DILLON – Two events in Dillon and a third set in Jackson in late June called “celebration signing parties” will mark the publication of a 448-page book recounting the settlement of Montana’s Big Hole Valley from 1806 through 1930 and make the books available to the public for the first time. The book was several years in the making under the sponsorship of the Big Hole Valley Historical Society.
The book – titled “Montana’s Big Hole Valley – Montana Pioneers of the Old West – Vol. I” – will first be available at these “premiere signing” events, according to Ruth Little, president of the Big Hole Valley Historical Society.
Here are the early release events: Little said that others might follow in several of the communities in the Big Hole Valley.
• June 28, Friday – Premiere signing event at the Beaverhead County Museum in Dillon from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m..
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• June 29, Saturday – Second premiere signing event at The Bookstore at 26 North Idaho in Dillon from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• June 30, Sunday – Third special event at the Jackson Hot Springs in Jackson from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• The book may also be purchased by mailing an order to the Big Hole Historical Society at Box 847, Jackson, MT 59736. Issued in special Collector’s Edition Hardcover format, the 8½ by 11-inch book retails for $75.00, plus there is a $6.00 charge per copy for shipping and handling.
Ruth Nelson Little, president of the Big Hole Valley Historical Society and lead editor of the new book, said these special events will mark the official release of the big book, whose stories and several hundred historic black and white as well as color photographs focus on the valley’s people and history from 1806 when it played host to the Lewis and Clark Expedition through the year 1930.
“From the gate of the Big Hole, Divide, through Dewey, Wise River, Wisdom, Briston, Fox and Jackson, we visit our vibrant communities as well as places no longer here and tell the stories of the many families and individuals who helped settle this historic part of Montana,” Little said. “Our book includes hundreds of stories of our early-day settlers and the struggles they went through to establish a way of life in one of the state’s most beautiful and high elevation climates.”
In southwestern Montana hard against the mountainous border with Idaho, the Big Hole Valley has historically been known as the “Land of 10,000 Haystacks” as well as for its large ranches. The Valley was the setting, in 1910, of the invention of the “beaverslide” hay stacker, which made the work of putting up hay much easier. The story of the famous beaverslide’s invention and subsequent refinement is told in the new book in both text and a number of historic photographs.
“The Big Hole Valley, Montana Pioneers of the Old West, Volume I” was produced by volunteers connected with the Big Hole Valley Historical Society.
Little and Alta Miller of Dewey worked as co-editors of the book, and their efforts joined with many other members of the Society, including members of the Wilke, Lapham, and Peterson families, and more. The group worked with the publishing firm of Stoneydale Press of Stevensville, where the new book joins a number of similar titles about Montana-based history published by the firm.
The book was issued in a special 8½ by 11-inch “collector’s edition” hardcover format with its cover featuring an imbedded photograph of one of the famous beaverslide hay stackers in operation. There are 18 chapters in the book, plus an acknowledgment page and a preface written by Little.
The chapters cover such subjects as the Lewis & Clark Expedition’s visit to the upper valley in 1806, the Native American presence in the valley, early explorers who visited the Big Hole country, a detailed chapter on the famous Battle of the Big Hole in 1877 between the U.S. Army and the Nez Perce, mining, trapping, logging, agriculture, the towns of the valley, pioneer families and early settlers, schools, celebrations over time, businesses, the military, a number of tragedies, geography and family histories.
“This Volume I shares the history of our beloved valley and its families, who have called it home for more than seven generations,” Little, who herself grew up in the small town of Jackson, said. “In the book, we invite our readers to travel back in time to share in the stories of this high mountain valley that over time has enticed many visitors to its beautiful mountain lakes, streams and high elevation splendor.”
“The Big Hole Valley, Montana Pioneers of the Old West, Vol. 1”, 8½ x 11-inch, hardcover collector’s edition format, 448 pages, with many color and black and white photographs, retails for $75. The book is available as listed above or direct from either the Big Hole Valley Historical Society at P.O. Box 847, Jackson, MT 59736, or by contacting Stoneydale Press, 523 Main St., Stevenville, MT 59870, at 1-800-735-7006 or on the web at www.stoneydale.com