Seeley Lake Historical Society - Memorial Day Open House 2024

Memorial Day, when we honor those members of our armed forces who died while serving their country, has a long history. Once known as Decoration Day, it was first celebrated in 1868. Although it has been in existence for 156 years, it has only been since 1971 that the holiday has been observed on the last Monday in May. Before that, Memorial Day always fell on May 30.

This year, we encourage everyone to join the ceremony on Monday, May 27 at 11 a.m., at the Seeley Lake Veterans Memorial Garden. What better way to show honor and respect to those who gave their lives for their country? If you are displaying a flag that day, it should be flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon, then raised to the top of the staff until sunset.

Following the Veterans ceremony, the Seeley Lake Historical Society invites the community to a Memorial Day Open House at the Barn. We have a new display of uniforms from World War I and World War II, as well as some of the letters and other personal effects from our veterans and their families. It is well known that Montana has always contributed a higher percentage of our population to the armed forces than almost any other state. A census interpretation error in 1917 doubled what was thought to be our population, meaning the draft target for Montana was twice what it should have been, Not to worry - we met the challenge!

In addition to this new exhibit, we have also updated the logging and smokejumping exhibits - the Forest Service trained smokejumpers in the early 1940s in Seeley Lake, lodging them at Camp Paxson. There will be a special exhibit of Salish beadwork as well, demonstrating incredible craftsmanship from the early 20th century.

And as always, our restored Maloney Cabin will be open during the afternoon. This is now furnished as it would have been in the 1920s, showing how our early Seeley Lake residents might have lived. As you might expect, many of these were homesteaders, who brought at least a few items - such as the crazy quilt we have on display - from their former homes as they made the long trek to Montana.

There will be refreshments upstairs in the Barn, including cookies that would have been made 100 years ago. You will also have an opportunity to look through binders with Eddie Coyle photographs and go through the Maclean exhibit.

On Thursday, June 6, the Seeley Lake Historical Society is co-sponsoring an Open Book Club program with Alpine Artisans. This will feature Rebecca McCarthy, author of the recently released memoir "Norman Maclean: A Life of Letters and Rivers." The venue is the West Wing of the Foundation Building and the event starts at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

Make this a Memorial Day to remember, and learn more about our area's history as well!