Howdy!

It’s time to participate in the first annual Montana Cowgirl Showdown in Red Lodge, Montana. This event will take place, October 12th at the Roman Theater, the longest continuous theater venue in Montana! This will be a gathering of Cowgirl Talent featuring country music, poetry, dance, and cowgirl couture. But it gets better, this event will be a fundraiser to benefit the Carbon County Historical Society and Museum. This museum was founded by the first woman to be inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame, Alice Greenough, and we are honored to follow in her footsteps to showcase the talents and gifts of other amazing cowgirls!

How can you participate or perform? Please contact the Carbon County Historical Society & Museum at 406-446-3667 or email Preservation@carboncountyhistory.com to register in advance by October 7th, 2024. This event is FREE to all registered participants! Please note the number of participants and performers is limited. Please contact us early to secure your place in the lineup. The winners from each category will participate in the Evening Showdown and will receive recognition and awards! If you are interested in performing in the Evening Showdown or participating in the contests, please reach out to discuss further details to book your space.

Looking to attend the event? We are anticipating a day full of exciting activities and showcases featuring local and professional talent! If you would like to experience the all day festivities $15 tickets are available. For entry to the evening finals and performance there are $10 tickets that can be purchased. Tickets can be purchased directly through the Carbon County Historical Society & Museum’s website at: https://www.carboncountyhistory.com/admission-tickets/montanacowgirlshowdowntickets

Would you like to sponsor the event or donate? Please contact Betsy Scanlin for prizes or sponsor information at bescanlin@msn.com. If you would like to donate items for the silent auction, please contact Becky Van Horn at the Carbon County Historical Society & Museum at 406-446-3667 or email Preservation@carboncountyhistory.com. Any donations can be made either online through the museum website at https://www.carboncountyhistory.com/donate , at the museum directly at 224 Broadway Ave. South, Red Lodge, MT, 59068, or with checks made out to the CCHS&M mailed to P.O. Box 881 Red Lodge, MT 59068. Donations will also be appreciated during the event.

               It is our intention that this event will help not only raise funds for the museum but that it will also raise awareness of the incredibly talented cowgirls who grace our lives and community! We aim to create an event that will empower women to express themselves and be recognized for their talents. The Montana Cowgirl Showdown is looking forward to a hootin’ an hollerin’ good time on October 12th, 2024 and we hope to have you participate in whatever way you can!

Happy trails!

John Mueller is a founding member and current board member of Busses of Yellowstone Preservation Trust in Red Lodge, Montana. He has studied and researched the history of the Yellowstone Park transportation system for over 4 decades. John has hands-on experience on woodworking and sheet metal fabrication. This expertise has been used in the preservation and restoration of several Yellowstone Busses, and has led to a life-long interest in Yellowstone Park transportation history. The presentation will cover the transition from horse-drawn to motorized transportation- “Horses are out, motorized vehicles are in!”

Join the Carbon County Historical Preservation Commission for a walking tour of Historic Bridger. Meeting at the Dana Zier Gallery at 10:00 AM for the commission meeting and following our guide through the town. Please contact the Carbon County Museum at (406) 446-3667 to secure your spot by September 29th.

*$5 for the

Bridger Historical Society

Join the Carbon County Historical Society for a tour of Camp Senia. Meeting at the Museum at 10:00 AM and following pilot car to the site. Bring a dish to share for a picnic! Please contact the Carbon County Museum at (406) 446-3667 to secure your spot by September 21st.

*FREE for Members

*$10 for General Admission

Join the Carbon County Historical Society & Museum for

InterTribal Dancers

Saturday, Sep. 14th, 2024 at 5:00 PM.

All are welcome!

*FREE for Members *$5 for General Admission

Patty Molinaro

Origins of Crow Agencies in Montana

On May 7, 1886, the Treaty of Ft. Laramie forever altered the Crow way of life, defining reservation boundaries and establishing a federal agency. These early agencies faced numerous challenges that forced the adoption of western farming methods in the face of hunger and new struggles for subsistence. Crow leaders were instrumental in guiding their people to adapt the skills necessary to sustain their tribe in hopes for a better future. Author Patty Molinaro recounts the shifting boundaries and historical pivotal period for the Crow Nation

*FREE for Members *$5 for General Admission

Join the Historical Society for a field trip to Red Lodge’s former ski hills. Meet at the Museum at 9:00 AM and carpooling to the three stops. Lunch provided at the Inn on the Beartooth. Limited Spots available! Pre-registration required. Please contact the Carbon County Museum at (406) 446-3667 to secure your spot by August 10th.

*Free for members. $15 for General Admission.

MATT STUMP

Graveyards of a Mine: Domestic War Heroes of Montana Coal and Iron Co. (1943)

In 1943, an explosion occurred at the Smith Mine in Bearcreek, Montana. 74 miners perished during a voluntary overtime Saturday morning.

Hitler annexed Austria in 1938 and then began his European conquest in 1939, first invading Poland. Realizing Germany’s nefarious plans, mine workers increased their commitment to support the war effort. The first war bond drive occurred before Christmas, 1942. Frank and Jack Mourich, two Austrian immigrants working at the mine, ramped up their efforts as the war bond drives began in earnest. Government and media propaganda were used to encourage the purchase of war bonds by working class Americans. In September 1942, Frank Mourich purchased $75.00 in war bonds from a $132.00 net paycheck, 56% of his paycheck! In order to afford this investment in America’s future, the Mourich’s and other miners volunteered to work extra days offered by their company, it was necessary to provide food for their families and defend the country from the Axis forces. When they died in the Smith Mine Disaster on February 27th, 1943, these immigrant patriots became domestic war heroes. Yet, in the aftermath of the disaster, the families of these heroes were left desolate and abandoned by the federal government while returning veterans were greeted with parades and accolades. The sacrifices of these immigrants have, until now, remained in the background of American History.

*FREE for Members *$5 for General Admission

Join the Carbon County Historical Society for a tour of Saint Olaf Church. Meeting at the Museum at 10:00 AM and following pilot car to the site. Bring a dish to share for a picnic!

*FREE for Members

*$10 for General Admission

In 2021, Montana firefighter Dan Steffensen tried to outrun a sixty-mile-an-hour wall of fire. But it overcame him, burning over 60% of his body. The citizens of Red Lodge, Montana, needed him and prayed for his life. Three more tragedies hit his hometown during that Summer of Hell. Drawing from a wealth of interviews and research, author A.J. Otjen tells the inspiring story of how often first responders, doctors, and hundreds of good people stepped up to greatness. All the while, Dan fought his own internal battle to live or die.

*FREE for Members *$5 for General Admission

Lea Schoenewald is a retired public school educator and historian from Thermopolis, Wyoming.

Her new book "Lost Coal District of Gebo, Crosby and Kirby" tells the story of early 20th century coal mining in the northern Big Horn Basin of Wyoming.

Sam Gebo was instrumental in determining the high quality of the coal in the district. He was then able to convince seven other businessmen to fraudulently obtain coal mining claims that allowed the founding of Owl Creek Coal Company.

Lea's presentation will cover the book and additional information about Sam's complicated life, which included many business ventures in Montana.

*FREE for Members *$5 for General Admission

Join the Historical Society for a field trip to Red Lodge’s former ski hills. Meet at the Museum at 9:00 AM and carpooling to the three stops. Lunch provided at the Inn on the Beartooth. Limited Spots available! Pre-registration required. Please contact the Carbon County Museum at (406) 446-3667 to secure your spot by August 10th.

*Free for members. $15 for General Admission.

In the event of bad weather, the field trip will be held the following day, August 15th, 2024.

Participants should anticipate light walking in areas with uneven ground.

Please join us for the Carbon County Historical Society & Museum Annual Membership Meeting on November 9th, 2023 at 6:30 PM. There will be lively entertainment by Kid Valance, Election of board members and officers, a brief meeting and light refreshments. An award ceremony will take place to honor historical champions from our community!

Linwood  Tall Bull is  an  enrolled  member of the Northern Cheyenne  tribe. He has  spent over 30 years working with the tribal health  programs and the elderly programs as the director of the Shoulder Blade Independent Living Center. Linwood  has been a teacher of  medical programs in  hospitals, teaching Doctors how to diagnose native patients using Indian sign language.  Linwood is an active member of an ancient warrior Society. Their role is to preserve our culture and traditional beliefs. Linwood’s Cheyenne name is Ho’neh’eso which means Young Wolf. He now teaches Ethnobotany and other cultural  courses at Chief Dull Knife College.