Publisher’s Note - Summer 2024
Thirty-five years ago, Montana celebrated its 100th Birthday. Part of the celebration was the Centennial Cattle Drive. Since many of our readers were just children when it happened, we felt like it was timely to showcase a few different aspects of the event.
A sad discovery was that many of the people who worked so hard on the event are no longer with us. The originators of the drive are gone as are half of the board of directors, including the trail boss. However, we did find a few awesome folks that willingly shared their perspectives of the phenomenon, including three of the surviving directors. They regaled us with tales of mischief and bantering that took place alongside the seriousness of their responsibilities, revealing just what a special group of people it took to put together an event of such magnitude.
When my sister, Carolyn, agreed to let us publish a portion of the journal she kept during the drive as a drover, she also provided us with a box of photo negatives taken by our father. Dad was allowed into the drover’s camp a couple of times during the drive because he was family. He wasn’t a professional photographer, but when he took the time, he loved capturing moments of our western way of life. Stu painstakingly went through hundreds of negatives searching for images that best portrayed the atmosphere of the drive and we have included a few of them as well.
While the cattle drive was receiving worldwide attention, the small, rural community of Reed Point decided to capitalize on the recognition Montana was receiving and came up with their own drive – with sheep! It was such a resounding success, that today, 35 years later, the town is still drawing thousands to the “Running of the Sheep” every Labor Day weekend.
Our conversations with so many folks involved in these two events reminded us that in just three decades time, much has changed in our world and our state. We weren’t even aware of such things as digital cameras, cellphones, laptops, drones and Google. Advancements in technology, travel and communications are far more sophisticated today and our lives seem much more complicated.
What hasn’t changed is the mentality of the folks that love our country, our freedoms and our way of life. They still wave to their neighbors, help their communities, support the local school children and are happy to donate time and money to those in need.
Also included in this issue is a feature on the expanding Rocky Mountain Songwriters Festival celebrating its 16th year. Our gardening column will give you suggestions on what to do with leftover produce in your garden and Jean’s Cuisines shares not only several ideas on campfire meals, but her family’s memories behind the dishes.
As summer spins down and fall sets in, we hope that you enjoy a few more family excursions in appreciation of the freedoms that we enjoy - while we still have them.
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26