Harmon’s Histories: In its 10th year, Missoula delivered a Christmas to remember
By Jim Harmon
It was December 1875. The town of Missoula had just turned 10 years old and residents wanted to celebrate with grand Christmas parties.
“The ladies of Missoula met at the parlor of the Kennedy House (Hotel) on the 13th of December to make arrangements for a Christmas tree.”
The Weekly Missoulian reported, “Mrs. W.G. Edwards was appointed chairman for the event (and) an invitation was extended to the gentlemen of Missoula and vicinity to assist in the decorations and loading the tree, and to all persons to be present on the occasion.”
The city’s Coronet Band was “engaged to furnish music for the event.”
The Western Hotel in Frenchtown was planning a Christmas Eve ball open to the public and the Grangers of the Bitter Root Valley were doing the same.
The newspaper writer was especially complimentary of the Grangers. “The hall at Stevensville was a demonstration that this particular Grange makes a success of anything it undertakes.”
The venue was “elegantly decorated by the ladies, and nothing omitted that could make the occasion one of pleasure for the participant.”
“It seems proper to say that this particular Grange appears to have a more intelligent conception of the higher functions of their order than do many outsiders or even some of the subordinate lodges.”
The article continued, “They have just received a fine organ, the music from which will do more to drive away farm cares than a parcel of all the catch-penny circulars, clothes-wringers, baby-spankers, and all that kind of trash.”
“They realize that there is something better than continued money-getting. The Stevensville Grange is now going ahead to build up a public library at that place.
“As long as they continue in their present course…a community will be built up which will attract the better class of people.”
Meanwhile, the festivities at the Kennedy House included a wedding of two well-known young people, Sheriff John Miller and his bride, Alice Lockwood.
Apparently Miller was quite a catch. The local newspaper put it this way, “Our worthy sheriff has filed his caveat, served a writ of ne exeat (no go) on a wistful crowd of admirers and levied his attachment, foreclosed his lien and made final return of the papers in the court of love. Congratulations and much happiness.”
For those less fortunate, George R. Carrier, the clerk at the Kennedy House, stood ready to help “singles” find holiday companionship.
“Whereas, there are certain young persons of the male persuasion who do not want to go the the local dances/balls alone…now, therefore it doth seem that the rights of the holidays, together with all and singular the privileges thereunto appertaining, might be anticipated by a few days and these young men provided for.”
Folks came from Frenchtown, Nine Mile, the Bitter Root, Cedar creek all over western Montana to attend.
Professors Dusseau and Polson provided the music, described as “the best ever furnished at a like occasion in this place.”
The supper arrayed was “of the superior kind for which this house is always noted.”
So went the holiday celebrations in 1875.
Of course, folks still faced two or three months of winter weather ahead - but the newspaper editor reminded everyone to be hopeful.
“The days are now beginning to gain perceptibly on the nights, and there is some consolation in the reflection that, if we have not yet passed the possibility of a snug winter, we will have more daylight to see it howl.”
Merry Christmas to all, from our house to yours this wonderful season!
Jim Harmon is a longtime Missoula news broadcaster, now retired, who writes a weekly history column for Missoula Current. You can contact Jim at fuzzyfossil187@gmail.com. His best-selling book, “The Sneakin’est Man That Ever Was,” a collection of 46 vignettes of Western Montana history, is available at harmonshistories.com.