Harmon’s Histories: Ah, summer in western Montana!
By Jim Harmon
What was it like, living in western Montana in its earliest days? That’s been the essence of my stories over the last decade.
Sure, I do make occasional references to the kind of history you would find in a textbook, but mostly I’m interested in the people and their way of life, the good and the bad. So, let’s jump on the way-back train.
It was rather quiet in Missoula on August 1, 1884. The Weekly Missoulian reported “no burglaries this week (but) tramps and beggars are numerous in town.”
Neptune Lynch Jr. of Horse Plains pushed 900 head of cattle through town, heading to market “in the Northwest Territory, unless sooner disposed of along the way.”
Folks were advised to head to Edward's Bakery if they desired a good loaf of fresh bread, or to Long & Tevis’ place for fruits, vegetables, butter and eggs. Jim Dixon’s Magnolia saloon offered Budweiser St. Louis lager beer.
The “Sisters” were “contemplating the erection of a three and a half story building for a new hospital.”
The paper conveyed a notice from the Northern Pacific company for its supervisors that they “must never, under any circumstances, curse or use boisterous, profane or vulgar language” when dealing with employees.
In society news, it was noted that a number of “young folks were talking up a moonlight picnic at the residence of a prominent farmer a few miles from town.”
In late August, there was an insightful article about Thompson Falls. The reporter described the place as “only a shadow of its former glory, a large number of buildings being deserted, with names of the builders still remaining on the signs over the doors.”
The writer recognized a number of names on the business signs. They were names of Missoula men “nearly all of whom, we dare say, look upon their venture at Thompson Falls as a ‘bad break.’ ”
Despite that, there was “still a goodly business transacted at the Falls, and a fair share of the Coeur d’Alene supplies are shipped at that point.”
A short distance away, at Trout Creek, “a whole lot of supplies were being dropped off the railroad cars at the depot which were destined for the various mining camps in the Coeur d’Alene mountains.”
“Conspicuous among the goods was a case of watermelons, which ought to make the miners’ mouths water and be worth good money by the time they are packed on a mule’s back twenty-five or thirty miles, to say nothing of the railroad freight charges.
At Heron, which was the end of the Northern Pacific rail line at the time, the company had “built a roundhouse, a good depot and freight house, and other improvements for the company, and last, but by no manner least, a fine hotel, which is said to have cost $40,000.”
The hotel was described as three stories high with a wide platform around it. It was “furnished elegantly and the easy beds and airy rooms that remind one of the big hotels of our lager cities.”
The dining room was impressive, “equal to the railroad’s dining cars.” The writer added, I can think of no better or pleasanter place in Montana for newly married couple with long purses than at this place. It is a railroad institution and they get this advertising for nothing as the writer paid his bill.”
The hostel also contained a small store for supplies and a barber shop, causing a few of the town’s other businessmen to complain that the hotel was taking all the business in the community.
Today, all these towns are well established with populations, according to the Montana League of Cities and Towns, ranging from 312 at Heron and 340 at Trout Creek to 1,222 at Plains and 1472 at Thompson Falls.