Back in Oregon

25 July 2015

After spending 2 nights at Fairchild AFB, we drove the 8 hrs to Redmond OR and 3 week visit with Hope,Shawn,Colt & Cade.

We came in early as we wanted to attend the Deschutes Fair as Colt has swine entry again this year. Last year he and Crusher got best of market. We also wanted our annual checkups as we will be gone for another year.

Flyer Introducing Ginger

Ginger

Walking Ginger & Stitch with Cade & Hope

Working with Ginger

Enroute we made our usual stop in Pasco at the Country Mercantile for lunch and to get homemade enchiladas for dinner and other good things. This is a must stop if in the Pasco area. 

Since our last visit another horse has been added, more heifers and steers and two of the hens are sitting on eggs. Casey as usual made a quick run to greet us looking for treats. She has a new name now..John left his sandwich on the table, stepped outside and when he returned all that was left was the tomato and cucumber..she is very selective..so we call her sandwich bandit now. She sure enjoyed the bread,ham and cheese.

Jado

Some of the Little Ones

Sandich Thief

Had to have a talk with Katy and Rocky about their attitude toward Jado,the new horse that is 27 yrs. They need to start treating her better and not be so agressive and snobbish toward her. Will see if they listened as I observe while we are here. 

Katy & Rocky

Colt's pig entry is Ginger and the other pig, Stitch will be on the table later in the year. She was supposed to be his show pig, but developed a hip  problem.

Colt will be showing Ginger on Wednesday for best of market category.

Grandsons have grown and we took the annual picture in front of the motorhome. Amazing how a year changes them.

2015

2014

2013

Anyway it is good to be back and to have such a nice RV pad in driveway with a view of the Sisters and Mt Jefferson. To pet the animals and to visit.

Rv Pad at Hope & Shawn's

Three Sisters

Mt Jefferson

We leave here on the 14th for 5 nights in Salem to visit friends and to attend Don and Carolyn's 50th Anniversary at Brooks Winery.

Fort Connah,Trading Post & Fort Missoula

22 July 2015

Once again we were in the right place at the right time when we drove to Fort Connah, 40 miles north on Hwy 93 near the town of St Ignasius. On our last visit in 2010, we were unable to gain access. However, today a descendant of Angus McDonald,Ed Williams who is a great,great grandson was doing some work on the property and graciously agree to give us a tour. During the tour, Joe McDonald who is also a great,great grandson drove up and spent time with us relating a history of the fort.

John,Joe & Ed

Angus McDonald Family History Display

Tepee Similar to Home of Catherine Angus

Ed in Front of Trading Post

Mission Mountains

The post was started in 1846 and finished by Angus McDonald in 1847 for the Hudson's Bay Company.Angus came from Scotland and was married to a Nez Perce woman named Catherine. She bore him some 14 children losing several in childbirth or a young age. Ed and Joe said she was never comfortable living in a cabin and preferred a tepee.

The main trade of the post was in furs with the post being the main link between forts on both sides of the Rockies. After the northern boundary of the US was established,it was ordered closed in 1871.

The site is being restored and twice a year has a Rendezvous in May and September.

Thank you Ed and Joe for the history and tour.

After leaving the Fort we stopped at Four Winds Indian Trading post operated by Preston Miller for over 40 years.

Structure History at Four Winds Trading Post..now a store

Buildings on Four Winds Property

Realizing our interest in history, he offered to give us a tour of his collections over the years.We were amazed as we toured the buildings housing his collections. He even has an extensive train and toy display. His collection of Native American artifacts,art and costumes are unsurpassed by any museum.Thank you,Preston, for taking the time.

Model Train Display

Blockhouse

Returning to Missoula, we toured Fort Missoula which we did in 2010.

Fort Missoula was established in 1877 for protection in the event of conflict with local tribes. The 25th Infantry arrived in 1888. When the Spanish American was broke out in 1898, the 25th was one of the first units called to fight and served in Cuba and the Philippines. In 1904, the fort underwent a remodel with a complex of concrete buildings. During WWI it served as a military training center. In 1941, it was used as a detention center for nonmilitary Italian men housing over 1200 internees and 650 Japanese-American men. Today most of the Fort has been repurposed to US Forest Service,BLM, University of Montana and other entities.

Signage for Fort Missoula

Chapel-1863

NCO Quarters-1880

School House-1907

Museum

Former HQTRS and Exchange-1906

Officers Row-Now Housing

Visit to Fort Owen and St Mary's Mission

21 July 2015

Today we drove down Hwy 93 south to visit Fort Owen and St Mary's Mission.

Fort Owen is the site of the first permanent white settlement in Montana established in 1850 by Major John Owen as a regional trade center. It is located adjacent to private farming area and is maintained by they state. The fort supported a farming operation,sawmill and gristmill. Of the original buildings one of the barracks remains. Other structures have been rebuilt.

Barracks, now Museum

St Mary's Mission was established in 1841 by Black Robed Jesuits led by Father DeSmet at the request of the Salish and Nez Perce Tribes. St Mary's was the first Christian church in the Northwest Territory. Father DeSmet introduced farming and animal husbandry as well the Christian doctrine to the Native Americans. The Salish embraced Christian values.

This is the fourth chapel built for the Salish people. The first was consumed by floods, the second by fire and the third too small. No pictures allowed inside the chapel. The chapel has attached rooms that served as residence, kitchen, dining room.The chapel organ at the time cost $10 with a delivery charge of $1.50.

St Mary's Chapel

Also on the grounds is the cabin of Father Ravalli . He arrived at the mission in 1845. He was a doctor and pharmacists to the Natives and settlers. The cabin was built on this site in 1865.

Fr Ravalli's Cabin

Chief Victor's cabin built by John Owen and FR Ravalli. His widow lived in the cabin until her death in 1884. Chief Victor of the Salish died in 1870.

Chief Victor Cabin

The Diorama depicts Chief Big Face who was responsible for bringing the "Black Robes" to his people,Fr DeSmet and Chief Victor who served as tribal chief after the death of Chief Big Face.

Diorama

Cemetery

Both parks are located in Stevensville just off Hwy 93 toward Hamilton.

Tomorrow we visit Fort Missoula and the museum.

Drive to Missoula

20 July 2015

Today we departed for Missoula via Hwys 87/287 to IH 90 from West Yellowstone. A beautiful day for a drive and a most scenic drive on Hwys 87 and 287 through the valleys past Henry's Lake with the Madison Range to the East and the Gravelly Range to the West in the  Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest. Passed through the quaint town of Ennis with a nice RV park. Think someday we will return here for several days.

North on Hwy 87

Henry's Lake Hwy 87

Madison River

Ennis Lake

Ennis MT

Bozeman Trail

Hwy 287 View

Our RV park for the next 3 nights is Jim and Mary's located off exit 96 and 1 mile north. We stayed here in September 2013 for a night and liked it well enough to return. The sites are spacious and long with small flower gardens between the sites. Staff is very friendly and helpful, laundry is very clean and office has a nice store.

Site D-10

Office & Store

Laundry and Showers

Gazebo

Weather is hot and miss the cool Yellowstone weather.