Archives Move: Keeping Montana's Stories Alive
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H A Publication of the Winter 2013 SocietyMontana Historical Society ST R Archives Move: Keeping Montana’s Stories Alive The staff of the Montana Historical Society took great care in boxing up and temporarily relocating the stories of Montana that truly are the memory of its people. It took nearly four weeks of physical labor to clear out the archives storage area in the base- ment of the Society to make room for the installation of high-density mobile shelving that will ease the In what is truly a massive change for the Montana Historical Society archives, the staff spent overcrowding MHS is experienc- nearly four weeks packing up and moving thousands of boxes of precious Montana docu- ing in all of its programs. ments to clear the way for installation of new high-density mobile storage shelving. Although the staff prides itself in making those collections avail- Photo graph Archives remain open history of the American West. It able to the public, MHS has had with limited access to collections. is used by authors, filmmakers, to restrict access to the archives To understand the scope of the researchers, and those who want until the project is complete. The project, imagine each individual to learn more about the history of thirty-five thousand linear feet of file box lined up end to end. They their own families. mate rials in the collection have would stretch out over seven The Legislature provided been moved to a secure loca- miles. $402,000 for the project, which tion off-site. It is expected that The collection is considered one will take seven months to com- the archives will open again by of the best not only on the his- plete. The new shelving will April 15. The Research Center and tory of Montana but also on the Archives (cont. on p. 4) Longhorns Not the First Montana Cattle In the fifty years following the end MHS museum technician Vic of the Civil War, nearly 6 milli on Reiman has been researching the Longhorn cattle were herded cattle industry in Montana and north out of Texas. In the 1880s, has come up with some fascinat- Montana cattlemen brought in ing new findings on how cattle got hundreds of thousands of these here. Texas Longhorns. The first cattle in Montana The Texas Longhorn is now came from the area of the an instantly recognizable icon of Columbia River basin that is now the open-range years. But when eastern Washington, northeast- Cowpunchers didn’t have to mess with any they arrived in Montana from the ern Oregon, and northern Idaho. Longhorns when the first cattle came into south, there were already herds of Montana stockmen called these Montana. MHS Photograph Archives, Helena, 981-429 another, much different type of animals simply “Oregon cattle.” cattle here to greet them. Oregon cattle (cont. on p. 4) 1 DIRECTOR’S CORNER On February 2, 1865, the Legisla- tive Assembly of the Territory of The Year of the 150s Montana enacted and Governor BY BRUCE WHITTENBERG Sidney Edgerton signed into law the establishment of the Historical A year or so ago, the Montana Society of Montana. On that date, Historical Society adopted a new 150 years later, we will all celebrate slogan, “History Worth Celebrat- the Montana Historical Society ing.” Although that has a broader President Abraham Lincoln. The and its importance to Montan- connotation, the next eighteen forty-first Montana History Con- ans—past, present, and future. months will truly be a celebration ference, “Montana Milestones,” will Yes, there are several “150s” in of our shared heritage. I call it the highlight that sesqui centennial the next year or so. These points “Year of the 150s.” with three days of programming, in time mark the establishment The year kicks off on March 19, September 18–20 in Helena. of the place we know today as the 2014, with the celebration of the Also in 1864, gold was discov ered State of Montana, but they by no 150th birthday of Charles Mar- in the Prickly Pear valley in what means encompass the full history ion Russell. Charlie is an iconic became known as Last Chance of those who have lived on this figure in Montana and the Ameri- Gulch. That led to the establish- land for many centuries. As we can West. He was a midwestern ment of the mining town that in look back, we honor those who teenager who dreamed of being a October of that year adopted the came before, their vision, their cowboy and pursued that dream name of Helena. Helena became sacrifices, and the incredibly hard to Montana in 1880. By living his territorial capital in 1875 and was work that brought us to this point early life among the wranglers voted state capital in 1894. in time. History is being made of the Judith Basin ranch lands, When the Montana territorial every day in Montana and will be Russell developed the themes for legislature convened in Virginia captured and shared by the Mon- what has become one of the most City in late 1864, one of the first tana Historical Society. We will important bodies of western art orders of business was to consider continue to grow, to expand the in America today. The Montana the preservation of the docu- reach of our work, and to pursue Historical Society is proud to hold ments, artifacts, and records that the shared vision of renovated and one of the great collections of Rus- would tell the story of the early expanded facilities. sell works. On March 19, 2014, we history of the territory for future The history of this place we will be celebrating the Russell Col- generations. What great vision our love, held in trust for 150 years by lection with a redesigned Mackay founding fathers had to recognize the Montana Historical Society, Gallery of C. M. Russell Art that the story of Montana must be is truly “History Worth Celebrat- along with a birthday celebration collected and shared in perpetuity. ing.” for our favorite western artist. Later in the year, we will release SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING Montana’s Charlie Russell, the first- OLD: TREASURES FROM THE ever comprehensive catalog of SOCIETY COLLECTIONS the Montana Historical Society Russell collection. Th e Montana Historical Society On May 28, 1864, the M ontana Research Center recently acquired Territory was established by an act this wanted poster featuring of Congress and signed into law by thieves who rustled horses from a ranch near Terry, Montana. In About Us Montana, horse and cattle rus- tling constituted a major crime The Society Star is published quarterly by the Montana Historical Society as a from early days on. In fact, during benefit of membership. this same time period, a spate of ̂ MHS Director: Bruce Whittenberg cattle rustling in central Montana ̂ Membership Coordinator: precipitated the vigilante killings Rebecca Baumann (406) 444-2918 of fifteen rustlers by “Stuart’s ̂ Editor: Tom Cook (406) 444-1645 www.montanahistoricalsociety.org Stranglers,” led by Montana icon Granville Stuart. 2 The Society Star: Winter 2013 ON THE ROAD TO MONTANA’S GREAT MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES for Havre society. Among other things, Emily said, it had the High Line Heritage House Museum first residential bathroom in the community. Havre is rich in history, and now it her own money and labor. The She opened her museum in has another attraction that shows home was constructed in about conjunction with Hill County’s it off. 1895 and was owned by Daniel Centennial Celebration. The mu- Emily Mayer opened her home and Elizabeth Boone. The couple seum reflects her love of history, as the High Line Heritage House opened a drugstore, and their “cot- her private collection, and the Museum in Havre in 2012 using tage,” as they called it, was a hub stories of a fifth generation of Hill County residents. In addition to tours, Mayer also hosts tea parties to raise money for her ultimate goal, which is to rehabilitate the nearby Mathew’s Mansion, move the house museum there, and also operate it as a bed and breakfast. “It needs every- thing, but the mansion and its history are worth saving,” she said. For tour and other informa- tion, call (406) 265-6233. The house museum is at 132 Third Street in Havre. SOCIETY STAR PROFILE back to her beloved Montana with a degree in history with an Zoe Ann Stoltz: A Lady of—and with emphasis on U.S. history—and she graduated magna cum laude. an Answer for—All Seasons “I was the token middle-aged the support of her friends and Montanan on campus,” she said. her three daughters, Kerensa, She became a teaching assis- Savenna, and Breena. tant for noted Montana historian The native Montanan earned an Harry Fritz at the University of associate degree from the Libby Montana. She finished classwork campus of Flathead Community in 2004 and defended her master’s College before she finished raising thesis in 2011. her daughters. After all three had In 2006, she became the refer- graduated from high school, she ence historian at MHS, and she decided it was time to do some- credits all of her life experience Zoe Ann Stoltz is like the teacher thing new with her life. for how she does her job. “I spent you always wanted. “I sold just about everything the best part of twenty-four years As the reference historian in the I had, including my 1957 Inter- as a housewife, and I was proud of MHS Research Center, she makes national four-wheel-drive truck it.