Offering custom-made pieces that are as functional as they are beautiful, Black Timber is at the forefront of a legacy of timeless style, customized design and quality customer care.

Black Timber’s signature furnishings are predominantly Mission style, which dates back over a century. Characterized by clean lines and flat panels that accentuate the inherent beauty of the wood’s grain, the Mission style is timeless, as at home in the modern townhouse as it was in a post-Victorian household.

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Mission style furniture originated in the 1890s, when A.J. Forbes constructed the first chair for San Francisco’s Swedenborgian Church. Joseph P. McHugh of New York, who copied Forbes’ chair and offered a related line of furniture in the late 1890s, later popularized the term Mission, which refers to the Spanish missions throughout colonial California. Looking for relief from the aesthetically excessive Victorian designs and mass-produced furniture of the industrial revolution, Gustav Stickley began producing solid, honest, handcrafted oak furniture during the international Arts and Crafts Movement, which peaked between 1880 and 1910. Though many designers played a roll in the development of the Mission style, the Stickley brothers are the commonly held godfathers; their company continues to produce quality Mission Oak furnishings to this day.

Although Black Timber specializes in the sophisticated, yet simple, solidly built Mission furniture, the craftsmen therein are artisans at heart, capable of realizing anything from a unique sketch to traditional, contemporary, Victorian and Shaker designs. Black Timber can also customize size, materials and styling (providing alterations as needed) to seamlessly translate customers’ visions into original, utilitarian works of art. And they take pride in that work, exceeding customer expectations and creating timeless heirlooms for families around the country

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In addition to their signature and custom work, Black Timber is introducing a new rustic furniture line constructed from reclaimed lumber found throughout Montana. Worthy works of art in their own right, each handcrafted piece is imbued with the character and history unique to the distinctive wood from which it is made.

Made with pride in Montana, by Montanans, from sustainably harvested hardwood from the East and Alder from the Northwest, Black Timber’s made-to-order furniture can be found in homes across America. Whether realizing a custom design or constructing a piece from their online catalog, Black Timber strives to provide personalized customer service from the MT Historian 2014_FINAL_OUT.pdf 1 6/13/14 2:53 PM drawing board to the dining room.

Located just off of I-90 in Belgrade, Montana (10 miles west of Bozeman), Black Timber Furniture Company is open Monday through Friday, from 10:30AM until 5PM. For more information, visit their website at www.blacktimberfurniture.com or call 406.388.8300. For an estimate on custom furniture, please email a description, sketch or photo to sales@blacktimberfurniture.com or contact Black Timber at 406.388.8300.

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Montana Living ~ Big Sky Real Estate

When Martha Johnson steps into a room, the energy rises a notch. At 5’2” in heels, she’s a bundle of joyful energy. A 26-year resident, Johnson has a proclivity for taking on challenges when she sees opportunity.“My entrepreneurial spirit needs a big anchor,” she says with a smile.

ELKRIDGE 32 The Club at Spanish Peaks, 5bd, 7 bath, on the golf course/ski in/ski out. Gorgeous views. $3,485,000

THE PINES CONDOMINIUM 4 bd, 4 bath, centrally located, huge views of the Spanish Peaks, model unit. $479,000

240 TROPHY BULL 3 bd + bunk room, 5 bath on 20 acres.

Borders National Forest with top of the world views. $1,950,000

SNOWCREST 8512 Ski-in/ski-out, heart of the mountain village. 3 bd, 3.5 bath. $1,399,000

DUCKS POND ESTATE The Club at Spanish Peaks, 4 bd, 4.5 bath, timber framed construction, 20 acres. $1,725,000

ELK WALLOW LODGE The Club at Spanish Peaks, 5bd, 4.5 bath, 4+ acres, outdoor fireplace & waterfall. $1,999,000

Johnson moved to Big Sky in 1988 and, in her early years in Montana, she created, operated and sold two successful food and beverage outlets in the Big Sky community (Serendipity’s and the Huckleberry Café). In 1994, she became a real estate professional and as a broker for Prudential Realty enjoyed tremendous success. The entrepreneurial itch came again and she went on to open her own company, Montana Living ~ Big Sky Real Estate, with that famous brand of hers—appropriately called “Rockin’ M”—a refreshed and reinvented real estate sales and marketing company focusing on state-of-the-art technology aligned with two decades of experience which, in turn, created a top luxury real estate firm. She’s been married since 1996 to Scott Johnson, who also has 25 years in resort marketing and management. Thriving with her husband and two sons in Big Sky, she is passionate to create the best resort community for her family to grow, live and learn. Her enthusiasm for Montana is contagious.

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Tracking sales for over 20 years has provided Montana Living with an unparalleled database allowing her team to stay current on properties that BigSkyRealEstate .com | 406 995-6333 | Located in Big Sky Town Center have sold, new properties coming on the market and market trends. In addition to years of experience, the key to a good broker, Johnson realizes, is being well trained, smart and proactive, while intuitively knowing how to interact with clients. Johnson and her team offer a customized approach to buying and selling property. What wins client loyalty and makes Montana Living ~ Big Sky Real Estate successful is their team’s ability to streamline the decision making process by offering fact-based information tailored to the client’s individual needs. Organizing the buying and selling process for the client helps them efficiently weigh options and make decisions with confidence.“Listening and asking questions is key to facilitating a successful transaction,” Johnson adds.“I like to know what makes their heart sing.” It’s a great reward for her company when buyers acquire property they cherish.

GREATHORN K RANCH #3 Fabulous 20 acres located only minutes to Big Sky Town Center. Resident wildlife & gorgeous views. $649,000

1619 CHIEF JOSEPH Spacious home w/4 Suites + bunk room.

Wrap around decking offers inspiring views in every direction.

Old growth Aspen groves surround home. South facing $3,500,000

ELEVATION 6000 3 bd, 2.5 bath end unit. Developer owned with easy walk to all the Town Center activity. Strong long or short term rental history . $659,000

795 KARST STAGE Only a short walk to the Gallatin River.

3 bd main house with separate guest home. 1.4 beautiful canyon acres and only minutes to Big Sky. $999,000

1620 CHIEF JOSEPH Generational 7,500 sq. ft. estate. 4 Suites, elevator, office and workout room. 8.3 acres with amazing views of Big Sky. Broker owned. $3,299,000

393 GREY DRAKE 5+ acres on the Westfork of the Gallatin. 4 Master Suites, gourmet kitchen, office and an incredible wine cellar.

Riverfront location &only minutes to the Big Sky Town Center $2,950,000

A dynamic and successful broker living in Big Sky, Martha exemplifies a steadfast commitment to incomparable customer service, honest relationships, quality and hard work. Johnson’s extensive experience, industry knowledge and enthusiasm have allowed her company to represent Big Sky’s signature properties including The Big EZ, Gallatin Preserve, Grey Drake Subdivision, Big Sky Town Center, Yellowstone Ranch Preserve, Black Eagle Condominiums, Moonlight Basin, Spanish Peaks Mountain Club and the Yellowstone Club.

Being the most experienced broker of Spanish Peaks Mountain Club real estate, Johnson offers a unique perspective on buying opportunities.

With its new ownership, Johnson reports a tremendous increase in real estate interest. She believes several factors explain this interest in these properties. First, the natural geography of the community creates one of the finest ski and golf experiences in the Rocky Mountains. You have the “Biggest Skiing in America” out your front door and one of finest mountain golf courses out your back.“Nowhere else in the country do you have such a combination of quality amenities as Spanish Peaks,” states Martha. Second, delivering a top quality community resort experience is a priority of the new Cross Harbor and Boyne USA ownership. Their experience speaks for itself.

Johnson grew up outside Philadelphia, but fell in love with the West during family vacations to Colorado and Utah. After attending college in Boston, she moved to Big Sky, where she did what everyone else does when in a mountain town—she became a ski instructor and worked as a wrangler. She also started and sold two restaurants before founding her real estate business. Johnson runs the company with husband, Scott, whom she refers to as “a quiet pillar of strength.” In addition to his extensive knowledge of Big Sky and Yellowstone, Scott has a background in economics and finance, specializing in marketing and club operations.

A strategic planner, he keeps the company vision clear and on course while marketing the Montana Living brand locally and nationally.

When asked what is exciting about Big Sky right now, Johnson cites the consolidation of major land/resort assets (Spanish Peaks Mountain Club and Moonlight Basin Resort) by a Cross Harbor/Boyne partnership, a proposed new hospital and elementary school and finally the best airline service this area has experienced.“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime to be able to participate in the vision and planned growth of this community,” she says.“Big Sky is a place where people are choosing to make a home, raise a family and run a business. It’s not a defunct mining town or a developed town that’s trying to breathe life back into itself,” remarks Johnson.“It’s a small place that builds itself slowly and methodically, an exclusive destination that’s not commercialized, and still a bit of a secret.”

Montana Historian

This information is subject to errors, omissions, prior sale, change, withdrawal and approval of purchase by owner. All information from sources deemed reliable, but not guaranteed by Montana Living - Big

Sky Real Estate, independent investigation is recommended. For properties being purchased at The Club at Spanish Peaks approval for membership is required prior to closing. If you are currently working with another real estate agent, this is not intended as a solicitation.

We Are Big Sky Real Estate.

B i g S k y R e a l E s t a t e . c o m | 4 0 6 9 9 5 - 6 3 3 3 | L o c a t e d i n B i g S k y To w n C e n t e r

235 CHIEF JOSEPH TR. 5 bd, 5 bath, 5,460 sq. ft. home on coveted Chief Joseph Trail.

Gorgeous views. $1,475,000 HILL STUDIO CONDOMINIUM #1205 Affordable Mountin Village unit with creek and mtn views. $98,500 SUMMIT VIEW Top of the world views from this Mtn Village gem. 3.18 acres on a cul de sac and ready for your dream home. $330,000

41 BROOK TROUT PLACE 3 bd, 3.5 bath, garage, 2,494 sq. ft.

Centrally located, ready to move in, $689,000 910 SUNBURST DR. HIDDEN VILLAGE CONDO 2 Bd, 1 bath, w/ garage, convenient to community pool and great rental potential. $239,500 40 ACRE GREATHORN RANCH -LOT 4 Privacy, horses allowed and convenient to Big Sky Town Center. $899,000

This information is subject to errors, omissions, prior sale, change, withdrawal and approval of purchase by owner. All information from sources deemed reliable, but not guaranteed by Montana Living - Big Sky Real Estate, independent investigation is recommended. For properties being purchased at The Club at Spanish Peaks approval for membership is required prior to closing. If you are currently working with another real estate agent, this is not intended as a solicitation. Montana Living is a registered trademark of Newwest LLC.

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Through the years, the company always remained a family business, passing down to Chris and Doug Westlake, Chuck and Patty’s son’s.

Val Lint, Patty’s brother, also began working with the company as an apprentice machinist while attending Bozeman High School in 1971. He was the first student placed through the DECA program and worked half days at the company during his senior year in high school. He joined fulltime following his graduation in 1972 and today owns and manages the shop.

One symbol of its connection with Bozeman is the giant anvil that sits on the lawn out front. One of the world’s largest anvils, it is an exact replica of the Hay Budden anvil displayed in the foyer of the shop.

through the years, each day Midwest Welding & Mathe anvil reminds everyone chine obtained the anvil of the company’s values from a 90 year old retiring and dedication to service. blacksmith in 1962. The blacksmith had made his As Val says, “The success living on the anvil for his of the company is the reentire life, supporting his sult of the dedicated craftsfamily and raising his chilmen’s efforts dren. He agreed over the years. to part with it You can’t go after assurances anywhere in by the company the area withthat it would out seeing exnever be sold amples of their or abused, a “The success of the workmanship. promise they We are excited have kept company is the result to be a part of through the inof the dedicated this communitervening decraftsmen’s efforts ty and still the cades. go-to place for over the years. welding and The anvil is an machining” that job has important symbol for the always been critical to the company. It signifies both success of Midwest Weldthe history of the welding ing & Machine and its workand machining business ers and will continue to be and the company’s dedicafar into the future. tion to its community and roots.

Though Midwest Welding & Machine has upgraded its equipment

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Planet Harrington

By Anica Lees

It’s interesting how we get so caught up in the day-to-day details that we often overlook the more meaningful aspects of our lives. I realized this, and how little I actually know about the history of the man I’ve worked with (and consider a part of my extended family) for the past nine years, when I sat down to interview him.

Anyone who has met Dennis Harrington would agree that he has a strong presence, an air of confidence and a brash sense of humor. But beneath that, he’s a genuine friend with a giving heart, a tremendously talented artist and, above all, a devoted family man.

Growing up, Dennis spent his free time drawing and building things, but he never imagined he would one day be a full-time professional artist. Dennis idolized his grandfather who flew planes in WWII and his early career goal was to be an air force pilot himself. After only one semester in the ROTC program at MSU and a chance enrollment in a drawing class, Dennis did a 180, moved to Washington state and enrolled at the Art Institute of Seattle.

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Though his focus was on 2-D art techniques like airbrushing and graphics and he graduated with a degree in product design, a fateful conversation over a lump of clay with his friend back in Montana would alter the course of his life from that day forward. Dennis dove headfirst into sculpting. In a cold garage studio, he began creating emotionally charged, life-inspired, technically complex sculptures. Between working for his father and periodic lucrative modeling gigs (Google it!), Dennis built his own backyard bronze foundry from the ground up. He jokes,“The term ‘starving artist’ took on new meaning during that time.”

After months of trial and error, countless hours of research and numerous failed attempts at the casting process, Dennis had a few complete sculptures ready for showing. Then, the great dilemma: he needed somewhere to sell them. He needed to create a gallery—so he did just that.

Dennis couldn’t afford Main Street real estate, so the unexpected location of Bozeman’s north side was chosen. From gutted warehouse space, Planet Bronze was born of Dennis’ design, direction and labor. Eighteen years later, it is still a stunningly beautiful, contemporary, welcoming two-story gallery that leaves newcomers in awe every time.

“Back when the gallery was still just bare walls and concrete floors, I knew I had to make a name for myself,” Dennis says.“The airport was expanding and put out a call to artists. I submitted a drawing of the grizzly bear sculpture, ‘Guardian Spirit,’ which was modeled after my dog and represented a protective presence over the airport. They accepted it. Then the reality of creating a piece of that size hit. I had never done anything that large before, but it pushed me, and is still one of my most well-known pieces.”

A: How did the cowgirl theme come into your work?

D: I noticed a lack of really great, current figurative artists in my field.

I wanted to create technically superior figurative bronze sculptures to embody the spirit of the ‘Old West’ and, since I have always admired the female form, I chose to portray women as strong, confident and empowered, yet tender. There are stories behind their eyes, their stances, their expressive beauty. The inherent sensuality might be offensive to some, but the intention is to glorify women, to speak of their vital role in the ‘wild west’—emphasis on the ‘wild.’

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A: How do you see Planet Bronze evolving? Is there a vision for the future?

D: The gallery is like its own entity. It lives and breathes and changes with the seasons. I just foster the creativity and try to enjoy the ride. I opened Planet Bronze to be a more accessible, welcoming place for artists and clients of all walks of life. Recently, we’ve started hosting more events for locals and artists to get together, enjoy the art in a more casual setting, and promote a sense of community.

A: So, what is next? In July 2013, Planet Bronze hosted a one-time-only historical space and aviation themed show in honor of your aviator grandfather.

D: The show got me thinking. I was inspired to give back to the men who put their lives on the line to defend our country and explore the unknown.

Jim Lovell (the astronaut) is a personal hero of mine, and the Apollo 8 mission was such a pivotal event for American pride and space exploration as a whole. I’m feeling the energy and ready to dig in.

A: You were commissioned to create a life-size crucifix for Bozeman’s Holy Rosary Church. Is that the piece you are most proud of?

D: Pride isn’t the word I would use. I was initially resistant to accepting that project because I felt disconnected to the subject at the time. I eventually accepted the challenge as an act of gratitude to Father Leo and the community I was raised in. Halfway through completion of the piece, I suffered a major heart attack. After weeks of therapy, I came back to the project with new eyes. When it was finished, under the spotlight in the silent studio, I had my most moving experience as an artist. I no longer saw the piece for what I had to do to it, but for what it truly was: a thing of beauty. It was a surreal moment. The feeling of elation when a piece of artwork is finished only lasts about a week and a half. Then I start to think and feel the pressure of ‘what’s next?’

Dennis was able to get through to Lovell’s personal secretary, then to Lovell himself, and, by the merit of his previous work, set into motion a plan to create a life-size bronze sculpture of the three members of the Apollo 8 crew.

The piece, a huge undertaking and great honor, is due for completion in late 2014 and will be on permanent display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago alongside the original Apollo 8 capsule.

For more on Dennis Harrington and Planet Bronze (home of the best framer in the West!), visit planetbronze.com or stop by 905 N. 5th Avenue in Bozeman.

Big Sky’S FuLL SerViCe grOCery StOre Hand-cut meats • Fresh baked goods gourmet items • Beer & wine

Buy L O C a L t reSH EaF Delivery available – have your home stocked upon your arrival! 406-995-4636 Open 7 days a week | Winter & Summer 6:30am - 10pm | Off-season 6:30am-8pm Located in the Meadow Village Center next to Lone Peak Brewery

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Finding Treasure in the Treasure State

By Jessica Bayramian Byerly

Although gold was first discovered in Montana in 1852, it took another 10 years before the first mining camp was established in Bannack.

Initially, mining districts governed these early settlements, regulating land claims and providing a government of sorts. As settlements further grew and developed, so came the first mining towns, like Butte and Helena.

Interestingly, Helena narrowly missed being called Crabtown after one of the four Georgians who first struck gold there (though Pumpkinville and Squashtown were also contenders). On July 14, 1864, after determing that this would be their last time panning if no gold was found, John Crab and his cohorts struck it rich at the now aptly named Last Chance Gulch.

Gulch, just north of Townsend in an area called Montana Bar, became the richest placer strike ever made, setting off a frantic placer mining boom. For a time, the Gulch's gold recovery exceeded the mining done in all other Montana Territory camps combined. From 1866 until 1869, the Gulch was said to have produced an estimated 19 to 30 million dollars worth of gold (in 1860s, $20-40/ounce gold standards)!

Other gold-rich areas include Emigrant Gulch, south of Livingston, and several areas around Norris and Deer Lodge. In 1865, Confederate

Gold can be found in two broad ways: hard rock and placer mining.

Placer mining involves combing alluvial deposits for minerals and does

The prospect of treasure, as accessible to the pauper as to the prince, poses an irresistable lure. And the hook that follows is a difficult one to shake.

Montana’s history and economy is the story of treasures sought, lost and found; of the self-made man, made overnight; of the booms and the busts that birthed modern cities for well over a century and continue, to this day, to define the people, places and pasttimes of the Treasure State.

IT’S OFFICIAL! Insty-Prints is now...

“Allegra has the same staff you know and trust, the same support for our community, and the same location. Please stop by or visit our website to check out our new marketing services.”

-Dan Himsworth, Owner

406.586.7007 • 39 S. Tracy Ave., Bozeman, MT

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Montana Historian

not require the same underground mining and excavation techniques as the less accessible hard rock variety. It is easier, more affordable and accesible for all ages. The easiest way to begin searching for gold is to use a gold pan. Pans come in plastic or metal, with personal preference playing the largest part in selection.

Obviously, the old-timers used metal pans. In a pinch, the pans could also be used to fry an egg. As grease can make fine gold float, the pan would then have to be thrown in the fire to burn off any remaining. Of course, panning has the added benefit of producing the occasional garnet or sapphire as well.

Even though early claims were predominantly gold, silver, manganese and copper mines errupted thoughout Montana during the late 1800s. And in the 1890s, when Tiffany & Co. purchased a cigar box full of Montana sapphires for $3,750, miners finally stopped cursing the bright blue stones

that had clogged their sluices for years. The love of Montana sapphires, some of the best in the world, has spanned oceans: they can even be found in England’s Royal Crown Jewels. Ironically, the brilliant blue beauties that miners tossed aside in the gold rush days could be even more valuable than the gold they were seeking.

In addition to precious metals and sapphires, Montana’s treasure trove includes garnets and agates, which, along with sapphires, were named Montana’s state gemstone in 1969. One of the easiest gemstones to find, garnets abound in Ruby Reservoir near Virginia City. The gravel at this location can be shoveled into a gold pan or pie plate, shaken several times and then dumped upside down on the bank. The cranberry red garnet gleams in sunlight and can be easily plucked from the top. Montana agates, found most readily throughout southern and eastern regions of the state, are known for their rainbow spectrum of colors, including red, orange, yellow, white, brown, black and even blue. The breathtaking Madison Blue agate can only be found in Madison County, Montana.

“Bozeman’s Lil Museum and Mining Store,” Earth’s Treasures, invites curiosity and nurtures exploration of the natural wonders of today and yesterday. Open Monday through Saturday, from 9:30AM to 5:30PM, Earth's Treasures is located at 25 N. Willson in Bozeman. For more information, prospecting supplies or products related to Montana’s rich history, please visit www.EarthsTreasuresMT.com or call (406) 586-3451.

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PI E RCE FLOO R I N G & D E S I G N CO. M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T

To be the leader in our industry through our tradition of honesty and fairness to customers, employees and business partners.

O

ver the years the Pierce businesses have grown into a large Montana-family owned operation.

Pierce Flooring is recognized as one of the top 30 retailers in the United States, and all businesses have been cited for many awards and accomplishments.

largest RV, manufactured homes, leasing, and parts & service businesses in the region.

George R. Pierce came to Montana in 1913. He sold patented medicine on the road, traveling in a Ford Model “T”, often using a compass for direction. In 1916 he moved to Billings where he held various jobs in the automobile industry, including selling used cars and distributing for Willy’s Jeep.

In 1967, Pierce Flooring expanded its operations by establishing a retail store in Bozeman, located at 6th and East Mendenhall. Then a new store was constructed in 1971 across the street. In 1972, the Pierces purchased a building to be the Carpet Barn, a “discount” retail store in Billings.

In 1977, Missoula became the next location for Pierce Flooring, followed by Great Falls in 1984.

George always said, “No one works for me, they work with me.”

George Pierce was a master organizer and salesman.

However, a man once remarked to him “Your place is so dirty. How can you get people to stand still long enough to sell them anything?” George replied, “The joint is dirty, but we are sociable.” This became a new phrase in his advertising. Over the years, he employed many men and boys, often providing them meals and shelter during tough times. George always said, “No one works for me, they work with me.”

Ownership was about to undergo changes as well. George R. Pierce passed away in 1958. After a few changes, George L. Pierce’s family became the sole owner in 1971.

When George L. Pierce passed away in 1993, his sons Ron and Bill assumed ownership, until Bill’s death in 1998. At this time and into the present, Ron has assumed ownership of the Pierce companies.

Butte was selected as the next location for a flooring store in 1994. As business grew in Bozeman, the decision was made to build a new facility in 1995, at 1921 W Main Street, where it is located today. In 1996, further expansion took place in that same market, with the opening of Carpet Mill Outlet, located west of Bozeman on Huffine Lane. Like the Carpet Barn in Billings, it specializes in discounted and promotional inventories. In 1998, a new Billings Pierce Flooring store was opened.

Expect the exceptional at Pierce!

George R. started in the flooring business with linoleum around 1939. Used cars, used parts, automobile repair, and what little linoleum was available, carried on the show through World War II. After the war, his sons, John, Frank and George L. Pierce came home from the Army and joined in the business.

Shortly thereafter, he added carpet to his business.

Automobiles were handled on one side of the building, carpet on the other, with linoleum, tile, and paint in the basement. The business grew, making it necessary to purchase a used car lot. Later, travel trailers and mobile homes were acquired. This rapidly grew into one of the

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The Homes and RV’s side of the company saw expansions and changes when a modular and manufactured housing location opened in Great Falls in 2001. Pierce Homes and RV’s moved to their new location next to the Zoo Drive interchange in Billings in 2002, and in 2006, Pierce opened a second location for RV’s, in Kalispell.

Our family of companies now employs over 230 people.

The businesses are based on hard work, honesty, trust, and taking extreme care of our customers, suppliers, and employees, while giving back to Montana’s communities.

“I t is our goal...

To treat every customer in a manner that they will do business with us for the rest of their lives.” - Ron Pierce

Billings • Bozeman • Missoula

Bozeman 1921 West Main 406-587-5428 PierceFlooring.com 2012/2013

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“Doc” Bembrick A True Montana Pioneer

By Lisa Hendrickson • Photos courtesy of Sherry Merica Pepper Everyone called him “Doc,” but he wasn’t a doctor. Benjamin Franklin Bembrick, one of the first settlers in the Montana Territory, was instead what you might call “a jack-of-all-trades.”

He reinvented himself time and again—becoming a buffalo hunter, cattle rancher, mine owner and Montana legislator.

Bembrick’s parents were German immigrants living in Howard County, Missouri when he was born on October 29, 1828. He was the youngest of six children.

In 1849 at the age of 21, he and his two older brothers, like thousands of others, headed west from Missouri on mules, hoping to strike it rich in the California Gold Rush.“The news being plenty of gold there is very flattering,” wrote Missouri minister Benjamin Franklin Stevens, who kept a diary of his own 1849 trip to California. The three brothers reached California, but what happened to them during that time remains a mystery.

Doc’s longtime friend Albert J. Galen (an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Montana from 1921 to 1933) recorded that four years later, Doc “returned as far as St. Louis, Mo. on horseback, in 1853, consuming 67 days in making the trip.”

Bembrick stayed in the Midwest for a few years, where two of his brothers were now farmers and, in 1858, nearing the age of 30, he set out across the plains again. His youngest daughter, Julia Bennett, wrote,“…he decided he would go on his own so his father gave him two horses, one to pack. He had a rifle and a six shooter and was an expert shot.”

Bembrick hunted with Jim Bridger, the mountain man who discovered the Montana pass and trail that today bear his name. Bridger, by that time nearing the end of his career, taught Doc about hunting buffalo, which were still abundant on the Western plains.“At times single herds would blacken the hills and valleys as far as the eye could see,” wrote Jerome Smiley in his 1901 History of Denver.

Bembrick also trapped on the Lamar River, a 40-mile-long tributary of the Yellowstone River in northwestern Wyoming, now within the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park.

In 1858, he headed to an area of the sparsely settled Kansas Territory today known as Denver, Colorado. Doc couldn’t have arrived at a more opportune time. In July 1859, two men made the first major gold discovery in the Rocky Mountains (in present-day Englewood), and the Overland Stage Company hired Bembrick to provide buffalo meat for hungry travelers. He “was an expert marksman and had no difficulty in living up to the provisions of his contract,” wrote his friend Galen.“In one day he often killed as many as 25 deer, 75 buffalo.”

He took up a homestead in the brand new town of Auraria City – now the heart of Denver. He wasted no time in setting claim to some land and then selling it.

City records show that nearly one year to the day after the town was incorporated – on November 2, 1859 – he sold a fraction of a lot for $200.

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Benjamin “Doc” Bembrick (seated at left) at home with his family.

This undated photo was taken around 1905.

21, 1862 cast him as a hero. In the story penned by “A. Toughcuss,” Doc Bembrick was named responsible for a “Furious Charge and total Rout of the Enemy” – the enemy being a mountain lion. “By a brilliant charge of Bembrick’s cavalry,” the newspaper reported, “the enemy was again routed, and eventually killed by a ball from Doc.’s rifle, which took effect in the head.”

Despite his successes in Colorado, Bembrick was eager to leave because of increasing strife between settlers and Native Americans in the area. So, in the fall of 1863, he joined a wagon train headed to the Idaho Territory mining town of Virginia City, where gold had been discovered that May. The population of the town swelled from zero to 5,000 in the year following the discovery, and Bembrick quickly found work once again as a buffalo hunter and meat supplier.

But after two years in the bawdy, lawless town, he decided to try his hand at something new – this time, cattle-raising. Again, his timing was impeccable. An 1864 article in Virginia City’s Montana Post had noted, “We never saw a country more adapted to stock-raising than Montana – the grass is abundant, beautiful streams of clear sparkling water flow through rich valleys; cattle are rolling in fatness…. Beef can be made here for one cent per pound.” He headed about 80 miles north, where he took claim to 16 acres in a fertile valley of Jefferson County (now Broadwater County) in the fall of 1865. In addition to raising cattle, he continued to hunt and trap and, in 1867, was reportedly the last person to see explorer John Bozeman, developer of the Bozeman Trail, not long before he was murdered.

By February 1861, when Congress made Colorado a free territory, Bembrick had moved to Golden City, about 15 miles away. He was the 67th person to cast a vote in his precinct in the first Colorado Territorial Election on August 19, 1861.

But it was time to settle down. On May 12, 1868, at the age of 39, he married a 15-year-old Indiana girl named Laura Gibson. Within a few months, she was pregnant. The marriage was short-lived. She gave birth to a daughter named Adaline, but died soon afterward, on June 12, 1869.

A handsome, tall man with dark brown hair and brown eyes, Bembrick had a penchant for playing practical jokes and soon was making a name for himself in Golden City. A tongue-in-cheek article in The Rocky Mountain News on March

Bembrick was left with an infant to raise—a difficult prospect for a widower who often had to leave home for weeks at a time. It’s not clear who cared for young Addie, but in 1871 he met Lucy (Lulu) Martin, a fellow Missourian who had

Montana Historian

traveled across the plains with her mother and extended family to Virginia City in 1864. Lulu was only 14 when they married that November at her mother’s home in Jefferson County.

The young couple lived on a small ranch in the Crow Creek Valley, where Doc’s cattle-ranching business grew rapidly. Every summer, he drove his cattle east to the Musselshell River valley, where grass was abundant, while his young wife stayed behind on the ranch. In August 1878, The Helena Independent dubbed Doc “the cattle king of the Muscleshell (sic),” also noting,“Muscleshell cattle are said to be fatter than any others in the country.”

He was also a musician, having learned to play the violin by ear. He often fiddled while riding his black mare, which pranced in time to the music. He teased his children and loved to play practical jokes, leaving the discipline to his wife. “You raise the children and I will raise the cattle,” he told her.

The ranch, which soon expanded to include Morgan horses, was self-sufficient, with its own smoke, meat, spring and ice houses. Each fall, Bembrick would head off on a hunting trip, bringing home wild game, elk, bear and fish. There were many mouths to feed: along with the family, Bembrick “always kept several old cowboys who were broke and homeless,” remembered Julia.

The children attended school six miles away, pulled on a buckboard by mules.

In the winter, the ride took five hours. The teacher, a cranky woman, boarded with the Bembricks and believed “Doc” was a real physician. Suffering from a toothache, she asked him for advice. Ever the cut-up, he told her to fill her mouth with cold water and sit on the stove until it boiled. She was not amused.

A devoted Democrat, Bembrick was active in politics, first serving as a member of the Democratic Central Committee of Jefferson County, then being elected to a term as a representative in the Montana legislature in 1883. He said that the only time he ever switched his ticket was to vote for his friend, Republican Albert Galen.

Bembrick even dabbled in mining, becoming a co-owner of the Black Friday gold mine near Radersburg with his wife’s uncle Errendle Nave and others.

The Townsend Star published this photo of Benjamin Bembrick in 1907, calling him “the oldest pioneer of Broadwater County.”

It was in that valley where he met and rode with the not-yet-famous western artist Charles Russell, who was learning to be a cowboy while painting and drawing in his spare time. Russell offered Bembrick a few paintings but he refused them, telling Russell that someday “he would get lots of money for them.” Russell reportedly replied,“Oh hell, I don’t care about money.”

While Doc raised cattle, Lulu raised their family—daughter Elizabeth was the first-born, in 1876, followed by Julia in 1880. A son, David, was born in 1881, but lived for only one month.

In 1883, the Bembricks moved to a ranch called the Circle J. Lulu gave birth to the couple’s first son, named Ben after his father, and then to Jim three years later.

The family also took in a blind girl, Daisy Doyle, whose parents had died.

Lulu was very religious; Ben was not. He “had a religion of his own,” wrote Julia.

“He lived by the Golden Rule and was generous to a fault. His word was as good as gold.” When a band of hungry Indians camped near their ranch, Bembrick butchered a cow for them. When the family made ice cream, they would spread it on bread for the Indians to eat.

By 1906, when the Bembricks sold their ranch, they owned 1200 acres. They moved to nearby Toston, where they lived in a large two-story log cabin and bought a mercantile store that was run by their son-in-law, Anson Bennett. Doc continued to hunt, having, by the end of his life, killed 75 bears and having “often many very narrow escapes from death or injury,” according to Galen.

Doc Bembrick and his wife Lulu lived in this large log cabin in Toston after selling their ranch.

The Townsend Star, which printed this photo in 1907, called it “one of the quaintest and prettiest log houses to be found in the west.”

But Bembrick’s true nature was playful, and he continued to love practical jokes, apparently even conning the census takers.

In 1880, he reported his age to be 43, twenty years later he claimed to be 60, ten years after that he was 72, and in another ten years (1920) he was 89. He lived to the (true) ripe old age of 97, dying on May 14, 1925, after a brief illness. His obituary in the Helena Independent called him “one of the state’s most unique figures,” while another described him as one of “the most picturesque figures of pioneer days.”

Author Lisa Hendrickson is writing a biography of Benjamin Bembrick’s daughter Julia Bennett, the first woman to singlehandedly build, own and operate a Montana dude ranch: the Diamond J. If you have information about the Bembrick family, she invites you to contact her at lisahendrickson@me.com.

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Preserving & Promoting the History of Gallatin County and Southwest Montana Furnished turn of The Big Horn the century Parlor Gun Room

Gallatin History Museum & Bookstore

Early town printing press

An authentic 1870s log cabin Model of Fort Ellis (1867-1886)

Native American exhibit Historical photo displays

Early farm & ranch tools in the Agricultural Room

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Sheriff’s room with a hanging gallows and a prisoners’ isolation cell

Book store with local, historical and Montana books

Research Center and photo archives

317 W. Main • Bozeman, MT • 59715 • 406-522-8122 • www.gallatinhistorymuseum.org

Montana Historian

Vintage gun collection

Preserving Our History

The story of local founders

The Gallatin Historical Society and Gallatin History Museum is housed in the old county jail building which was built in 1911 and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Since 1982, the Gallatin History Museum has offered a variety of changing exhibits portraying earlier days in the Gallatin Valley.

Show your support of the Gallatin Historical Society. . .

Become a Member Visit or Volunteer The Society is dependent solely upon private memberships, grants, donations, memorials, and bequests. This is a non-profit organization; gifts are tax-deductible per the codes of the IRS. Contributions and memorials are welcome. Please mail to:

Gallatin History Museum - Gallatin Historical Society 317 W. Main Street Bozeman, MT 59715

MEMBERSHIPS General Memberships start at $40/year and include

Photo credit: Matt Arkins

Gallatin Historical Society & Gallatin History Museum, Archives - Bookstore

• 10% discount on museum bookstore items • Free admission to museum • Subscription to & recognition in the Gallatin History Museum Quarterly Magazine

Subscribe to the Gallatin History Museum Quarterly email research@gallatinhistorymuseum.org or call 406-522-8122 for information Summer Hours: Mon - Sat 10 - 5, Winter Hours: Tue - Sat 11 - 4 Admission: $5, children 12 & under and members: FREE

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The Carolina Bed & Breakfast Spending the Night in Helena’s Historic Past Primarily built during the height of a gold rush, Helena is one of the best locations in the state to see massive turn-of-the-century homes. The mining industry’s new wealth attracted some of the most powerful men in the country and Helena’s historic district showcases the mansions built for those elite to this day. One such home, on the corner of North Ewing and 7th Avenue, was constructed for one of the most powerful in Helena: Charles W. Power. One of several brothers, Power was a big name when it came to banking and gold. The mansion was built by a Bozeman architect and intended as a wedding gift to Charles and his bride, Mabel Larson, in 1907.

After a stint as the home of Wellington Rankin, Jeanette Rankin’s brother, the residence now operates as a bed and breakfast. Helena visitors now have a chance to do more than just admire the beautifully restored home from a distance; they can walk right in and spend the night.

Owner Colleen Cox purchased the house in 1989.“I just fell in love with the building,” Cox says.“But really, I needed to do something to justify owning this beautiful home.” After deliberation, Cox made her decision and opened Carolina Bed & Breakfast, which she named after her daughter.

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Since purchasing the property, the retired teacher has spent a tremendous amount of time renovating the structure from top to bottom.“We’ve worked hard to restore it, adding to the home while trying to keep things natural looking,” remarks Cox.“We’ve added private bathrooms, remodeled the carriage houses and given each guest room a private bathroom.”

But, at the end of the day, it’s truly the people that keep the Carolina buzzing with activity year after year.“I just love the idea of a bed and breakfast here in Helena; it attracts the most interesting people,” Cox says with a smile.“And since Helena is located halfway between Glacier and Yellowstone, people often stay here on their tour of the Montana Parks.

We see people from all over the world and they’re just the cream of the crop. Really, it’s been an interesting ride.”

To book a reservation or to find out more, visit carolinab-b.net.

Helena Walking Tours

By Heidi O’Brien Launched in November of 2012, the Historic Helena Walking Tour app allows users to explore Helena with the incredible knowledge of historian Ellen Baumler only a smartphone swipe away. Simply search “Helena Montana” on the iTunes Store or on Google Play and look for the Helena application by Madden Media. Download the interactive app and Ellen’s book “Historic Helena Walking Tours” is at your fingertips.

The app divides historic Helena into three sections: Central, Downtown, and the West Side. As you walk through an area, the phone will buzz with an alert that an historic location is close by. The map feature can also track locations using real-time Google map technology, allowing users to

visually follow a route. The app helps the out-of-towner navigate historic Helena and find not only all Helena’s hidden treasures, but also the stories that make them fascinating.

The walking tour app also includes several sample hikes that are popular in the area, as well as a guide to Helena’s many galleries and museums.

Several restaurants are also included in the tour when you need a recharge.

The Helena Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID)/Helena Tourism Alliance undertook this extensive project to offer guests an interactive way to experience Helena’s fascinating history, and they hope visitors and locals alike will utilize the app to discover Helena.

Ride in Style!

Do it in style—rent the Downtown Trolley.

It’s perfect for private functions: • Weddings • Family reunions • Corporate events • Private tours All-inclusive hourly rate.

Montana Historian

http://www.helenamt.com/helena-walking-app.php

Downtown Helena, Inc. 225 Cruse Ave., Suite B Helena, MT 59601 (406) 447-1535 www.downtownhelena.com http://kaywa.me/yzU0k

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Montana Historian Download the Kaywa QR Code Reader (App Store &Android Market) and scan your code!

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Always an Artist An Interview with Renowned Sculptor

Jim

Though born and raised in California, Jim Dolan knew Montana was his home for as far back as he can remember. So, when he graduated high school in 1966, he moved to Bozeman and began work toward the Masters in Agriculture that he would eventually obtain. While attending classes and earning his tuition by delivering papers and driving a school bus, a position he would continue to hold after graduation, Jim found his passion: sculpture. Though he finished his degree, he knew before his sophomore year was complete that he would rather be a sculptor than a cowboy. And Jim never looked back. Now, at the age of 66, with 43 years of sculpting under his belt and international recognition, Jim reflects on a life well lived and loved, on his education and inspiration, and on the 29 years he has to go until retirement.

JB: How does someone with your agricultural background, both education and family, end up a sculptor?

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By Jessica Bayramian Byerly

JD: By the time I was halfway through college, I knew I would be a sculptor. I first learned how to weld in high school, but honed the skill in college. At the time, MSU had access to piles of surplus scrap metal from the war. And the school paid for all of our other supplies. So, I could really just experiment and learn with unlimited abandon. I just knew, at that point: this will be my life. I continued driving a bus to cover my hard costs and just sculpted. My resume is pretty impressive, actually. The last job I held was in 1971 as a school bus driver.

Soon after I finished college, I met my wife, Jean, and we married in 1974.

She taught elementary school so, between the two of us, we made about $5,000 a year, which allowed us to live comfortably and me to continue sculpting. It’s so hard to believe, now, especially having just weathered the last six years. The recession hit me – and the art world at large – pretty hard. It’s nice to be on the other side of that now.

My wife died in 1991 from breast cancer. I later remarried and then divorced. I’ve had ups and downs and everywhere in between, but I’ve never lost my love for what I do. Every morning I walk into my shop and just grin. It’s like Santa’s workshop and all I have to be concerned with is precisely what I want to do on any given day.

And then I get to do it.

JB: Ever have any doubts?

JD: I’ve never questioned being a sculptor and I honestly don’t believe I’ve peaked yet. My best work is still to come.

JB: What inspires you?

JD: The IRS quarterly. Making house payments.

JB: Very funny.

JD: It’s true. It has always been, and will always be, a part of the picture. It has to be. So I concentrate on those pieces, usually commissions, that can cover my hard costs and allow me to be comfortable and then I can play.

When I started out, the first 10 to 12 years or so, I did a lot of birds. But it’s hard to connect with a turkey. I still do them, but if I had to work on them every week, I might consider returning to my other calling driving a school bus.

I’ve always loved animals, representing them in sculpture and capturing their untamed connection with the land and each other still inspires me.

The Bleu Horses sculpture, for instance, was one of those projects I had been thinking about for a long time. When I decided I wanted to do something for the people of Montana, I knew that I had finally found the opportunity to realize that vision. Horses are such a part of our culture,

go back three generations and they were a part of everyone’s life. There’s something about them that we personally connect with. When I was working on them at one point, I had 24 in a circle in my shop and I came out at 5AM with my coffee and oatmeal and just looked at each one.

Then I went and put each one’s muzzle into my oatmeal. Strange, I know.

But I felt such a kinship with them. Fifteen months of work and they were finally installed just north of Wheat Montana on Kamp Hill, land owned by my friend, Dean Folkvord. It was a big moment. And then the three were stolen, which is a whole other story and, interestingly, one that only further confirmed my love of Montana and it’s people.

JB: How so?

JD: The story got pretty substantial coverage, both nationally and internationally. People really came together to help in the search and recovery. When I was finally driving them home, the police received several calls from people who saw them in my trailer and were turning me in, not knowing who I was. I like that. When all is said and done, no matter how the area grows and the demographics change, we’re still a community, still Montanans, and it’s special.

JB: I see some figures around your shop as well. Is that Abe Lincoln?

JD: It is! My newest piece, actually. I’m definitely doing more people now, particularly inspiring people. I’ve done around two-dozen sculptures of people; quite a few of them are around Bozeman, in fact, and several on campus. I’ve read around 40 books about Lincoln, so I have a good handle on the kind of man he was. When I work on a subject like that, there’s more there than just the steel. And people can relate to something beyond the metal, they can feel something more than just the sculpture.

JB: So, what does your process look like? Once you have the idea, is there a lot of planning and modeling involved? Or do you just jump in?

JD: I start with the feet.

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JB. You really are quite the comedian.

JD: Really. It’s true. If I had formal art training, of which I’ve had none, maybe I would approach things differently. I’m sure I would be a different artist. But, as it is, I approach my art logically.

What makes more sense than to just start? And, beyond that, to start at the bottom? So, for Lincoln, it literally started with a pair of size 16 shoes.

Truthfully, at least half of the time I create the model after the piece is finished and more for the sake of the person who commissions or buys it than for any utilitarian purpose.

If I were just working on Lincoln full-time, he would take about six weeks. But, I usually have three or four projects going at once. I come and go as my enthusiasm ebbs and flows for each piece.

Sometimes I’ll leave a piece for months and revisit it when my excitement returns.

I tend to work on my commissions first because, as I said, you have to. Those projects pay for the creativity and flexibility with my other ventures. I completed a commissioned elk piece for a company in Japan earlier this year and the sale of that piece has allowed for me to work on some personal projects, like this sheepherder’s wagon for my grandkids. It had been in my family in northeast Montana for years and now I want to restore it and create a playhouse for the kids. To be able to give them something so steeped in history, to merge it with the new so that it can withstand another 50 years in the elements is amazing and humbling.

JB: I noticed a piece as I walked in that appears to be made from washers; am I mistaken?

JD: Nope. Those are washers. They’ve just been gold powder coated.

That piece is called ‘Wings of Knowledge.’ It was actually a commissioned piece that was returned when the company that bought it got into a bit of legal trouble. I’m happy to have it back and have since reworked it pretty significantly. Haven’t yet decided where she’ll end up.

JB: Is it common for you to use found objects or things like washers in your sculptures?

JD: Occasionally I’ll work with some treasure I’ve found here or there.

But, for the most part, I work with steel and stainless steel, some brass and copper. None of my work is cast, so everything is original, which is kind of exciting for me, as the artist, but also for those who purchase my work:

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even if I attempt to make a copy, it will never be exactly the same.

JB: So, where do you go from here? What do you envision for your future?

JD: Last year, I turned 65 and I committed to a 30-year plan. I want to sculpt until I’m 95. I intend to keep that promise to myself. Beyond that, I have no expectations. I’m blessed. I’m happy and doing what I love, every single day. One year down, 29 to go.

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The Form of Function Every great architect is, necessarily, a great poet.

He must be a great original interpreter of his time, his day, his age.

Frank Lloyd Wright It is in the interpretation, the quite literal translation, of concept into construction that Scott Bechtle and his team at Bechtle Architects make manifest a vision that, as it grows, begins to reflect the times, the people of a place. “When I walk through one of my buildings or developments, I see the personalities of the individuals that took part in its creation,” remarks Bechtle with a smile.“Architecture is about working with people to eventually create a cohesive space that not only merges the qualities and values of those involved, bringing them to life through the building, but also seamlessly melds with the environment that surrounds it,” says Bechtle.

“Bringing my clients’ visions to life is what I truly love about my work.”

Bechtle knew he wanted to be an architect when he was a mere 12 years old and unswervingly pursued that goal, obtaining a Masters in Architecture at Montana State University in 1991 and eventually opening the doors to Bechtle Architects in 2005. Now, with over 20 years experience, Bechtle reflects on his passion for architecture and what sets his company apart. Bechtle Architects is in the business of creating space and while most other architects might view their buildings as art, Bechtle sees the spaces his structures create as the art.“A structure has the capacity to create a mood, convey a personality, affect human behavior and connect people to their environment,” remarks Bechtle.

No example is quite so telling as Big Sky Town Center, a modern town modeled, in process and aesthetics, after the quaint old western communities of our not so distant past. Integrating organic elements and design features that foster community within nature, Town Center architecturally connects the people of Big Sky with their environment

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Montana Historian

BECHTLE ARCHITECTS DESIGN HISTORY

By Jessica Bayramian Byerly

and one another.“Scott has been an integral part of the success of the Big Sky Town Center,” remarks Town Center Project Manager Ryan Hamilton.“Beginning with his guidance over 10 years ago, we were able to put our vision for Town Center to paper with the drafting of the master site plan, design standards and guidelines, which we continue to use today.” Consistent structural style and materials create a cohesive feel, while new mixed-use buildings include retail space with residential above, supporting the live/work scenarios reminiscent of pioneer Montana towns. What appear to be several small storefronts and businesses are, in fact, larger structures separated by outdoor “rooms” framed in by sidewalks, buildings and recessed entries all deftly appointed with nature’s furnishings: trees, grass, flowers, shrubs and canopies. An abundance of glass keeps the cold out and the warmth in without imposing separation and compartmentalizing space. All of these elements are beguilingly intentional, detailed from the project’s inception.

Great design, it would seem, is not of a singular facet or function, however.

“We think we should customize to each individual and location,” claims Bechtle.“The key is to listen: to our clients, our partners, the environment, the landscape and, most importantly, the space.” By incorporating the new with the old, merging childhood inspiration with educated invention, Bechtle and his team constantly redefine their style, challenging old standards in efforts toward exceeding their clients’ expectations while navigating setbacks and remaining within budget. As John Romney, Managing Partner at TNG Development, remarks, " Even when they’re not actively working on a part of the project, Bechtle Architects are constantly thinking about creative ways to address the inevitable design challenges in a cost efficient manner." Testaments to their unerring adaptability, Bechtle Architects’ structures are an exquisite balance of

economical functionality and aesthetics.

Just as clients’ wish lists and budget define the design concepts employed, the land and site inform the situation and structure of the buildings.

With Bechtle Architects’ newest Big Sky project, the Fairways condominiums, Bechtle employs glass, once again, to create the most minimal environmental separation so that residents can enjoy the vast green expanse of the Fairways golf course as if it were an extension of their home. Likewise, the recently approved plans for the Flanders Mill subdivision in Bozeman reflect an understanding of, and appreciation for, the site and a desire, again, to create the opportunity for community, for each residence and the subdivision at large. When Bechtle discovered

that what appeared to be a drainage ditch was actually a stream, he made it a focal point of the plan. Every house has access to an extensive trail system. Front porches, parks and meeting places invite community and interaction. The natural elements of the site, like the stream, define the layout of the streets and public spaces.“We consider ourselves lucky to be able to do what we do, from a macro level, like the recent 300unit Flander’s Mill subdivision, to the micro, like the modern Fairways condominiums or a single family residence.”

“In truth,” Bechtle admits, “I love planning as much as architecture because I’m creating opportunities for people to come in contact with one another, to develop community, and to remember why we live where we live.”

That refined sensitivity to people and place and the critical connection between the two has indeed become a hallmark of Bechtle Architects’ work, defining them as poets among storytellers, the designers of what will surely become the blueprint for a bright Montana future.

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The History of

Mountain Sheet Metal

By Dave Reuss

The equipment in the Mountain Sheet Metal shop could be in a museum.

Huge metalworking machines—the stomp shear, the Pittsburgh machine, the brake—all have handles and bars worn smooth as marble from thousands of jobs and years of daily use. It’s the very same shop equipment that Corky and Lois Johnson bought back in the late ‘70s and, even though it doesn’t look fancy, all the gear can still do the job, and do it well.

In fact, their machines can easily outpace brandnew, expensive versions.

“There’s no reason to buy new equipment. If it’s built right, it’ll last,” says Corey Johnson, owner of Mountain Sheet Metal.

It’s this same mentality that’s seen the company through three depressions, thousands of jobs and over 30 years of satisfied customers. Corey’s company has been built right—and it’s lasted.

Mountain Sheet Metal was founded by Corey’s parents Corky and Lois back in 1977.“I was seven years old. It was right around the time the first Star Wars came out,” Corey laughs. They started by running the company out of their garage and built their shop outside Four Corners two years later.

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But almost immediately, the company fell on hard times. A severe economic recession hit in the early ‘80s and businesses suffered across country. Worst of all, the heating and air conditioning industry has always been notoriously impacted by the economy. Undeterred by the chilly economic climate, Corky and Lois diversified their company and ventured into restoring antique cook stoves—a late 19th century “Frost Killer” potbelly stove still sits proudly in their office as a reminder of the company’s history.

Thankfully, the economy slowly came back and, by the late ‘80s, the company was going strong. They saw years of solid work and their staff expanded. In 2002, the company built an addition, expanding their building and doubling the square footage. Government-based incentives on furnace replacements helped when the economic crash of 2008 hit, but, by this

time, Mountain Sheet Metal was well versed in adapting to a f ickle economy.

In 2011, Corky was ready to retire and his son, Corey, and his wife, Meredith, bought Mountain Sheet Metal to continue the business. But Corey never felt pressured to carry the family torch.“Actually, I begged my dad to work here during college,” Corey says.“But he wouldn’t let me.

He’d always say, ‘I don’t want my kids to work as hard as I did.’”

Now, celebrating Mountain Sheet Metal’s 36th anniversary, Corey and his staff are still going strong. After spending 15 years as a licensed architect, Corey uses his knowledge of designing homes to give his customers the very best, focusing on efficient heating and cooling systems. But, to Corey, it’s about more than just relationships between the components in his clients’ homes—it’s about building relationships with his clients. When his staff runs into questions on projects, Corey likes to ask, “How would you do this for your grandmother? That’s the kind of service that we want to give our customers.”

The newest advance in the industry is fully integrated technology.“In reality, we sell two computers every time we put in a furnace: one in the thermostat and one onboard that matches it. It’s changed the way we make ductwork—I feel more like a computer dealer,” Corey says.

Across the board, the central thermostat has become the hub for energy use in people’s homes and the homeowner can control it all with their phone or iPad from anywhere in the world. They can monitor energy consumption, change temperatures or even alert a service technician to fix potential issues. Best of all, Corey’s team can track energy data from homes and fix problems before they even start.“It’s a great option. In the last year, we’ve installed over 100 connected thermostats.”

From old pot-bellied stoves to heating a home with an iPhone, Mountain Sheet Metal has successfully navigated nearly 40 years in the industry.

“We’re excited to see what the future will bring—and to be able to give the best to our customers,” Corey says.

You can find Mountain Sheet Metal at 6693 Lynx Lane near Four Corners or at mountainsheetmetal.com.

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When it comes to engineering and surveying practices, Erik Kirsch, P.E., P.L.S. puts a new spin on old school.

By applying cutting edge technology and a steadfast work ethic to timetested practices, Kirsch engineers success. “I look back at the way our predecessors completed engineering and survey projects – how accurate they were – and I’m amazed at what they could accomplish with relatively simple technology,” says Kirsch, owner of Integral Civil Services. For nearly two decades, Kirsch has worked in residential, commercial and heavy civil industries with developers, realtors, homeowners and contractors to make projects work.

Born and raised in Butte, Kirsch graduated from Montana State University (MSU)–Bozeman in 1998 and started his career in the building industry with a Bozemanbased international heavy construction company. During his years in the field, he worked on numerous heavy civil projects across the United States ranging in size from $20 million to $400 million dollars. “The magnitude of such large projects is fascinating,” Kirsch says, “but, as I soon learned, projects of any size can be broken down into smaller individual components to ensure quality and timely completion.”

While taking a brief hiatus from the heavy civil construction industry, Kirsch began efforts towards acquiring both his Professional Engineer and Professional Land Surveyor licenses. He worked as an engineer for a Bozeman engineering/architectural company and for a residential homebuilder in the Big Sky area. It was during this time that Kirsch gained experience in the land development and residential/commercial construction industries.“I learned to appreciate the responsible

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development of land through all stages: property subdivision, marketing, real estate sales, and the visualization of a homeowner’s dream home on their land,” states Kirsch. In 2008, while he was still involved in heavy civil construction, Kirsch started Integral Civil Services, focusing his interest on engineering and surveying projects for architects, homeowners, contractors and land developers.“My passion is more than just surveying and engineering,” reflects Kirsch, “it’s really the whole project, from conceptual design to final construction.”

The proud traditions and history of civil engineering always play a role in Kirsch’s work. As a civil drafting class instructor at MSU-Gallatin College, he tries to instill these same values into his students.“The technology we have today is fantastic.

By embracing the technological changes in our industry, we can visualize projects through 3D modeling and provide the same quality with a shorter schedule and reduced cost, but the real knowledge is in the principles,” explain Kirsch.“The basic approaches haven’t really changed from days past, and the best students and industry professionals understand that.”

Enter his newest venture: NW Construction, Inc. As a heavy civil contractor, Bozeman-based NW Construction, Inc. works on projects ranging from dam construction/rehabilitation and municipal and rural utilities to environmental restoration and subdivisions. Neil VanAmburg and Neil Worden, who started the company in 2013, have over 40 years combined experience in the field of heavy civil construction.“I was asked to join their organization in 2014 and I jumped at the opportunity,” Kirsch says. In addition to assisting with internal projects, as Director of Engineering, Kirsch supports other heavy civil contractors in the industry with construction stakeout and related design. Additionally, he provides training and consulting in the areas of Computer Aided Drafting

(CAD), data preparation for field surveying, 3D terrain modeling for machine controlled heavy equipment and quantity analysis for earthwork, pipelines and concrete structures. Both large and small volume contractors can and have benefited from the training. While a smaller contractor could approach Kirsch for design and surveying support, a larger contractor might utilize Kirsch’s expertise to reinforce software and equipment investments to increase productivity and thereby bolster their bottom line.“Over the last 18 years, I have been fortunate to gain experience with almost all types of heavy civil projects,”

remarks Kirsch.“Being able to pass this knowledge along to other professionals in the industry is very satisfying.”

Kirsch considers himself privileged to have lived and learned in this great state, to be following in the footsteps of those who helped to make Montana what it is today. No matter the capacity or the client, Erik Kirsch greets each new project with integrity and commitment.

Through his work with Integral Civil Services and NW Construction, Kirsch has proudly provided clients and fellow industry professionals throughout Montana with quality service and support, timely delivery and undeniable expertise.“Every client’s project is important to them, regardless of the size,” states Kirsch with a smile.

“I share the same enthusiasm with my clients from start to finish.”

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Live With The

Things You Love Big Sky Welcomes Horse of Different Color’s New Proprietor

In 2003, Big Sky became home to Horse of a Different Color, a gift, home décor and accessories store with high hopes. During the last decade, the store has flourished through Big Sky’s unpredictable market to become a favorite around town. In spite of the economic decline not long after its start, the shop has thrived over the last ten years, truly becoming part of the community. Previous owner Peggy Ring is responsible for nurturing the store through good times and bad and making Horse of a Different Color a permanent home in Big Sky.

Jodee earned her degree in interior design at Philadelphia University (formerly Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science) in 1988 and she’s poised to take things forward as Big Sky continues to grow. She has a great eye for keeping the products current and relevant to the Big Sky customer.

“Big Sky is growing—tastes and styles are changing here—and I see major growth on the horizon for our entire community,” Jodee says. As an interior designer, she offers home design consultations and services through the shop as well.

4.80”

In the spring of 2013, Peggy was ready to hand over the reins of her “I’m so thrilled Jodee came along to take over; she loves the store as much as I do,” says Peggy.“I wanted someone who could take it to the next level creation, and she knew the type of businesswoman for whom she was while carrying on with the things that people have come to love about the looking. When Jodee March walked through the door to interview for store. All of our customers tell us how much they enjoy shopping here. I a part-time position, Peggy immediately sensed she had what it took to cannot even count the number of times I have heard customers say,‘This is run a successful home décor and accessories business. Peggy spent the my favorite store!’” year teaching Jodee all about the business and, this past April, Jodee took ownership of the store. The transition was flawless.“When the opportuSo, next time you’re in Big Sky, stop in, see all the new merchandise and nity presented itself for me to purchase Horse of a Different Color, I was say “hi” to Jodee. Whether you’re a long-time local or just passing though, so excited,” Jodee says,“not only about the present success of the store, but also for the future.”

7.75”she can’t wait to help you pick out the perfect gift or item for your home.

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Montana Roots

By Sarah Antonucci

My Montana roots began in 1903 when my great-grandfather, Doctor Charles Hiram Steele, came to Montana. He was originally told there was a shortage of doctors in the Hamilton area. Upon his arrival, however he found they didn’t need any more doctors there. The family packed up and headed east toward Lewistown. Charles’s brother-in-law was already homesteading in the area and they decided to stay. They made a claim on a piece of land at Dry Buffalo Creek in 1904. Their sons and daughter were old enough to run the homestead while Charles delivered babies and doctored the sick. His doctor’s bag is on display in the Central Montana Museum in Lewistown. Times were tough and the family had to do anything they could to earn money. The boys milked cows and their mother Emma made butter. She would keep the butter fresh in the creek until father could make a run into town (18 miles on horseback) to sell butter and eggs to the restaurants in Lewistown. Restaurants would wait for their delivery because their butter tasted the best.

My grandfather, Earl Steele claimed a Homestead in 1912 northwest of Forest Grove, Montana. They later moved to Alaska Bench and built the house shown here.

In 1914, my great-grandfather, Levi Leonard Greene, came to Cut Bank, Montana, to homestead. His mother, brother, and sister all applied for Homesteads together and each were given 320 acres of desert to improve in order to receive title to the land. Levi and his wife Gertrude Elizabeth Reiner were both schoolteachers. They used their teaching income to make the necessary

improvements on the homestead. They fenced the land, built a house, dug a well, plowed their fields, and planted crops. A devastating drought hit the area in 1918-1919. Then a terrible winter finally got the best of the family. They sold or gave away what livestock they could and in 1921 they turned the horses loose, left everything where it was, and loaded their four kids and whatever else they could into the Model T. The family set out for Lewistown where Levi hoped he could get a teaching job. During this depressed time, Levi took a job with the Forest Service to survey and cut the first trail to Crystal Lake in the Snowy Mountains.

Another great-grandfather, Zenas Hugh Lewellen, also came to Montana in search of land. He settled near the present-day ghost town of Giltedge, Montana. His first house was the old officer’s quarters from Fort Maginnis.

Fort Maginnis was constructed in 1880-1881 during the time the government was trying to track down Chief Sitting Bull.

The fort was abandoned in 1886, which allowed Zenas in 1915 to disassemble the structure and build his house. The original house has been moved and is still standing in Lewistown today.

These are my Montana roots… let me help you plant yours!

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Montana Pioneer and Businessman

In November 1863, an enterprising young man, Walter Cooper, headed to Montana Territory where he would spend the rest of his life.

Born on July 4th, 1843 in Sterling, Cayuga County, New York, Cooper’s path west started in the fall of 1858 at the age of fifteen when he reached Leavenworth, Kansas. By February of 1859 he was on his way to Pikes Peak, Colorado for the gold rush. The next year at seventeen, he joined a prospecting expedition to the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado. The summer of 1862 found him near Colorado Springs where he at times acted as a scout for the First Colorado Regiment.

1864 found him in Virginia City, Montana Territory mining in the famous Alder Gulch. That spring he took a freight outfit north to Fort Benton where he expected to pick up a load of freight from a steamboat. The Missouri River was so low however that few boats reached Fort Benton and Cooper returned to Virginia City with empty wagons in August. Disposing of them, he fitted out a team with supplies for the coming winter and headed into the Missouri River region where he spent that winter hunting. It was probably at this time that Cooper trapped with Jim Bridger and learned a lot from him in their winter camp for years later he wrote of his friendship with the famous mountain man.

Late in his life, Cooper recorded a brief history of his early days in undated and unpublished fragments of a manuscript that is in the possession of Montana State University in Bozeman. From these I learned that he established his business in Bozeman in December 1868,“the first house of this kind started in the State or rather Territory of Montana for handling and manufacturing guns, ammunition, and fishing tackle.”

His business, “Cooper’s Armory,” grew rapidly as Bozeman was centrally located for trade with hunters both red and white, with friendly tribes passing through the region hunting buffalo. Cooper became extensively engaged in the handling of hides, robes, and furs and Bozeman

grew to become second only to Fort Benton in importance as a shipping point for them. Indian-tanned buffalo robes were much in demand in the east for lap robes at a time when nearly everyone traveled in horse-drawn open vehicles during the coldest months of the year.

The finest single shot long range hunting rifles then being produced were made by the Sharps Rifle Company in Hartford, Conn. and Cooper began advertising in Bozeman’s first newspaper, The Avant Courier, in December 1871 that he was the “agent for Sharps Sporting Rifles.” An early Sharps Co. catalog listed a testimonial from Walter Cooper dated April 9, 1872 “Those four guns you sent me take the eye of everyone. They outshoot anything ever brought to this country. I won a bet of ten dollars the other day on penetration against an army musket, called the Springfield Needle Gun here. Shot the same powder and shot two inches deeper into wood.”

With the Sioux and Cheyenne roving the plains of eastern Montana almost unchallenged in the early 1870s, white hunters were afraid to venture far from civilization and Cooper’s gun business was not nearly as active as he had expected. Cooper soon found himself deeply in debt to the Sharps Rifle Co. for the huge stock of their rifles he had purchased. It was not until the last of the hostile Sioux had fled to Canada in 1876-77 and the surrender of the Nez Perce in 1877, that the buffalo ranges of Montana and the Dakotas were opened for the final chapter of buffalo hunting: the decimation and near extinction of the northern herd.

Cooper’s shop re-barreled Sharps rifles with worn-out bores and often equipped them with a superior rear buckhorn sight and a front blade sight that Cooper had patented. The majority of Cooper Sharps buffalo rifles weighed 12 to 16 lbs. and were chambered in .45/100 or .40/90 caliber. Heavy rifles were more accurate at longer ranges. Some Cooper Sharps had a safety feature – a rebounding hammer and many had a fancy pewter forearm cap.

Bozeman, MT circa 1875 Credit: Montana Historical Society Research Center Photograph Archives, Helena, MT

The most famous Montanan grubstaked by Walter Cooper was Andrew Garcia who wrote in an autobiographical book, Tough Trip Through Paradise, “I had to buy a buffalo gun. Like the Chinamen who took the largest sized boot if it was the same price as the smaller size to get more leather for the money, I bought a .45-120 caliber Sharps rifle buffalo gun, which weighed over fifteen pounds and cost seventy-five dollars, although I could have gotten a lighter .45-90 No. 13 for the same price.”

Later, in the Big Hole Valley of SW Montana, with his terrified Nez Perce wife at his side, Garcia shot an enormous grizzly at night in the firelight just outside their tent with that Sharps rifle purchased from Walter Cooper.

Cooper next turned to civic ventures as one of the incorporators

of the city of Bozeman. He was the first president of their Board of Trade and was elected to the Constitutional Convention on the admission of Montana to the Union in 1889 where he played a significant role. He was the founder of the towns of Red Lodge, Laurel, and Bridger. He organized a company that supplied Bozeman with its water system and developed the large coal fields of Rocky Fork. He was also active in mining ventures and organized one of the largest flouring mills in the state.

Walter Cooper died in 1924 and though there is a park in Bozeman named for him, he’s remembered most today for his connection with Sharps rifles, perhaps his least successful venture financially.

Written by Ralph A. Heinz

For Additional Information or To Place an Order, Call or Write

P.O. Box 885 • Big Timber, MT 59011 Phone: 406-932-4353 • FAX: 406-932-4443

e-mail: info@csharpsarms.com • web site: www.csharpsarms.com

1874 SHARPS HARTFORD sporting rifle 2195.00*

$

Suggested Retail As Described

Shown with 30" Heavy w/Hartford Collar Blade Front & Buckhorn Rear Sights

Optional Features available:

Add

Semi-Fancy American Walnut Butt Stock ..................................... $100.00

Rifle Description: Available with 26”, 28” or 30” Tapered Octagon Barrel, Double Set Triggers, Drilled and Tapped for Optional Tang Sights. Hartford semi crescent Military & Sporting Smooth Steel butt plate and silver nose cap, straight grain American walnut with oil finish, Length of pull approx.

14”. metal finish; Receiver group & Butt plate color case hardened. Barrel Blued. Overall length: 47 inches (with 30” barrel, shown). Approximate weight: 10.5 lbs. (Shown with optional Buckhorn and Blade Front Sights), 30" No 1 Heavy Octagon Barrel with Hartford Collar.

Fancy American Walnut Butt Stock .............................................. $200.00 Extra Fancy American Walnut Butt Stock and Forend ................... $350.00 No. 1 Heavy Tapered Octagon Barrel .......................................... $70.00 No. 1 Heavy Tapered Octagon Barrel w/Hartford Collar ............... $125.00 32" or 34" Barrel Tapered Octagon Barrel .................................. $80.00 Part Octagon Part Round Barrel ................................................. $80.00 French Grey Receiver ................................................................. $155.00 Buckhorn and Blade Sight Set .................................................... $95.00 (For additional optional sights, see “Sights” page)

1

* Note: Federal Excise Tax, State and Local Taxes and Shipping not included in above prices.

By John C. Russell, former director of the Gallatin Historical Society Portrait photos courtesy of the Gallatin History Museum

Martha Canary, alias Martha Jane Burke, alias Calamity Jane, was familiar with southwest Montana. She knew Bozeman, Livingston, and the tiny communities that had sprung up in the coal mining area on the border of Gallatin and Park Counties. She liked to roam all throughout the west and, in so doing, became familiar with many western towns during her colorful, yet tragic life.

As was the case with many western legends, most of her exploits were fabrications. Dime novel readers came to know of Calamity Jane as “The Lady Robin Hood” or “The West’s Joan of Arc.” But more serious writers did not try to hide the truth. Two South Dakota newspapers described the drunken prostitute as “a wreck of what once might have been a woman.” Jane rubbed elbows with genuine history-makers, that is true, but rarely did she accomplish any of the sensationalized feats with which the dime novelists credited her. However, a nickname that she truly lived up to – and deserved – was the “Black Hills Florence Nightingale,” a moniker she earned through her selfless help to the sick and down-and-out of the Deadwood area.

Martha claimed she was born near Princeton, Missouri on May 1, 1852.

Whether that is the exact year is unknown – it may have been earlier. She was the daughter of a Methodist minister who, upon hearing of the gold strikes in Alder Gulch, decided to take his family to Montana in 1865. Together with her parents, two younger brothers and three younger sisters, Martha spent five months on a western-bound wagon where she learned to shoot a rifle, handle a horse and control a team. Her mother died on the trip to Virginia City. The family proceeded on to Salt Lake City, where Martha’s father died in 1867. Orphaned at the age of fifteen, Calamity and her siblings headed for Wyoming, where she worked as a cook, waitress, dishwasher and ox team driver. Martha was a pretty girl in her youth, with high cheekbones and long, dark hair. But the hard life she was about to adopt would take its toll.

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In 1868, she appeared around Piedmont, Wyoming, where she and other young girls learned to survive by becoming camp followers of Union Pacific Railway crews. For whatever reason, Calamity began to dress like a man and found employment as a teamster and, she says, occasional army scout. Later in life, she claimed to have been a scout for General Custer and the Seventh Cavalry stationed at Fort Russell, Wyoming, and bragged of how she lead the boy general and his men against hostile Indians in Arizona. But there are two problems with the story: one, Custer had never been to Fort Russell and, two, he never fought Indians in Arizona. Calamity also told admirers she helped Custer, Generals Nelson A. Miles, George Crook and Alfred Terry corral the Nez Perce in 1872.

However, the Nez Perce Rebellion did not take place until 1877, a year after Custer’s death.

To Calamity’s credit, she was able to penetrate army ranks in other ways. When the U.S. Government commissioned the Jenny-Newton Expedition in 1875 to verify Custer’s reports of gold deposits in the Black Hills, Jane tried to sign up as a teamster. The company commander rejected her. Undeterred, Jane dressed as a soldier and hid in the ranks, where she concealed her true identity for several days before being discovered and ordered back to Fort Laramie, Wyoming.

Martha Canary claimed she first met James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickock near Abilene, Kansas, where he was sheriff in 1870. We don’t know if that’s true, but we do know that the famous scout and gunfighter joined Calamity in 1876 to lead a wagon train of prospectors, gamblers and prostitutes from Wyoming to the newly established gold mining camps in the Black Hills. The train reached Deadwood in early July; the scene must have reminded Jane of her earlier, but brief, time in Virginia City, Montana. Close to 20,000 miners and other assorted characters had taken up residence and the town’s muddy streets were lined on both sides with an assortment of saloons, brothels and other, more legitimate, business franchises.

Calamity enjoyed telling everyone that she and Wild Bill were lovers, had once been married, and together had a child. But Deadwood residents knew that, that too, was a lie: Hickock was married to Agnes Lake Thatcher and he had no use for a woman like Martha Jane Canary. And, although Jane would follow Hickock around Deadwood,“much like a dog would its master,” Hickock’s interests were confined to target shooting, prospecting and gambling.

On August 2, 1876, Hickock was playing poker in the Nutall and Mann Saloon, also known as Saloon Number 10.

Uncharacteristically, he did not sit with his back to the wall, as was his usual custom. While holding a pair of aces and eights, Hickock was shot in the back of the head by one Jack McCall, who was seeking revenge for his brother, whom Hickock had killed while he was a lawman in Kansas. Calamity claimed to have corralled the murderer with a meat cleaver shortly after the shooting. In reality, she was nowhere near the scene. McCall was eventually hanged for the crime.

Calamity spent the next few years wandering through the Black Hills, taking jobs as a teamster, bullwhacker, letter carrier and prostitute. Her drinking intensified and she often got into fights.

Deadwood Madam Dora Dufran said that when Calamity got drunk she “even had a band of coyotes beat for howling.” An intoxicated Calamity entertained a crowd of onlookers by riding a red bull up and down Rapid City’s Main Street and later disrupted a Deadwood Play by swaggering up to the stage and spitting tobacco juice on the leading lady’s gown. In 1879, she was spotted in Deadwood’s Chinatown, drunk and sporting a bloody nose. When asked where she was going, Calamity replied,“God knows, I don’t.”

In 1878, Deadwood residents forgave many of Calamity’s faults when she tirelessly nursed dozens of sick people suffering from a smallpox epidemic. She spent days in a cabin caring for eight men afflicted with the disease; her only medicines were Epsom salts and cream of tartar. Three of the men died, and Calamity saw to it that they received a proper burial. Over each grave she recited the only prayer she ever knew: “Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.” After bringing one group back to health, Calamity moved on to another cabin to offer her assistance, never worrying about whether she would contract the disease. The Black Hills Daily Times wrote, “It didn’t matter to her whether a person was rich or poor, white or black. Or what their circumstances were, Calamity Jane was just the same to all. Her purse was always open to help a hungry fellow, and she was one of the first to proffer her help in cases of sickness, accidents, or any distress.”

Many believe Calamity Jane earned her nickname during the epidemic, when Dora Dufran wrote,“if anyone was sick in camp, it was ‘send for Jane:’ where calamity was, there was Jane, and so she was christened Calamity Jane.” Canary herself said she was given the name by an army officer she rescued during an Indian attack, who dubbed her “Calamity Jane, The Heroine of the Plains.” However, the officer in question, one Captain Egan, recalled no such incident, but admitted he had ordered Calamity away from his post because of her immoral behavior. Another theory says the origin stems from her occasional warnings to men that to offend her was to "court calamity." Black Hills Historian Watson Parker says the name stemmed directly from her lifestyle – any man who had intimate relations with Martha Canary invariably contracted a “venereal calamity,” and, in the 1800s, a prostitute was frequently referred to as a “Jane about town.” Hence, Calamity Jane.

“This is the West sir.

When the legend becomes fact,

print the legend.”

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Calamity visited Wyoming and Montana in 1880. An item in the Yellowstone Journal of Miles City reads as follows: “Calamity Jane has been heard from again.

This time she bobbed up serenely at Ratlines, got drunk and knocked a frail sister out of time for which she was arrested and fined ten dollars and costs.” Calamity took up company with one Clement Burke on a ranch in southeast Montana.

Her autobiography claims she bore Burke a daughter, but the girl was most likely his from a prior marriage. When Burke eventually abandoned the two, the girl was sent to a Catholic boarding school in Sturgis, South Dakota. Jane spent a lot of time in Livingston in the 1890s, where records show she was married for a time to a ranch hand named Robert Dorsett.

Calamity’s health began to fade in 1901. For a while, she recuperated from her illnesses in the Gallatin County Poor Farm. By 1903, Calamity had made her way back to Terry, South Dakota, where she died that year of alcoholism. Mourners who viewed her body agreed that she looked better in death than she had in the final years of her life. Many of the people who had shunned Calamity clipped locks from her hair as she lay in state, forcing the funeral parlor director to cover her head with a wire screen. As per her last request, Calamity Jane was buried next to Wild Bill Hickock in Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood. To this day, the graves remain the biggest tourist attraction in Deadwood.

Calamity’s old house at 222 South Main in Livingston. The structure was torn down in 1934. Photo courtesy of Lilly Parr.

Calamity maintained a cabin in Livingston and frequented Billings, Bozeman, Bridger, Lewistown, and the small mining communities in the Paradise Valley.

But, on a few occasions, she’d leave Montana and try capitalizing on her “reputation” back east. In 1893, she toured briefly with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and, in the winter of 1896, she worked for Kohl and Middleton’s Palace Museum in Minneapolis, where she was paid $50 per week to stand before a crowd and describe her heroic “exploits.” An advertisement for Calamity in the Minneapolis Journal of January 20, 1896 read as follows:

The famous woman scout of the Wild West Heroine of a thousand thrilling adventures.

The terror of evildoers in the Black Hills!

The comrade of Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill Hickock.

See this famous woman and hear her graphic descriptions of her daring exploits.

Calamity’s tour was to include stops in Chicago, Philadelphia and New York, but the show organizers became discouraged by her profanity and drinking and let her go. Calamity went back west.

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Calamity spent much of the next five years living in Horr, the little mining community south of Livingston. In 1901, though, she returned east to perform in the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, where she received good reviews for her impressive horsemanship. But, she soon began drinking heavily and, when she knocked out a Buffalo Policeman after a night of revelry, she was fired. Buffalo Bill, who happened to be in Buffalo at the time, leant Calamity the money to return to Montana.

Like many famous people of the West, Calamity’s true-life story hardly mirrored the one created for her by the dime novel writers or the Wild West show promoters. Those raised to believe that Calamity was truly a heroine of the plains did not learn the truth until only recently. Perhaps the delay in full disclosure on Calamity’s life can be explained by a line from the Western, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: “This is the West sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”

Most of the next two years were spent in the Livingston area, where Calamity sold her autobiography to tourists visiting Yellowstone Park. It was sometime during this period that Calamity, on a visit to Bozeman, was a guest of the Lehrkind Family for dinner. As per etiquette, Calamity removed her spurs before sitting at the table, but forgot them when she left. They have been in the possession of the Lehrkind family ever since.

Sources: Calamity Jane-A Study in Historical Criticism,

by Roberta Reed Sollid; Tales of the Black Hills,

by Helen Rezatto.

Montana Historian

To Advertise • Mike Rey 406.539.1010

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history of the

Gem Gallery

By Dave Reuss

After nearly two decades of serving customers in Bozeman, The Gem Gallery has moved west—12 feet and 11 inches west, to be exact. But by moving just three paces across the hall in their same building at 402 East Main, the company can now enjoy nearly 1,000 square feet of more space. And along with all that open space comes a river rock fireplace studded with garnets, platinum, fool’s gold, and Yogo sapphires; original hand-hewn fir floors; cherry display cases made right here in the Gallatin Valley; and a 44,000-pound walk-in vault—just to keep his inventory safe at night.

For owner Don Baide—a fourth-generation Montanan—gemstones and precious metals have been nothing short of an obsession ever since he was a child. “I still remember my cousin showing me a pill vial of Yogo Sapphires—I was mesmerized, and I made a vow to figure out where they come from,” Don says. After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Metalsmithing from MSU in 1979, he spent two years traveling the globe, fulfilling his childhood goal and finding out exactly where gems and stones come from.

For many years after he settled back in Bozeman, Don ran his gemstoneimporting business out of his home. He opened his first downtown shop at 107 North Grand and was met with great success. Orders kept coming in, and things really took off once he saw a “For Sale” sign in the window of the newly built Blackwood building on east Main. When he

finally signed the papers and opened his doors at the new location in 1994, The Gem Gallery was an overnight hit, capitalizing on the solid clientele base Don had established over the years.

For all the years of hard work, travel, and research, Don really has the Yogo Sapphire to thank for all his success in Bozeman.“Honestly, The Gem Gallery was truly built by Yogo Sapphires—we’ve got one of the most major collections in the state,” Don says. He owns two digging claims at Yogo Gulch outside Utica, Montana and spends time every summer mining for these little blue pebbles. Don frequently teaches classes on them, and more than a few people around the state consider him the leading authority on these precious gems found only in the Treasure State.

With mining claims in Montana and even more projects across the globe fighting for his attention, Don has slowly started to think about retiring from the store. Thankfully, he’s planning to keep The Gem Gallery as a family-owned business, with his son Jason eventually taking over operations.“Really, I’m expanding into the new store so my son can one day run the place—once he’s out of college and through gemology school,” Don says. But until he hands the keys over to Jason, he’ll enjoy their new location on the corner of Rouse and Main, imagining all the precious stones that the next twenty years will bring.

To find out more, visit Don at 402 East Main or at gemgallery.com.

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the history of

Yogo Sapphires little blue pebbles

By Dave Reuss

In 1895, a prospector named Jake Hoover discovered gold along Yogo Creek in the Little Belt Mountains of Montana. He thought a significant amount of gold would be found, so he formed a mining company with two partners, Simon Hobson and Jim Bouvet, who raised $40,000 in capital to begin the mining operation. Like many others, Hoover had travelled to Montana during the gold rush era looking to make his fortune. After one year of mining, however, the three partners had found just 40 ounces of gold, worth only $700, and a few pretty blue pebbles in a sluice box. While other miners discarded the tiny blue rocks, Hoover began to collect them until he had a cigar box full of them. He sent the cigar box to Tiffany & Co. in New York for identification and sought a determination of value for the stones.

In 1899, the British company sent T. Hamilton Walker, a mining engineer, an assistant, Charles T. Gadsden, to America to oversee the mine, in an effort to minimize expense and increase profits. While not an engineer, Gadsden would play a major role in the history of the English Mine. Operations at the mine during the beginning of the century were very successful, and millions of carats of rough Yogo Sapphires were excavated.

The pebbles were identified by the foremost gem expert in America at the time, Dr. George F. Kuntz, as not just pretty stones; they were actually excellent quality, natural sapphires! Kuntz was intrigued by them because of their quality, color and clarity, and deemed them “the finest precious gemstones ever found in the United States.” Wanting to purchase the “superbly-colored, gem-quality sapphires,” Tiffany & Co. sent Hoover a check for $3,750 for the box of stones, which was over five times the money he had made on gold from the mine.

The operations at the English Mine during the beginning of the century are considered the most successful endeavors to profit from Yogo Sapphires. Gadsden was put in charge of the operations, becoming the resident supervisor of the English Mine. He steadily profited using “outdated” hand-drilling techniques and mules for pulling carts of ore. Gadsden was successful at many areas of mining that others on the American Mine were not, such as finding ways to separate sapphires from heavy minerals, and keeping the miners from stealing the stones.

Unfortunately, all the rough sapphires mined from the English Mine were shipped to London, where they were cut and sold in Europe, often as sapphires from the Orient.

The sapphires (now referred to as Yogo Sapphires) had more value than Hoover and his partners ever dreamed of, and they certainly were more valuable than all the gold Hoover had spent a good portion of his life mining for. The partners now concentrated their efforts on finding the source of the Yogo Sapphires.

Eventually, however, Hoover became disenchanted with mining sapphires and sold his shares of the mine to his two partners. As Dr. Kuntz said, “In purchasing a mere gold mine, they had acquired the most valuable sapphire mine in America, yielding more wealth than all the other sapphire mines in America put together, and a finer quality of gem.” This would be the start of what would be decades of ownership changes at the Yogo Mine.

The British Take Over Hoover's Stake Once Hoover sold his shares of what was then called the New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, it was not long before his former partners followed suit and sold their interests. Hoover sold his share for $5,000, only for it to be sold again two months later to the British company of Johnson, Walker and Tolhurst, Ltd. for $100,000. The eight lode claims that were originally staked by Hoover became the foundation of the English Mine. In 1896, two other American men staked claims at six remaining sections along the dike, in areas Hoover had deemed unfit for mining, and it became known as the American Mine. For the first half of the 20th century, the two separate mines were known as the English Mine and the American Mine.

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British marketing experts arranged exposure for Yogo Universal Exposition in Paris, where the sapphires of Montana received a medal for their fine quality and color. However, European retailers were beginning to market them as Orient Sapphires, which, at the time, fetched a better price and were similar in color.

The Two Mines Become One Operations at the American Mine were less successful, and ownership changed hands frequently. The money invested in the development of mining operations usually exhausted the owners’ resources, and left them without enough capital to continue. The American Mine, unlike the English Mine with its rolling, hilly terrain, was concentrated in rough, rugged cliffs that were harder to access. For the rough stones they did manage to acquire, the poor quality of the cutting and the unsatisfactory marketing of the sapphires sealed the mine’s fate.

In 1913, the Yogo American Sapphire Company, owners of the American Mine at the time, was forced into bankruptcy, and put the dike property up for sale for $80,000. Gadsden wanted complete control of the dike for himself, and felt the Americans were inefficient at mining. He went to England to the New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, owners of the English Mine, to acquire ownership of the American Mine, and therefore full control of the entire stretch of the known Yogo dike. Gadsden was able to convince the English Mine owners that purchasing the American Mine would reduce competition and that the purchase price would be easily recouped. Gadsden then set forth washing the tailings left behind from the American Mine. In the first year’s cleanup of the old tailings, he reclaimed more

than $80,000 in value of stones missed by the miners of the American Mine, thus paying for the purchase of the American Mine before new operations even began.

In the early 1900s, the combined mines had produced over 13 million carats of rough Yogo Sapphires. These stones were not only used for jewelry production, but also for watch bearings in mechanical watches. The non-gem quality sapphires were sold as abrasive for cutting steel. As World War I increased demand for cutting abrasives, production at the Yogo Mine was allowed to continue, while other mines were deemed non-essential, and subsequently their workforces were given other priorities.

World War and a Flash Flood Take Their Toll By 1922, the combined mines began to fail. Synthetic sapphires had been introduced on the market, and with this, the need for Yogo Sapphires as watch bearings and abrasives was eliminated. The only value for Yogo Sapphires now was as gemstones. After the toll of World War I and a steady economic decline, interest by the British in Yogo Sapphires began to wane. The final blow came in 1923, when a tremendous flash flood destroyed most of the above-ground mining structures and washing pads, including washing away millions of carats of rough sapphire. The British decided not to put any more capital into the working structure of the Yogo mines, and put the mine up for sale.

The mine was eventually sold for back taxes, and several different parties owned the property at different times. For many years, the property was wide open, and many locals picnicked in the area, gathering the little blue pebbles during their outings. To this day, people are making jewelry from the stones they found during that period, recalling the time when they could go out and search for Yogos on their own without fear of being caught. The next few owners closed off the mine to the local rockhounds, and tried various attempts at mining and marketing of Yogo Sapphires.

The Rise of Roncor In 1969, the mine was acquired by Herman Yaras of California, who later sold his interests to another Californian: a celery farmer named Chikara Kunisaki. The Kunisaki family formed a company, Roncor, with a master plan to raise capital by creating what is now known as Sapphire Village. Roncor sold home sites to rockhounds near the Yogo Mine, and the home sites came with limited digging rights along the Yogo dike. Several families to this day live at Sapphire Village, and continue to do limited hand mining on their rights at Yogo. Roncor attempted to mine the dike from the west at the original American Mine, but was unsuccessful.

They ceased mining operations and put the property up for sale. Roncor then sold the mine to a Colorado company, Intergem, that strip-mined a major portion of the eastern end of the dike. During its years mining, Intergem successfully mined and removed millions of carats of sapphires. However, Intergem was unable to complete its purchase agreement with Roncor, and Roncor regained complete ownership of the Yogo Mine.

After the fall of Intergem, a Canadian company called Pacific Cascade Sapphires attempted to purchase the Yogo property from Roncor with a mining lease.

They raised start-up capital, built a wash plant and settling pond, and began their search for Yogo Sapphires. They scooped samples from many places, did mapping and magnetometer testing, but did not locate a good mining location before their funds ran out and their option expired. Next to try their hand was

Amex Engineering, who had a two-year lease from Roncor and mined two bulk samplings at the middle of the mine area and the eastern end of the dike. They found considerable fine stones, but decided not to continue their lease option.

After Amex pulled out, Roncor retains control of the property to this day, but the mines remain inactive, except for the hand-diggers from Sapphire Village.

The Vortex Mine: Virgin Territory During the rise and fall of companies trying to find success with the Roncor property, there was a new mine that had started at Yogo Gulch. In January 1984, four local residents, Lanny Petty, Chuck Ridgeway and their wives, Joy and Marie, made their own discovery at Yogo. They followed a wood cutting trail that led them to an untouched section of the dike that had been previously disregarded

by Gadsden as not worth mining. They staked their own claims on property not belonging to Roncor, and began to mine. This new area was called the Vortex Mine, and the mining was to be done underground. In time, they sank a shaft 280 feet down and discovered two different veins of Yogo-bearing ore.

The group operated this mine successfully for several years. Knowing that further capital was required and greater mine expertise needed, the mine was then leased to Small Mining Development (SMD) of Boise, Idaho. SMD came in and drove a spiraling decline shaft down to a depth of 400 feet. SMD tried advanced mining techniques, such as high pressure water jets, to cut away the ore-bearing rock. Ultimately, SMD was dissatisfied with their production and profitability at Yogo. When SMD pulled out, they removed their wash plant and there was talk of possibly filling the spiral shaft with concrete and sealing the mine forever. The Vortex Mine became dormant and essentially closed in 2004.

The Future of Yogo Sapphires: Roberts Mine The future for Yogo Sapphires looked very dim until the spring of 2008, when it was announced that Mike Roberts, a second-generation hard rock gold miner from Alaska, successfully acquired the Vortex Mine and its claims. He successfully commercially mined underground at Yogo, through the Vortex portal, utilizing the wash plant originally built by Pacific Cascade Sapphires. The mining was at the 300-foot level in areas overlooked and not explored by previous miners. Mike worked diligently in the mine and the mine reached a depth of over 400 feet.

Tragically, on March 19th, 2012, Mike Roberts died in an accident while working underground in the Yogo Sapphire mine. Mike died doing what he loved, searching for Yogo Sapphires. Mike was full of life. His favorite things to do were to drill and blast, and spend time with his wife and family. His generosity to the Special Olympics is well known and was greatly appreciated. He was a great friend to all that knew him and he will be greatly missed.

As of the summer of 2012, Roberts Yogo Sapphire Company, now operated by Mike’s wife and family, still owns and hopes to continue mining the claim after all safety checks and updates to the mine are performed. When the mining will begin again is still to be determined.

2014/2015

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Big sky build

Originally from Connecticut, John Seelye, President of Big Sky Build, first gained experience in building luxurious mountain homes while living and working in Vail, Colorado. Taken with the mountain lifestyle and eager to run his own business, John moved to Big Sky in 1996. One year later, through determination and hard work, he accomplished his goal of starting a building company and, since then, Big Sky Build has become southwest Montana’s quality builder.

Recently, John and his team were challenged with a construction project that combined history, skilled craftsmanship and careful consideration for unique materials. A client came to John with the idea of using reclaimed wood from a stance of historic cabins that once sat along the storied Oregon Trail. The clients purchased the wood from Montana Reclaimed Lumber in 2012. Based on a report from a dendrochronologist from Lone Pine Research in Bozeman, the wood that was used in building the client’s EST. 1997 home was once part of a thresher floor built during the second half of the The Big Sky Build mantra is “Experience. Quality. Craftsmanship.” While 18th century. The timbers were reshaped and then incorporated into a Big 8 7 committing L o n e toPindustry e a k research, D r holding B i g his S vendors ky, M 5 9 7 1 6 |Sky 4Build 0 6private . 9 9 home 5 . 3 project.

670 | bigskybuild.com and tsubcontractors to extremely high standards, and demonstrating a work ethic that’s hard to find these days, John and the Big Sky Build team provide each of their The timbers used in this distinctive home are from the white oak group clients with the highest level of construction service possible. As builders, and have a warm, honey-brown tone – unlike the traditional beige or John and his team bring a whole new meaning to the word meticulous: light tan color – which is likely a result of hundreds of years of chemical they pay attention to every detail – every nook, every cranny – and insist processes used to treat the wood. Based on the report, the trees that were that everything on each of their projects is tended to with a 100% eye for used for the original cabin’s thresher floor were felled in or around the perfection. year 1763. So, at the time of death, the tree that provided the wood for the floor was at least 294 years old. Thus, in 2013, the oak wood was 544 Most importantly, Big Sky Build is driven by quality and dedicated to years old, the oldest existing white oak in research records. providing the best service and craftsmanship possible. Their teamwork and consistent commitment to quality workmanship is what sets Big Sky Taking on this task was no small feat for Big Sky Build. The contractors Build apart from its competitors.“I’m so fortunate to work with the clients and woodworkers involved in the project were, quite literally, making and the people that I do,” explains John.“For me, the best compliment is history. And, the result is a chronicle of vision, hard work and unparalleled when a past client refers us to someone else. That says a lot.” artistry that only Big Sky Build can provide.

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Montana Historian

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VISIT MONTANA’S

GHOST TOWNS Montana’s history is rich with remnants of its booms and busts. These gems of western history were built by gold seeking settlers, ambitious miners and hard working ranchers. Take a walk back through time at one of the Treasure State’s ghost towns.

Alder - Laurin: 800-829-2969 Anaconda - Cable Mine: 406-563-2400 Bannack - Bannack State Park: 406-834-3413 Big Sky - Karst’s Camp: 800-943-4111 Boulder - Elkhorn State Park: 406-495-3260 Clancy - Lump Gulch: 800-743-5362 Drummond - Garnet Ghost Town: 406-329-3914 Elliston - Greenhorn Gulch (Austin): 800-743-5362 Helena - Rimini: 800-743-5362 Lewistown - Giltedge: 406-535-5436

301 N Main St • Livingston, MT 59047 406-222-1211 96

Montana Historian

Kendall: 406-535-5436 Maiden: 406-535-5436 Yogo Gulch: 406-535-5436 Marysville - Marysville: 800-743-5362 Missoula - Coloma: Mystery Camp

of Garnet Range: 406-329-3914 Philipsburg - Granite Ghost Town

State Park: 406-542-5500 Saltese - Taft: 406-649-6400 Townsend - Hassel (St. Louis): 406-266-4101 Virginia City - Alder Gulch: 800-829-2969

Nevada City: 800-829-2969

Virginia City: 800-829-2969 White Sulphur Springs - Copperopolis:

406-547-2250 Zortman - Town Site of Zortman

and Landusky: 406-654-1776

Have YOU Experienced The Loop?

Endless Breathtaking Views

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Montana at its best.

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Banking on the Future of The Loop since 1965.

ATM Loop locations in Harrison ¡ Virginia City Sheridan ¡ Ennis 406.682.4215

Bank locations in Ennis ¡ Boulder ¡ Montana City & West Yellowstone

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