Seven Montanas: A Journey in Search of the Soul of the Treasure State

by Ednor Therriault

Overview

The vast space of the American West that has been designated as the state of Montana is such a diverse and varied landscape that it’s been said it could easily be sliced up into several smaller states. And with its smorgasbord of industry, history, culture and the various worldviews held by its residents, getting a bead on Montana’s personality is a challenge. That may be because Montana, in fact, has several fairly distinct personalities. This book examines those personalities, through the lens of seven geographic and cultural regions commonly recognized in the state. While Montanans share a few attitudes and love of the land that attracts them to Big Sky country, it’s the differences between the regions that truly give the state its unique flavor. Through interviews, photos, history and personal observations, Therriault profiles each region and in the process gives a more complete view of the state as a whole. Along the way the reader will learn why some people choose to live where they do, how they view the rest of the state, and what some of the factors are that give each region its singularity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493041602
Publisher:	TwoDot
Publication date:	09/17/2019
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Ednor Therriault has spent more than 20 years exploring Montana from corner to corner. He’s authored two editions of Montana Curiosities, revised the current edition of Montana Off the Beaten Path, and has completed work on Yellowstone Myths and Legends, which includes in-depth historical information on Montana’s gateway communities of Gardiner and West Yellowstone. Therriault brings the wit of a humorist, the fact-finding tenacity of a journalist, and a deep Montana pedigree to his work. His father, a decorated Marine pilot, was born in Missoula. His great-great-grandparents homesteaded along Douglas Creek in the Flint Valley in the late 1800s, and his grandfather mined for gold in Garnet, now Montana’s best-preserved ghost town. Therriault also studies Native American history, and recognizes the importance of including Indian culture and narratives in his depictions of the complex history of Montana.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments viii

Introducing the united States of Montana xi

Missouri River Country 1

Discovering Bowdoin 8

Kid Curry's Happy Place 12

Pallid Sturgeon and the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project 16

Montana's Own Bridge to Nowhere 20

East Vs. West: A Tale Of Two Stereotypes 24

Custer Country 29

In Laurel, a Memorial for All Montana Firefighters 34

History on the Walls at Pictograph State Park 38

The Jersey Lilly, Jewel of Highway 12 42

Fishing for Dinosaurs 46

The Mysteries of Medicine Rocks 50

A Montana Coal Town Fades Away 54

Lumbering Down Montana's Dinosaur Trail 58

Yellowstone Country 63

A New Kind of Montana Ranch 65

West Yellowstone's Snowmobile Truce 68

Up, Up and Away on the Beartooth Highway 72

The Mystery of the Whirling Rainbows 76

Cowboys and Indians: The Plight of the Yellowstone Bison 80

Tasting The Big Sky 84

Russell Country 91

This Legend of the West Wore a Dress 95

First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park 100

Havre and the Res: Two Cultures at a Crossroads 104

Finding Lost Lake 110

The Gustafsons, Pillars of Conrad 114

Sipping And Singing Across Montana 120

Gold West Country 125

If You're Game, They Have the Game 130

A Creepy Look at Life behind Bars 134

Almost the Trumpeter Swan Song 138

Cheeseburger in Paradise 142

Your Next Best Drive 146

Glacier Country 153

A Morel Imperative 155

In Browning, If You Can't Beat 'Em, Buy 'Em 159

Hot Springs and Cool Art 164

The Rise and Fall of Milltown Dam 168

Montana's Most Unwelcome Visitor? 174

Grizzlies: Coming To A Field Near You? 181

Down the Road: The Seventh Montana 185

About the Author 191