News from the Red Caboose SUMMER 2013 The Knap-In: A Great Cultural Experience By Karen Reinhart, Museum Registrar Our Montana Spring Knap-In and collectively they helped many people had to practice several weekend event on May 18 and 19 individuals during the event’s day times to get the stance, throw, and was a great success. Locals and and a half. Tim Ryan, a member of follow-through motions correct. visitors from far-flung corners of the Salish-Kootenai Confederated the state as well as the region Tribe, was brought to the museum attended the event and enjoyed the with the help of Humanities diverse activities that the museum offered. We estimated that between 300 and 400 people attended the Knap-In. It felt like a step back in time—people working together to learn and practice skills that were once needed for survival. It was exciting and relaxing at the Liz Jacobson preparing to throw the atlatl same time. under Don Stafford’s expert eye The demonstrators also had examples of their artistry—fancy projectile points and tools, woven willow fish baskets, atlatl darts, and more. One knapper had miniscule but very detailed sculptures made Tim Ryan showing young and old (continued on page 11) the art of making cordage Montana and patiently guided Ray Alt helping a young knapper many hands in the art of twisting super-strong cordage from pithy Adults and children tried their dogbane sticks. Chris Newhouse of gloved hands at “breaking rock” Scoutcraft helped many students and some even made projectile of fire coax flames from a variety points under the tutelage of of primitive fire-making methods practiced flint knappers. Ray including the bow drill. Don Alt and George Bryce, local Stafford made throwing the atlatl Don Ellis, his daughter, Jody, and knappers, invited their friends at a target look easy, but most Mel Beatte admiring a sculpture Letter from the Director Reflecting on Our Accomplishments & Future Needs By Paul Shea As I enter my fourth summer here Park County. teachers, have begun the addition at the museum I feel that we are We have also completed a of youth-oriented activities to our achieving much in making the preliminary inventory of archival exhibit halls, and will continue to Yellowstone Gateway Museum an collections that have been in add youth and family programs. exciting educational, interpretive, storage for years. This includes While all of this is going on, we and research resource not only for a large number of donated still have to maintain the buildings the residents of Park County, but photographs, railroad records, and and grounds. This year we have to for all our visitors. The museum personal family records. We will address the need for a new roof has just completed its first year continue to apply for grants to help on the main museum building. It of being open year-round. The process these collections and place has been more than thirty years response has been positive and the them in storage files and boxes since the roof was replaced and it number of visitors is growing. that meet museum standards. It is is showing its age. The northwest With the completion of the thought that this project will take section gets the worst weather, and first phase of infrastructure from two to four years to complete. it is in great need of replacement. improvements we have refocused We have a lot of archival material! We hope to have this done by the our energies on the collections end of summer. Another concern and exhibits. Two new exhibits is the back lot location up against are up: Re-creating an Ancient the ditch footing. This area is Technology—Modern-Day Flint degrading and stabilization of the Knapping and Mattie Culver—A footing is needed to ensure that Life Sketch. In the next two there is no failure. months we will be opening two Also looming on the horizon more exhibits. We plan to have one is the need to make our museum or two new exhibits each summer. accessible to people with physical We have spent much of the disabilities. As you know, the last year inventorying our archival museum has many stairs and collections. As we inventory and steps. If all goes well, we may be place them in file cabinets they able to start with some work on become available for research. A the front entranceway later this big part of this process has been summer. We also will have to to inventory and catalog all of address the difficulty of moving the papers that Doris Whithorn © Steve Horan around inside the building itself. stored here at the museum, as well The stairs present a problem to as those that were donated by her disabled individuals and to some family in 2006. Volunteer Ellen In addition to these archival seniors. The solution is to install Zazzarino, retired Denver Public projects we have expanded our an elevator. We need to address Library Archivist, has worked on school outreach programs, and this issue soon. this project for over a year. Ellen continue to explore new ways to All in all I am extremely is getting close to completing engage county youth. Museums pleased with the progress we have this project, which will be a story are seen as an extension of lifelong made in updating exhibits and in itself. With the inventory learning and what better way to working with the collections, while and information from Doris’s build future audiences than to staying focused on overall needs. papers we now have an incredible get them started now! We are I look forward to the future and snapshot of her life of research continuing to develop teaching the successes it will bring to the and writing about the history of trunks that can be checked out by Yellowstone Gateway Museum. PAGE 2 Volunteers and Staff We are Grateful to our Current Volunteers: Ray Alt Daniel Davidson Alta LeDoux Mary Jane Ammerman June Doolittle Jack Luther Judy Bonnell Nikki Fox Pat Miller Shannon Burke Jessica Guldan Harry Kolkmann George Bryce Georgia Hall Carlene Newhall Robin Brewer Robert Hartsig Donna Poeschl Carol Carver Bob Jovick Sherry Hatfield Cheryl Chmielewski Betty Lahren Ellen Zazzarino ...and our board members! Boards and Staff Friends Norm Miller taking photographs of Bruce Graham – President archived newspapers Rick VanAken – Secretary Paul Shea – Treasurer Dick Dysart – Publishing Ruth K. Dargis – Member Suzanne Goodman – Member Robin Lovec – Member Cheryl Chmielewski Norm Miller – Member working at the front desk Rosamond Stanton – Member County Are you looking for a Bob Ebinger – President Pat Davidson – Secretary rewarding experience? Jem Blueher – Member We are seeking volunteers Daniel Davidson working on the 1936 American LaFrance fire truck George Bornemann – Member who enjoy computer, Jan Buckner – Member BJ Earle – Member front-desk, education, and Bob Moore – Member program assistance work. Matt Smith – Member Please give us a call! Jon Swenumson – Member Staff Paul Shea – Director Karen Reinhart – Registrar, Newsletter Editor Paul Deyerle – Experience Works Museum 118 W. Chinook Street Livingston, MT 59047 406-222-4184 [email protected] Jessica Guldan & BJ Earle The Tipi Set-Up Crew: Robert Hartsig, yellowstonegatewaymuseum.org assembling a collections box Jem Blueher, Bob Ebinger, & Andy Olds PAGE 3 Fort Parker Day: A Rewarding Experience By Merrilee Bryan, East Side School Librarian Fifth grade is a pivotal year for direction and clarity on top of the students in our school district. Crazy Mountains. He then spoke Among the many special courses of his experiences in Assisi, Italy in of study offered, we must fold in 1986 where he joined dignitaries the state-mandated curriculum of from the world’s twelve main Indian Education for All. This year religious groups for the World Day the culmination of these studies of Prayer for Peace. Pretty On Top took place Friday, May 17 at Fort represented native people’s beliefs. Parker, the first Crow Indian He reminded us we have only agency, situated ten miles east of today to make a difference and to Livingston. fill each day caring for each other. Twelve local fifth grade The following rainy morning we ambassadors met twelve fifth and gathered near Fort Parker where sixth grade students from the Pryor Pretty On Top donned his eagle School, along with Burton Pretty headdress and lit his ceremonial On Top and his family, at the pipe to bless every person present. Yellowstone Gateway Museum on He explained how the pipe could May 16 for ice-breaking activities. be used to alter the weather and Museum staff members, Paul Shea Burton Pretty On Top with his uttered some quiet prayers. The and Karen Reinhart, were also on ceremonial pipe at Fort Parker rain stopped and the sun shone hand. As part of Fort Parker down, creating a perfect day Day activities our students for the rest of our activities. taught their Pryor pen-pals Pretty On Top performed a about some of the local ceremony inviting Paul Shea plants, native and non- to be his brother. Shane native, to be found at Fort Doyle, from MSU-Bozeman, Parker. shared the pipe and then We adjourned to the sang a poignant honor song East Side gym that was to a retiring teacher. beautifully decorated by Our 110 students were fifth grade teacher Chris organized into six groups. At Gillespie and friends of the the nearby Mission Creek museum board member, Ranch each group in turn Suzanne Goodman. Earlier Shane Doyle drumming and singing learned about the Crow in the year our students hosted a honor song for Merrilee Bryan horse from Leslie Pierson, with dinner of locally based products Vicki Schwarz located the plants to raise money to purchase Tanka Paul Shea introduced Burton they had studied the day before Dogs (buffalo hot dogs) from Pretty On Top, the evening’s at the museum, and made willow Native American Natural Foods, a speaker, who participated in Fort game pieces with Chris Gillespie.