4HistoryBuffs

Calling all history enthusiasts! 4HistoryBuffs is held on the last Tuesday of each month from 6-8pm. Join guest speakers for lively and entertaining presentations of historical interest.

Soaking Up the History of Montana’s Hot Spring Resorts

Jun 24

Speaker: Jeff Birkby. Montana’s hot springs bubble with fascinating stories of Native American legends, miraculous cures, isolated wilderness soaks, and glittering spas. Crude bathhouse built by early settlers in the 1800s gave way to ornate bathing resorts and social gathering centers.

A Passion for Oral History Speaker: Gayle Morrison

July 29

Gayle Morrison is an accomplished oral historian with a passion for documenting the experiences of the 1st generation of Hmong people who arrived in the U.S. as refugees. Her first oral history book, Sky is Falling, describes the harrowing evacuation of U.S.-supported Hmong from Laos in May 1975. Her second book, Hog’s Exit, is about Jerry Daniels—a hometown Missoula Smokejumper who became a pivotal CIA officer who worked with the Hmong in Laus and Thailand, Her third book, Deep Tears, is about what happened to our Hmong allies after the U.S. pulled out of Southeast Asia in 1975.

History of Missoula’s Fairground

August 26

Speaker: Ramona Holt In 1911, the County Commissioners discussed the purchase of grounds for a permanent site for the fair. It wasn’t until 1913 that the current fairgrounds were purchased for a mere $16,000.

Title Pending

September 30

Speaker: Museum at Fort Missoula Staff

The Members of the Lewis & Clark’s Corps of Discovery

October 28

Speaker: Bruce Mehelish Most Montanan’s know the story of Lewis and Clark and the places they traveled through in our state. Trail signs are posted everywhere along our modern highways. They covered more ground in Montana than any other state. It was an incredible journey often compared to the first moon shot landing, Many of the success stories of this journey have been lost over 222 years. 33 members of the Corps of Discovery paddled, portaged, trudged, and rode through Montana’s diverse landscapes. Indigenous people stepped in to help. There was a very select group of special people we will revisit today. These three people made a difference.

Seeking Hope for Pain Relief in Montana’s Radon Health Mines

November 25

Speaker: Jen Elison Historically, gold, silver, and copper mines peppered the State of Montana. The Cold War and the search for uranium in decommissioned mines in southe central Montana resulted in a novel approach to pain relief in 1952. Today, this controversial treatment is still seen as a shaft of hope for some individuals experiencing chronic pain.