One Nation, Under God
One Nation, Under God
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A quote by Bob Marley says “Without music life would be a mistake”. Music does play a vital part in our lives and in doing research for a music display in the Museum I found some interesting facts. The “Divje Babe Flute” is thought to be the oldest instrument in existence today. It was found in 1995 in a cave in Slovenia and is made from the femur of a cave bear. Moving on in history we find the piano was invented in 1700 by Bartolmeo Cristofori. Several hundred years later we find the first record player in 1985. Then a major breakth...
Items come in all shapes and sizes here at the Museum. Here is a quick quiz let’s see if you can name the item. What do coffeepots, elevators, cowboys, animals, fire hydrants, shoes, appliances, and horses have in common? Okay, here is the second hint. Some are plastic, some are metal, some are glass, some are china, and some are ceramic. Any guesses? Okay here is the third hint. The items all have a few holes in the top. Yes, if you came up with salt and pepper shakers you are right on the money! Salt and pepper shakers are a great part of h...
“The Saddle That Made Miles City Famous”. This slogan was used by Albert Frank Furstnow in his saddle making business in Miles City. The PC Museum is pleased to have a saddle by this well-known maker. The saddle is from the Collection of Art and Jack Busche. Furstnow was so dominant in the saddle making business that he published a catalog of his shop, products, and rodeo champions and political figures he made saddles for. Furstnow saddles made their way to California and movie stars such as Tim McCoy, Tom Mix, and Cisco Kid were known to rid...
It’s almost the 4th of July and the PC Museum was in full patriot mode this week. The Museum was honored to help a foundation find information on a serviceman. The Chief Rick Stone and Family Charitable Foundation’s mission is to help identify remains of soldiers killed in action so that they can be properly buried. Obtaining samples of DNA of living relatives is critical to this effort. Currently, there are 1,100 boxes of unidentified remains in a warehouse in Honolulu, Hawaii. Our quest was to help find living relatives of Cpl. Albert Lee...
Remember when you could order an entire house through a catalog? Inside studs, outside wood, nails, detailed instruction books, and each item needed to build a house would be delivered by rail. The house was called a “kit house.” The H.G. Robinson House is a kit house. A well-known company that provided this type of home was Sears Roebuck. Sears started shipping kit homes in 1908. It is reported that by 1940 Sears had sold 70,000 homes across America. And even more amazing in 1918 seventy percent of those were still standing. The H.G. Rob...
The Montana Dinosaur Trail is once again making news as the Treasure State Lifestyles Magazine dedicated an entire issue to the Trail. Created in 2005, the Montana Dinosaur Trail works to promote tourism in 14 facilities across the State of Montana. Representing two of the facilities are the Phillips County Museum and the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum. The Dinosaur Trail’s Facebook page received over 9400 views, 709 engagements, and 54 shares from the e-version of the magazine that was posted. How does this affect your business or Phillips C...
Paul Snyder, a Malta High School graduate, recently published a book about the “backbars” in Montana. The book is wonderful -well written, well-illustrated, and a wealth of information.The book also serves as a reminder of the wonderful and diverse history the State of Montana holds.By capturing the story of the backbars through photography and research Paul has kept a part of history alive. How many chances does a person have to record history during an ordinary day? Take that picture, write that history down, record your grandparents’ stori...
Whitewater Schools’ Graduation is May 14, 2021, at 7.p.m. Congratulations to them. IT’S MAY!!! Happy Mothers Day and Happy Birthday “to all those celebrating in May, also to those celebrating anniversaries, There was a track meet in Whitewater. Busloads of track participants from Malta, Saco, Hinsdale, Lodgepole, and Whitewater attended. The WHS served lunch (picnic) next to the track. The Wishers were chief cooks, serving up their pork sandwiches as part of lunch. Congratulations to all participants especially the WW Penguins. Lu Besse...
How many remember the old Trafton Door Store? The following is a story told by Tom Laurence on how Trafton’s first store floated in! The prairie was covered with buffalo bones when Bob Trafton first arrived. He hired every man he could to gather bones. He was known as the “bone boss”. He bought a small building up the river where Wagner now stands and hired me to move it down the river for him. I took it apart in sections, pulling the floor into the river then put the sides on the floating floor, then the roof, lashing them all together. I too...
Much has been written about cowboys and their horses, but this story is about a sheepherder and his dog. (The only dog to have been arrested in Malta). Now a sheepherder was lonely and sometimes a bit loony. His only concern was his sheep. He fought coyotes, mosquitos, loco week, lack of good food, and loneliness. His only friend and companion was his loyal dog! One of these men decided to take a week off before lambing started. He arrived in Malta with his bedroll and his dog. Checking into a hotel, he proceeded to get cleaned up. Then...
The Museum collections reflect a variety of objects and ethnic people. Immigrants from around the world found their way to Phillips County during the Homestead years. A new display at the Museum features objects from immigrants that came to our area involuntarily. The objects I am referring to are wood carvings from the Prisoner of War Camp that was built in Malta during WWII. Many of the prisoners worked in the beet fields and on farms and ranches in the area. During their “off” hours the prisoners had time to make wood carvings and these ite...
It’s time to celebrate Spring and the opening of the Phillips County Museum!! A milestone happened during the first week in April 1917. On April 6, 1917, the United States entered World War I. In July 1917 twelve men signed their intent to enlist in the Second Montana Volunteer Infantry and they signed on the circus grounds in Malta. Seriously – it did happen during a circus! Army personnel seeing an opportunity to enlist men set up a tent and some old muskets and established “recruiting headquarters” on the circus grounds with the Stars a...
It’s the season for the receiving and sending of Christmas cards. The Museum archives have a wonderful box or two of old Christmas cards. At home we may have saved a special card from grandparents or that someone special. Cards come in all sizes and shapes with a variety of scenes; often the scenes are signed by the artist. An important artist during the 1950’s and 60’s was Tyrus Wong. If you can still find his unused cards today you have hit a jackpot. Wong was Hallmark's artist of the year in the 60’s and Hallmark said he had “intens...
Stories abound at the Phillips County Museum. The following is a true story. In 1907 Fred Heeck decided to go to Montana to stake a land claim. Journeying by train he arrived in Dodson Montana and rented a room in a small hotel. Knowing that information was always available at a local saloon Fred quickly found what looked to be a busy establishment. While having a drink of whiskey Fred met a man named Phil Doucette. In the next few days, Phil helped Fred stake a land claim and introduced him to his parents, who were farmers. The Doucette...
Museum Notes Oct 21 Hunting season is upon us! I think Ernest Hemingway described the emotion associated with bird hunting when he said “I think they were all made to shoot because if they were not why did they give them that whirr of wings that moves you suddenly more than any love of country.” Private individuals can be credited with the first attempt to bring pheasants to Montana. Success did not come to these individuals until Montana had irrigated lands to provide much-needed habitat and food. Dr. Charles Thornton, a Montana phy...
St. Paul’s Indian Mission was a topic of discussion at the PC Museum this week. The story of its beginning and continuing story arrived with items from Jay and Lynn Contway. Here is the history as it was presented to us. On May 1, 1886, Reverand Eberschweiler said mass for the first time in the Little Rockies. Father De Smet and two Indians were his companions. Finding a beautiful spot and three log cabins he immediately began plans for St. Paul’s Mission. Construction was slow but steady. In September 1887 the Mission School was opened wit...
It’s great to see the Hi-Line Racing events bringing visitors from near and far to our community. Dodson may have had the honor of having the first big races in our county. After a baseball game in 1917, the Enterprise reports the car races began. Four cars entered a 10-mile race. The cars were a Buick owned by Byron Hurley, a Chevrolet owned and driven by Dodson People, a Buick car driven by Jack Brown, and another Buick driven by Jimmie Twitchell. It was reported that Byron took a lead and never looked backcrossing the finish line in the f...
Grain harvest in Phillips County is well underway. Local farmers are smiling with the yields they are experiencing. In August of 1912, it was reported that John Hardin, a well-known farmer, and rancher, had been highly successful in raising winter wheat. He had just harvested a large field of 23 acres of beautiful Turkey Red Wheat and was finding a yield of 35 bushels to the acre. The paper expressed that should Mr. Hardin compete for a prize at some of the grain shows he would be likely to carry off a substantial sum and blue ribbons too!!...
Hang in there Phillips County! We are making history. Years from now that popular saying “Do you remember… will apply to the COVID pandemic. The Phillips County Museum has its door open and we are welcoming visitors. Our facility is large, and the six feet social distancing is easy to comply with. Masks are required to enter the building. Our staff will welcome you and help everyone to understand the precautions that need to stay in place to keep everyone safe. Museum hours are Mon-Saturday 10-5....
Does the name “Beavertown” sound familiar? It was one of the booming “h” towns of yesteryear. Located near Beaver Creek (from which, it presumably, was named) it was the nearest town for homesteaders on the Saco divide and the ranches located on Larb Creek. Saco was near but many times Beaver Creek made it impossible to reach Saco due to its flooding. The town boasted a lumberyard, a blacksmith shop, grain elevator, Hotel, bar, post office, grocery store, and school. The school was grand with a lower level that hosted classrooms and a second fl...
Surprises walk through our front door every week. This week’s surprise item was an Ingram’s Milkweed Cream jar. It was found by Ian Simanton. Curious about milkweed's facial cream properties started me on a fascinating journey. I was amazed at what I found. Milkweed floss (white stringy fibers attached to the seeds) has been used for many items. Settlers used the floss for stuffing pillows and quilts. Travelers often used it as a tinder for fires. And by far the most important practice was during WWII when it was used to stuff life jackets whe...
History is alive through the stories of local authors at the Phillips County Museum. The Museum is proud to offer several titles from the many talented authors that live and have lived in our area. Two local children’s authors have best-selling books that tell of local life. “Prairie Sunrise” is a story of a young girl’s Montana ranch life. The book’s illustrations are real photos that were taken during the four seasons of the ranch and portray the activities that keep the young girl busy. It...
This week we have the story of Johnny Ritch another Phillips County character. Johnny rode into the town of Landusky in the glory days of the mining camp. During his first visit to Landusky, he lost his hat and cigarettes and came to several days later on a poker table, but he must have liked the town as he soon became a well-known citizen. Now Johnny had a bit of the reformer in him and had tolerable oratorical gifts. He was often called on to speak at funerals. The community of Landusky did take exception at a funeral for two local men who...
Last week I introduced you to Snakehead Gilbert and this week we meet another “character” that lived in Phillips County. Dum Dum Bill was the nickname that stuck to him. Dum Dum Bill lived in Landusky during the early days. He was known as a quiet and intellectual character with a lovable disposition. So lovable that it was reported, “He always shot to kill to avoid unnecessary pain and distress!” Now Dum Dum Bill did not allow his intellectual abilities to interfere with his mining town life. In fact, he used it while playing poker – makin...