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Twenty years ago...

Thursday Oct. 28, 2004

Who homesteaded here?

Another reason to visit the Seeley Lake Museum

Have you ever wondered who homesteaded the property where you live? Have you ever wondered if any of your family namesakes homesteaded in the valley? Now you can find out.

The Seeley Lake Historical Society has a listing of all the people who successfully homesteaded in the Clearwater Valley. A project entitled “Who Homesteaded Here?” was completed with a grant from the Hansen Endowment Committee through the Wilderness Institute at the University of Montana.

Government Land Office (GLO) records were searched to find out who filed original entry papers on government land in the Seeley Lake area. The search resulted in 642 entries, encompassing an area from the Lindberg-Holland Lakes, south to Ninemile prairie, and west to the Cottonwood Creek. Over 150 names were found to claim almost 24,000 acres in the Clearwater Valley.

Libbie Blanchard was the earliest entry (1889), claiming land near the mouth of the stream now carrying her name. There were 20 entries in 1893, 41 in 1990 and 30 in 1907-1908. All other years had just one to five entries. The listing also included some early day land exchanges. Charles W. Summer filed the last claim using the Homestead Act in 1937 on a timbered slope in Blanchard Creek.

In 1900 Stephen Tepper filed for a parcel of land on the northwest corner of Placid Lake and Louis Kelly along Owl Creek. Settlement of the area nearer Seeley Lake occurred a little later. In 1903 six men filed their claims southwest of Seeley Lake. That same year another six filed in the Placid Lake area. Homesteaders were required to improve and live on the land for five years before they could file for ownership.

The database will be available in the Seeley Lake Historical Museum for the public to research homesteads in the area. It is organized in ring binders so people can search for a particular name to see if they homesteaded in the study area, or search for a specific tract of land to see who originally acquired it from the US Government.

People wishing to find more detailed information will then have the necessary data to obtain copies of original documents from the national archives. The historical society can obtain those documents for a small fee.

Read this and more at: https://www.seeleylake.com/ home/customer_files/article_documents/2004-10-28.pdf

Thirty five years ago...

Thursday Oct. 19, 1989

Red ribbons will fly in the Seeley Swan next week

For the second year in a row, Montana is planning a gala celebration of Red Ribbon Week.

During the week of October 22-29, red ribbons will be sported by all kinds of people and unexpectedly appear in a variety of unlikely places. The ribbons signify personal and community commitment to helping solve our nation’s alcohol and other drug abuse problems.

The Red Ribbon Campaign originated when Federal Agent Enrique Camarena was murdered by drug traffickers in 1985. Displaying a red ribbon became the symbol of citizen intolerance to the devastation of drugs.

The purpose of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a unified and visible commitment to the creation of a drug free Montana, and to encourage ongoing family and community participation in drug abuse prevention activities.

Here in the Seeley-Swan Valley, along Highway 83, red ribbons will be hung from trees at one mile spaces up and down the highway. Various businesses will be displaying four foot by four foot signs to support Montana’s drug free youth. The signs have been made by Department of State Lands staff from Swan Lake and their crews from the Swan River Forest Camp. Many businesses will also be giving out red ribbon badges during the week. Elementary grade school students will be wearing badges during the week.

Wear a ribbon to show your support for drug free youth, America’s and Montana’s most important hope for the future.

Read this and more at: https://www.seeleylake.com/home/customer_files/article_documents/1989-10-19.pdf