Keeping the History of the Blackfoot Alive

OVANDO – Ovando's Brand Bar Museum is filled with stories and items as colorful as its past. Situated in the heart of Ovando, what was a bar for nearly 100 years is now home to historical treasures from the Blackfoot Valley and host to numerous revolving displays that promote interaction with the local history.

The building was built in the late 1890s. Henry Dixon and Charlie Young opened the saloon named "Bucket of Blood" in 1897. It was renamed the Double Diamond, Brand Bar Saloon and Trixi's before transitioning to a gift shop. The building was donated to the community in the mid-1990s and took the name Brand Bar Museum. The Ovando Historical and Arts Society manage it with the intent to collect and preserve the local history and unique antiques of the Blackfoot Valley.

Many of the displays are fixtures at the museum. Some of the favorites are a collection of old hats that guests can try on and a full kitchen set for an old fashioned tea party. They also have an old telephone that calls from one room of the museum to the other and an office with an old typewriter.

"We try to have hands on things; try on the hats, sit in the saddles, talk on the phone, check out the stove," said McNally. "The high schoolers are just fascinated with the typewriter, even the little ones. It's a whole new toy."

Other displays rotate.

Board treasurer Terry Sheppard is working on a fire display of the area.

"We are always having fires, at least one a decade," said Sheppard.

Sheppard had to expand her idea of a photo display because she had a hard time finding photographs. She said there were many stories of fires in the area but people were too busy putting the fires out to stop and take a photo.

The display includes photos of all the different departments and agencies that work in the area, tools and clothing used by firefighters and a Seeley Lake Ranger District Fire History Map from 1889-2012. The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation donated an old alidade, the historical fire finder, that was removed from a US Forest Service lookout.

Sheppard hopes to find more photographs and local firefighting items to include in the display. She also would like to compile stories about local fires or those who fought them.

The lookouts Sheppard interviewed all had some kind of interaction with the wildlife. One lookout had a marmot that would eat out of her hand. Another lookout had a pet chipmunk or a squirrel that always came to visit.

Sheppard said one lookout got lonely and instead of turning to the wildlife for company mail-ordered a bride from Germany. She took the train to Montana after arriving in the United States and rode in with the packer that was bringing up their weekly supply of water. While the lookout helped the packer unload the supplies, his new bride-to-be used all of the drinking water to mop the floors and clean the windows.

"So the packer was not happy. He had to go all the way back down and bring in another load of water the next day," said Sheppard. "I think they still got married."

President Barb McNally is putting together a display entitled "Ranching in the Blackfoot." McNally got the idea when Elaine Caton with the Blackfoot Challenge asked if the Blackfoot Valley Cattlewoman had a ranch history they could share with students. McNally, who is also part of the Cattlewomen, thought it would be a great project.

"We thought it would be kind of interesting to have the changes through the years from the horse and plows and teams up to modern times," said McNally. "There are some great stories."

In her research she has learned that in 1859 the first stock water rights were recorded in Potomac. She also has information on a project near Coopers Lake where they were going to put in a dam for irrigation that didn't go through.

"There is just so much information about ranching since it is so broad," said McNally. "We could go so many different ways with this."

McNally hopes to make the display mobile so they can share parts of it at different events in the area.

"These displays are in progress," said McNally. "We are hoping that people will bring things in to add to the displays."

McNally and Sheppard both enjoy connecting people to each other and tying them into the history of the area. McNally loves talking with people and putting stories together.

"You never know who is going to come through the door," said Sheppard who is eager to help making connections and listen to stories than that may provide another piece of the puzzles in the Blackfoot history. "You meet all kinds of interesting people. I always tell people be careful what you look for because you may not like what you find."

The museum is open regular hours from Memorial Day through Labor Day and by appointment. The museum also hosts several groups including the local schools and is open for special events including Alpine Artisans Tour of the Arts in October and Old West Christmas Fest.

To set up an appointment call McNally at 406-793-5685 or Sheppard at 406-793-5718.