Spencer, Vagg, Veseth and Zortman to be portrayed at P.C. Historical Society Historic Walk this Sunday in Malta

Voices from this county's past will fill ears, minds and hearts at this year's Historic Walk at the H.G. Robinson House and Gardens in Malta on Sunday (September 11) morning starting at 1 p.m. and running until 3:30 p.m.

The event is once again hosted by the Phillips County Historical Society and the Malta Dirt Daubers Garden Club and Phillips County legends Harry Vagg, Pete Zortman, William Spencer and Clara Veseth will be on hand to relate an oral history or their times and lives.

Because of scheduling conflict, last year's event – which has been going since 2010 – was not held. Two years ago, the walk featured the history of Julie Ereaux Schulz, played by Bridgett Ereaux; H.G. Robinson played by Barry McNamara; Fred L. Robinson by Orvin Solberg and Dr. Koscuiszko Hamilton by Dr. Jim Curtis. Two of the four performers from 2014 return this Sunday as Doc Curtis will portray Pete Zortman and Solberg will play Harry Vagg.

Vagg, born in Somersetshire, England, immigrated to the United States in 1879 and it was while working with the Great Northern Railroad that he made his way to the town that would eventually be known as Saco. Vagg was the first merchant in Saco and in 1893 he opened a general merchandise store which catered to homesteaders. That store would change locations in Saco several times before ultimately burning to the ground in 1922. Vagg would go on to be the second Post Master in Saco and following the formation of Phillips County in 1815 would become the first Montana senator from the new county.

Doc Curtis will portray Oliver Peter "Pete" Zortman on Sunday. It was 11 years ago that Doc Curtis helped bring Zortman's remains from a pauper's grave in Big Timber back to be buried in the town which bears his name. Zortman came to the west seeking gold in the 1880's and and eventually settled in the Little Rocky Mountains. In the early 1890's, Zortman gave up prospecting and turned his attention to mining, hitting it rich with the Alder Gulch Mill.

William "Willy" Spencer was born in Malta in 1901 and will be portrayed by his son, Vance Spencer. Billy attended school at both Sun Prairie and Malta High School, but one of his true passions was horse riding, especially busting broncs. Billy helped on the family ranch – and neighboring ranches – before homesteading Telegraph Creek where he would farm and ranch for the rest of his life. Vance's portrayal of his father will be his first performance at the Historic Walk.

Clara (Emond) Veseth came to Montana at the age of six and passed away in 2010 at the age of 101 while living in the Hi-Line Retirement Center. Clara was the head cook at the Veseth Ranch for 10 years in the 1930's and married Mons Veseth (ranch manger at the time) in 1933. Mons and Clara started their own ranch near Second Creek in 1942 and when Mons passed in 1981, Clara moved to Malta where she would live for almost 30 years. Rosemary S. Veseth will portray Clara on Sunday during the historic walk three years after playing the role of Martawn Veseth.

Each of the four actors will give three performances during the day with intermissions in-between sets to answer questions and expound on the people they are portraying. Guests will walk around the H.G. Robinson House and Gardens to listen to each of the lectures (which will last about 15-minutes each.) There will be seating available at each of the four speaker's stations, but guests are welcome to bring lawn chairs to ensure they have a place to sit.

Tickets for the event are $10 per person and are available at the H.G. Robinson House and Gardens or before the event at Phillips County Museum. Light refreshments will be served throughout the afternoon and drawing for door prizes will be held. All proceeds raised from the event will benefit the Phillips County Historical Society's many historical preservation projects.