April edition 2014

THE

April 2014 Vo l u m e I I I I s s u e I V

Cover photograph by Patrick Clark

Volume I II I ssue I V

In this Issue of The West Old & New ________________________

The Iconic Western Television Series The Lone Ranger Pg. 4 Gunsmoke Pg. 6 Wagon Train Pg. 9 Rawhide Pg. 10 Bonanza Pg. 12 The Virginian Pg. 16

In the New West The Hot Springs, Montana Mural Pg. 17 The Granite County Museum & Cultural Center Pg. 20 The Lewis & Clark Caverns Pg. 22

The West Old & New Published by Susan Faye Roberts P.O. Box 10 Hot Springs, Montana 59845 thewestoldandnew@gmail.com

The West Old & New Online Magazine Issuu.com & Joomag.com

The April edition of The West Old & New is all about the iconic western serial television shows between the 1950s into the 1970s.

The Lone Ranger ran on ABC in the early 1950s and was the highest-rated television program and its first true hit series.

The first 78 episodes were produced and broadcast for consecutive weeks without any breaks or reruns. These episodes were shot at the Iverson Movie Ranch in Chatsworth, California. Clayton Moore played the Lone Ranger and Jay Silver heels a Mohawk First Nations actor played Tonto.

Gunsmoke, a tale about the fictional U.S. Marshal of Dodge city, Kansas, Matt Dillon was a radio show ran for nine years on CBS radio and twenty years as a CBS television show. Matt Dillon was played by James Arness in the television series from 1955 to 1975 and in the subsequent movies between 1984 and 1994. In both the radio and television series Matt Dillons exact relationship with Kitty Russell was deliberately left vague. Kitty was portrayed by Georgia Ellis in the radio version and by Amanda Blake in the television series. Kitty was the saloon hostess but it is alleged that in the radio episodes she was characterized as a prostitute. In the original radio series auditions the character was named Mark Dillon.

Wagon Train ran as a television series from 1959 until 1965 first on NBC and then on ABC. The show debuted at #15 in the Nielsen ratings and rose to #2 in the next three seasons, peaking at #1 during the 1961-62 season. The show chronicled a wagon train making its way from Missouri to California. The show like many of this genre were set a few years after the American Civil War. Rawhide premiered in January of 1959 and aired for eight seasons on CBS until 1965. It is the fifth-longest-running American television western with a story line set in the 1860s around wranglers moving cattle to market from Texas along the Sedalia Trail.

The series addressed some tough issues including morphine addiction, racism, anger over the Civil War, torture, plague, cattle rustlers and Commancheros.

Bonanza the story of the Cartwright family on the Ponderosa began on NBC in September 1959 and aired until January 1973.

It is the second longest running western series behind Gunsmoke and one of the top ten longest running, live action series in America. Ben Cartwright, the thrice-widowed patriarch lives with his sons on a ranch in Virginia City, Nevada, which borders Lake Tahoe. Bonanza was considered an atypical western for its time because the storyline dealt less with the landscape of the west and more with Ben and his dissimilar sons. Chinese American actor Victor Sen Yung played their cook, he appeared in an average of eight to nine shows per season but unlike the major cast members was paid per episode. While researching this series I learned some interesting things including the fact that Hoss was the first major character written out of a show after his untimely death.

The Virginian, known in its final year as The Men from Shiloh, starred James Drury and Doug McClure and aired on NBC from 1961 until 1972. It was a spin-off from a 1958 summer series called Decision. Set in the late nineteenth century it was loosely based on the 1902 novel by Owen Wister, that centered around a tough foreman of the Shiloh Ranch. It is the third longest running western behind Bonanza and Gunsmoke. With a name change in season 9 and a new theme song composed by Ennio Moricone, the show began reflect a style similar to spaghetti westerns, which were popular at the time.

The new aspects of the West in this issue give a detailed view of a small town mural which reflects the efforts of many different painter’s hand, and documenting many different characters and times in one large graphic.

Also in this issue is information on the Lewis & Clark Caverns located in Whitehall, Montana and the Granite County Museum and Cultural Center in Philipsburg.

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HI-Ho Silver Away

The Lone Ranger 1949-1957

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The Lone Ranger is an American western drama television series that ran from 1949 to 1957, starring Clayton Moore (John Hart from 1952 to 1954) with Jay Silverheels as Tonto. The live-action series initially featured Gerald Mohr as the episode narrator. Fred Foy served as both narrator and announcer of the radio series from 1948 to its finish and became announcer of the television version when story narration was dropped there. This was by far the highest-rated television program on the ABC network in the early 1950s and its first true "hit".

Although George W. Trendle retained the title of producer, he recognized that his experience in radio would not be adequate for producing the television series.

For this, he hired veteran MGM film producer Jack Chertok. Chertok served as the producer for the first 182 episodes as well as for a rarely seen 1955 color special retelling the origin.

The first 78 episodes were produced and broadcast for 78 consecutive weeks without any breaks or reruns. Then the entire 78 episodes were shown again before any new episodes were produced. All were shot in Kanab, Utah and California.

Much of the series was shot at the Iverson Movie Ranch in Chatsworth, California.

When it came time to produce another batch of 52 episodes, there was a wage dispute with Clayton Moore (until his death, the actor insisted the problem was creative differences), and John Hart was hired to play the role of the Lone Ranger. Once again, the 52 new episodes were aired in sequence followed by 52 weeks rerunning them. Despite expectations that the mask would make the switch workable, Hart was not accepted in the role, and his episodes were not seen again until the 1980s.

At the end of the fifth year of the television series, Trendle sold the Lone Ranger rights to Jack Wrather, who bought them on August 3, 1954. Wrather immediately rehired Clayton Moore to play the Lone Ranger and another 52 episodes were produced. Once again, they were broadcast as a full year of new episodes followed by a full year of reruns.

The final season saw a number of changes, the most obvious at the time being an episode count of the by-then industry standard 39. Wrather invested money out of his own pocket to film in color—then-perennial third place finisher ABC telecasting only in black and white—and to go back outdoors for more than just second-unit style action footage, the series having been otherwise restricted to studio sound stages after the first filming block. Another big change, not readily detectable by the viewers, was replacing Jack Chertok with producer Sherman A. Harris. By this time, Chertok had established his own television production company and was busy producing other shows.

Wrather decided not to negotiate further with the network and took the property to the big screen, canceling TV production. The last new episode of the color series was broadcast June 6, 1957, and the series ended September 12, 1957, although ABC reaped the benefits of daytime reruns for several more years. Wrather's company produced two modestly budgeted theatrical features, The Lone Ranger (1956) (the cast included former child actress Bonita Granville, who had by then married Wrather after his divorce from a daughter of former Texas Governor W. Lee O'Daniel) and The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold.

The series was created by George W. Trendle and Fran Strike, ran five seasons with 221 episodes. The theme music was the William Tell Overture by Goachino Rossini. The series was black and white from 1949 until 1956 and color from 1956 until 1957.

Wrather decided not to negotiate further with the network and took the property to the big screen, canceling TV production. The last new episode of the color series was broadcast June 6, 1957, and the series ended September 12, 1957, although ABC reaped the benefits of daytime reruns for several more years. Wrather's company produced two modestly budgeted theatrical features, The Lone Ranger (1956) (the cast included former child actress Bonita Granville, who had by then married Wrather after his divorce from a daughter of former Texas Governor W. Lee O'Daniel) and The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold.

The series was created by George W. Trendle and Fran Strike, ran five seasons with 221 episodes. The theme music was the William Tell Overture by Goachino Rossini. The series was black and white from 1949 until 1956 and color from 1956 until 1957.

Silverheels was a Mohawk First Nations actor. He was well known for his role as Tonto, the faithful Native American companion of the character, of the Lone Ranger. His given name was Harold J. Smith. He died on March 5, 1980 at the age of 67. He was active in the acting profession from 1937 through 1979.

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Gunsmoke Matt Dillon - Sheriff of Dodge City Matt Dillon is a fictional character featured on both the radio and television versions of Gunsmoke. He serves as the U.S. Marshal of Dodge City, Kansas, who works to preserve law and order in the western frontier of the 1870s.

The character was created by writer John Meston, who envisioned him as a man "...whose hair is probably red, if he's got any left. He'd be handsomer than he is if he had better manners but life and his enemies have left him looking a little beat up, and I suppose having seen his mother (back about 1840) trying to take a bath in a wooden washtub without fully undressing left his soul a little warped. Anyway, there'd have to be something wrong with him or he wouldn't have hired on as a United States Marshal in the heyday of Dodge City, Kansas." Notwithstanding Meston's original vision, the character evolved considerably during Gunsmoke's nine-year run on CBS Radio and its 20-year run on CBS Television.

On the radio series (which ran from 1952 until 1961), Matt was portrayed by William Conrad, whose deep and resonant voice helped to project a larger than life presence. In the opening of most radio episodes, the announcer would describe the show as "...the story of the violence that moved west with young America, and the story of a man who moved with it." Matt would take over, saying, "I'm that man, Matt Dillon, United States Marshal -- the first man they look for and the last they want to meet. It's a chancy job, and it makes a man watchful . . . and a little lonely." Matt provided bits of narration for many of the radio episodes, usually to help set the scene for the listener or to provide observations that assisted with character development. In the radio series, Matt often struggled with the need to utilize violence in order to fulfill his duties. He also struggled with the frequent needless tragedies that he was forced to witness. These factors led him to become snappish and impatient at times, but he nevertheless managed to remain sufficiently in control of his emotions to perform his difficult job capably and impartially. In the radio version, Matt would speak frequently of the still-fragile acceptance of law and order on the frontier and he would sometimes determine his course of action based upon what he honestly felt was necessary to preserve its long-term acceptance. In the radio version, Matt spoke of actual persons who were well known in the history of the American West, including Wyatt Earp and Billy the Kid (whose "supposed" origin figured in the very first episode of the radio series), and he often referred to Wild Bill Hickok as being a close personal friend.

In the television version (which ran from 1955 until 1975), and subsequent TV-movies (1987 to 1994), Matt was portrayed by James Arness. Since most of the early television episodes were based on stories and scripts from the radio version, Arness's initial interpretation and portrayal was similar to William Conrad's. However, as the television version continued, Arness's Matt evolved in a number of ways. In the television version, Matt became more resigned to the violent nature of his job, and he was generally less given to brooding about the dangers and tragedies inherent in it. Arness's Matt was somewhat more understanding and tolerant of people's foibles, and he was a bit more intuitive with respect to discerning persons who came to Dodge City with the intention of committing crimes. As Arness's Matt grew older and wiser, he became less inclined to use violence to subdue wrongdoers. However, he never hesitated to do so when the situation warranted. Because of Arness's large (6' 7") physical presence, most of Matt's adversaries seemed overmatched unless there were several of them. In any event, only the toughest or the most foolhardy individuals dared challenge him to a fair fight. On a few occasions, he even proved himself capable of defeating The West Old & New Page 6

burly bare-knuckle prize fighters. On television, Matt tended to be a man of fewer words, which can largely be attributed to the fundamental fact that television is a visual medium. Since the audience can see what is happening, there is less need to describe surroundings or events through the use of dialog. Arness's Matt thus naturally evolved into a "strong, silent" type of character who tended to act rather than talk at length about possible courses of action.

During the 9-year run of the radio version of Gunsmoke and the 20-year run of the television version, surprisingly little was revealed about Matt's family history or about events in his past that may have shaped his views or his attitude toward his work. In both the radio and the television episodes, stories would occasionally center around individuals with whom he had once been close friends. Usually his experiences with these friends involved jobs on the periphery of law enforcement, such as tracking down rustlers or lost cattle for ranch owners. It was often implied that he had led an adventurous and sometimes nomadic lifestyle before becoming a U. S. Marshal and one of his old friends proudly stated that "I knew Matt Dillon before he was civilized!" On another occasion, Matt stated that he had once been a preacher but that "...the pay was too small to support (his) gambling habit". This was apparently said in jest, as there was no other mention of it during the series' run on radio or television.

Certain of Matt's characteristics remained common to both the radio and television versions. Throughout both, Matt remained steadfast, honest, absolutely incorruptible, and dedicated to the cause of bringing genuine law and order to the violent and untamed American West. He rarely acted in an impetuous manner and he was invariably fair and impartial in the performance of his duties, even when it required subordinating his personal views concerning people or incidents.

However, a certain edge was often evident in his voice when dealing with individuals who seemed destined to cause trouble and he would occasionally mete out harsh treatment to those who publicly challenged his authority or unwisely pushed him too far. He was fast and accurate with the single gun he carried and could easily outdraw almost any adversary, despite the fact that he virtually always allowed them to draw first. Matt was also notably compassionate toward those who had fallen on hard times or who had lost a loved one to crime or violence. In both the television and the radio versions, his closest friends were his assistant Chester, town physician "Doc" Adams, and saloon-keeper Kitty Russell.

These three individuals were among Matt's few real friends because he knew that he could trust them in any situation.

In the television version, Chester was eventually replaced by Festus Haggen, an uneducated but savvy plainsman who ultimately became a badge-wearing Deputy U. S. Marshal (a position that always eluded Chester).

In both the radio and television versions, the exact nature of Matt's relationship with Kitty Russell was deliberately kept somewhat vague. Kitty was portrayed by Georgia Ellis in the radio version and by Amanda Blake in the television version. In both versions, she was initially just another saloon hostess, and a popular story holds that she was actually a prostitute in the early radio episodes. However, this was never actually stated (or even directly implied) in any of the story lines and Kitty eventually acquired a considerable measure of respectability by becoming a part-owner (and ultimately the sole owner) of the thriving Long Branch Saloon. In both the radio and television versions, Matt frequently dined and socialized with Kitty and he rarely showed more than polite interest in any other woman. Kitty was similarly devoted to Matt. Her job brought her into daily contact with many different men from all walks of life, but she seldom showed more than fleeting interest in any of them. It was evident that Kitty would have readily accepted Matt's proposal of marriage, but she was a realist. She was well aware that Matt was reluctant to marry because the high-risk nature of his job could have made her a widow at any time. She nevertheless found this situation difficult to accept at times, and she would occasionally decide to leave Dodge City to pursue other opportunities or relationships. This occurred more often in the television episodes than it did in the radio episodes, and it typically occurred after Matt had inadvertently been thoughtless. Kitty always returned to Dodge City and to her duties at the Long Branch, though, and on occasion Matt would demonstrate a profound depth of feeling for her. In any event, they always remained devoted to one another in their own unique fashion. Over time, Matt also learned to have considerable respect for Kitty's ability to spot female troublemakers. Whenever he disregarded Kitty's warnings about the intentions or character of a particular woman, he invariably regretted it.

An early (November 29, 1952) radio episode that was simply titled "Kitty" provided a particularly significant insight into a major reason for the affinity that the two felt toward one another. Matt invites Kitty to a public dance and she is reluctant to accept for fear that she will be viewed with disdain due to her vocation as a saloon hostess. Matt is persistent and Kitty eventually relents, but her instincts prove correct. She is shunned and treated rudely by the respectable citizens in attendance, including a few men who avidly seek her company in other venues. Genuinely hurt, Kitty abruptly leaves the dance in tears and Matt becomes uncharacteristically angry with several individuals who imply that it is improper for a U. S. Marshal to be seen in such company. Subsequently, Matt seeks Kitty out to comfort her and reassure her that she will always have his admiration, affection, and respect, regardless of the views of others. Kitty is moved and cheered by Matt's gesture and the episode ends with the two sharing a private dance in an empty barroom.

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of Dodge City regard him with trepidation (and even suspicion) because his job involves being "...paid to handle a bad element." It is apparent that the incident at the dance has considerably strengthened the bond and the trust between Matt and Kitty.

In a 1949 audition show for the radio series, the character was named "Mark Dillon," but by 1952, when the regular series aired, the name had been changed to Matt Dillon. When the program came to television in 1955, the first episode was introduced by John Wayne in a brief film clip in which Wayne predicted that James Arness would become a major star. He went on to play the part for the next twenty years. A popular story holds that Wayne himself had been offered the part and had turned it down. Charles Marquis Warren, who produced the first year of the television version of Gunsmoke and made the major casting decisions, stated that he had jokingly asked Wayne whether he would be interested in the part in a casual social setting. He added that Wayne had indicated in no uncertain terms that he had no interest whatsoever. Warren stated that the inquiry had not been serious inasmuch as Wayne could not realistically have been expected to abandon a thriving movie career for a less certain and less lucrative television role. Wayne did, however, recommend James Arness for the part and his offer to introduce the first episode was readily accepted by CBS. Others who had auditioned for the part included Raymond Burr, Richard Boone, Denver Pyle, and William Conrad. All would go on to other television successes. Conrad, in particular, would continue to portray Matt on the radio series until it ended in 1961. He would also go on to direct a number of television programs (including two episodes of Gunsmoke), to become "The Narrator" for the original television series of The Fugitive (1963–1967) and star in two television series, Cannon (1971–1976) and Jake and the Fat Man (1987–1992).

Amanda Blake played Kitty in the television series. In both the radio and television versions, the exact nature of Matt's relationship with Kitty Russell was deliberately kept somewhat vague. Kitty was portrayed by Georgia Ellis in the radio version and by Amanda Blake in the television version. In both versions, she was initially just another saloon hostess, and a popular story holds that she was actually a prostitute in the early radio episodes. However, this was never actually stated (or even directly implied) in any of the story lines and Kitty eventually acquired a considerable measure of respectability by becoming a part-owner (and ultimately the sole owner) of the thriving Long Branch Saloon. In both the radio and television versions, Matt frequently dined and socialized with Kitty and he rarely showed more than polite interest in any other woman. Kitty was similarly devoted to Matt. Her job brought her into daily contact with many different men from all walks of life, but she seldom showed more than fleeting interest in any of them. It was evident that Kitty would have readily accepted Matt's proposal of marriage, but she was a realist. She was well aware that Matt was reluctant to marry because the high-risk nature of his job could have made her a widow at any time. She nevertheless found this situation difficult to accept at times, and she would occasionally decide to leave Dodge City to pursue other opportunities or relationships.

This occurred more often in the television episodes than it did in the radio episodes, and it typically occurred after Matt had inadvertently been thoughtless. Kitty always returned to Dodge City and to her duties at the Long Branch, though, and on occasion Matt would demonstrate a profound depth of feeling for her. In any event, they always remained devoted to one another in their own unique fashion. Over time, Matt also learned to have considerable respect for Kitty's ability to spot female troublemakers. Whenever he disregarded Kitty's warnings about the intentions or character of a particular woman, he invariably regretted it.

An early (November 29, 1952) radio episode that was simply titled "Kitty" provided a particularly significant insight into a major reason for the affinity that the two felt toward one another. Matt invites Kitty to a public dance and she is reluctant to accept for fear that she will be viewed with disdain due to her vocation as a saloon hostess. Matt is persistent and Kitty eventually relents, but her instincts prove correct. She is shunned and treated rudely by the respectable citizens in attendance, including a few men who avidly seek her company in other venues. Genuinely hurt, Kitty abruptly leaves the dance in tears and Matt becomes uncharacteristically angry with several individuals who imply that it is improper for a U. S. Marshal to be seen in such company. Subsequently, Matt seeks Kitty out to comfort her and reassure her that she will always have his admiration, affection, and respect, regardless of the views of others. Kitty is moved and cheered by Matt's gesture and the episode ends with the two sharing a private dance in an empty barroom.

Matt's sincerity is obvious inasmuch as he himself sometimes finds that the respectable citizens of Dodge City regard him with trepidation (and even suspicion) because his job involves being "...paid to handle a bad element." It is apparent that the incident at the dance has considerably strengthened the bond and the trust between Matt and Kitty.

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Wagon Train 1957 - 1965

Wagon Train is an American Western series that ran on NBC 1957–62 and then on ABC 1962–65, although the network also aired daytime repeats, as Major Adams, Trailmaster and Trailmaster from January 1963 to September 1965. The show debuted at #15 in the Nielsen ratings, rose to #2 in the next three seasons, and peaked at #1 in the 1961–62 television season. After moving to ABC in the autumn of 1962, the ratings began to decline, and Wagon Train did not again make the Top 20 listing.

The series initially starred veteran movie supporting actor Ward Bond as the wagon master, later replaced upon his death by John McIntire, and Robert Horton as the scout, subsequently replaced by lookalike Robert Fuller a year after Horton had decided to leave the series.

The series was inspired by the 1950 film Wagon Master directed by John Ford and starring Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr. and Ward Bond, and harkens back to the early widescreen wagon train epic The Big Trail (1930) starring John Wayne and featuring Bond in his first major screen appearance playing a supporting role. Horton's buckskin outfit as the scout in the first season of the television series resembles Wayne's, who also played the wagon train's scout in the earlier film.

The show chronicles the adventures of a wagon train as it makes its way from Missouri to California. There were 284 episodes in 8 seasons: the first aired on September 18, 1957, and the final segment was broadcast on May 2, 1965.

In a first-season episode Adams says the war has been over for five years (suggesting the first season takes place in 1870, although, in "The Major Adams Story", part 1, it is clear that Adams had taken trains west in previous years, commencing "as soon as the war was over"). In season two, reference is made to the war ending six years earlier (1871) and to the presidential nomination of Ulysses S. Grant (1868), a neighbor of Adams before the war and eventually his commanding officer. In season three (in "The Vincent Eaglewood Story") Grant and Colfax are identified as the current President and VP, which dates it as Grant's first term (March 1869 to March 1873); but also in season three (in "The Countess Baranof Story") the storyline involves the impending sale of Alaska by Russia, but that transaction actually took place in 1867 under Pres. Andrew Johnson. "The Bernal Sierra Story" (first season) made extensive reference to the ongoing revolution in Mexico pitting Benito Juarez against Maximillian I of Mexico (aka Emperor Maximilian)-but that uprising ended decisively with Maximillian's capture and execution in 1867. "The Cathy Eckhardt Story" (fourth season, broadcast November 9, 1960) clearly shows the year is 1870, but in "The Charlene Brenton Story" (late third season, broadcast June 8, 1960) reference is made to Bill Hawks' having read the novel Ben-Hur, which was not published until 1880. The First Transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869, following approximately the same route as a wagon train from St. Joseph to Sacramento. This would have made wagon trains obsolete by the time most episodes in the series take place; however, little reference is made to railroads in the West during the series.

Like and most western television series of the 1950s and 1960s, the show is set a few years after the American Civil War, but whereas there were few Indians in Rawhide, they often turned up in Wagon Train, causing the wagons to form a circle.

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RAWHIDE - 1959 - 1965 Rawhide is an American Western series starring Eric Fleming and Clint Eastwood that aired for eight seasons on the CBS network on Friday nights, from January 9, 1959 to September 3, 1965, before moving to Tuesday nights from September 14, 1965 until January 4, 1966, with a total of 217 black-and-white episodes. The series was produced and sometimes directed by Charles Marquis Warren, who also produced early episodes of Gunsmoke.

Spanning seven and a half years, Rawhide was the fifth-longestrunning American television Western. The shows story line is set in the 1860s and is about the challenges faced by the men who rode in the cattle drives. With 20-25 riders looking after 3,000 head of cattle.

Gil (short for Gilbert Favor, episode 181) revealed this is about the maximum manageable size for a herd of cows. The cattle drive begins in San Antonio, Texas, and makes its way along the Sedalia Trail (Sedalia, the final destination, is in Missouri about 50 miles east from Kansas City). In later seasons Favor and crew push the cattle up the newer Chisum trail rather than the Sedalia Trail. The herd is estimated to be worth about $50,000–60,000 (about 1.3 million in 2010 dollars) if sold at market and represents a pool of cattle from approximately 200 owners. The trail boss carries a considerable sum of cash for all necessities and all possible emergencies. Pay was a dollar a day and Clint Eastwood "all you can eat" for the drovers. Riding drag was often a punishment since it was behind the herd, so a rider would pick up all of the herd's dust. Drives had a remuda, a pool of extra horses. If something happened to a man's horse, he would be useless without an instant replacement.

Usually the episode would be introduced by Gil Favor but sometimes by others. The typical Rawhide story involved drovers coming upon people on the trail and getting drawn into solving whatever problem they presented or were confronting. Sometimes one of the members of the cattle drive or some of the others would venture into a nearby town and encounter some trouble from which they needed to be rescued. Rowdy Yates was young and at times impetuous in the earliest episodes and Favor had to keep a tight rein on him. Favor was a savvy and strong leader who always played "square" with his fellow men. He was a tough customer who could handle the challenges and get the job done. Producer Charles Warren called on the diary written in 1866 by trail boss George C. Duffield to shape this character. Although Favor had the respect and loyalty of the men who worked for him, there were a few times when people, including Yates, were insubordinate under him after working too hard or after receiving a tongue lashing. Favor had to fight at times and always won. Some of the stories were obviously easier in production terms but the peak form of the show was convincing and naturalistic, and sometimes brutal. Its situations could range from parched plains to anthrax, ghostly riders to wolves, cattle raiding, bandits, murderers, and so forth. A problem on such drives was the constant need for water, and the scout spent much of his time looking for it, sometimes finding that water holes and even rivers had dried up. In some ways the show was similar to the TV series Wagon Train, which had debuted on NBC on September 18, 1957.

The series was not afraid to face tough issues. Robert Culp played an ex-soldier on the drive who had become dangerously addicted to morphine. Mexican drover Jesus (pronounced 'hey-soos") faced racism at times (from people outside of the crew). There was still anger left over from the Civil War which had ended only four years earlier, and the "Poco Tiempo" episode reveals that Rowdy's father's name was Dan, that Rowdy came from Southwestern Texas, and that he went off to war at 16 (being later held in a Union prison camp). Trail boss Favor had been a Confederate Captain in the war. 'Incident on The Edge of Madness' in season one, guest starring Lon Chaney Jr., saw Favor's old commanding officer attempting to enlist the aid of Favor and his men to start the 'New Confederacy of Panama' much to Favor's dismay, in this episode we learn that Favor and Nolan were in The West Old & New Page 10

the Confederate forces up on Marye's Heights at the Battle of Fredericksburg, and 'felt shamed' at having to gun down so many Union soldiers.

There were still American Indians about, though often not that wild, some still wanted cattle as payment for going through their land. There were rough characters in the shows and Gil Favor was tortured by having his face held near a fire in one episode. In another, 'Incident of The Town in Terror', people thought a sick Rowdy Yates had "the plague" (anthrax) and guns were used to enforce quarantine of the cattle drovers outside the town. There were also cattle rustlers, including Commancheros.

The show could on occasions be eerily atmospheric. 'Incident With an The Executioner' featured guest star Dan Duryea as a mysterious dark rider seen on the hillside following the herd, 'Incident of The Haunted Hills', guest starring John Drew Barrymore, featured a sacred Indian burial ground, 'Incident of The Druid Curse' and season two's 'Incident of The Murder Steer', where anyone sighting a rogue steer with 'Murder' carved on its side soon after dies....based on an actual legend of the old west, plus episodes with ghost towns, cattle with horns lit up by St. Elmo's fire at dusk, with cowboys struck by lightning, plus a strange totally enclosed gypsy wagon, apparently steering itself, repeatedly turning up etc., all stand out as curiously 'spooky' tales for a bustling dusty cattle drive...the show's often stark incidental music suited these stories perfectly.

Eastwood & Don Hight The eighth and final season saw Eric Fleming’s departure from the series after an apparent disagreement with producers. Clint Eastwood was promoted to series star as Rowdy Yates finally became the trail boss (this was hinted at earlier when several times Favor made it clear he was training the young ramrod to eventually "step into his boots" and become trail boss). The impression given is this was a later cattle drive with Yates now in charge, at a time after Favor had either 'retired' or given up as boss, presumably having made his money or opted for a career change since no mention is ever made onscreen of him or the reason for his absence in the final season's episodes, which had been exactly the case with the television show Wagon Train in the wake of series lead Ward Bond's abrupt death.

The show had quite a few guest appearances by well known actors: Claude Akins, Eddie Albert, Frankie Avalon, John Drew Barrymore, Charles Bronson, Lou Chaney, Jr., Broderick Crawford just to name a few.

The theme song's lyrics were written by Ned Washington in 1958. It was composed by Dimitri Tiomkin and sung by pop singer Frankie Laine. The theme song became very popular, and was covered several times and featured in movies such as The Blues Brothers and Shrek 2. The show ran eight seasons and had 217 episodes.

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin’ Keep movin', movin', movin', Though they're disapprovin', Keep them doggies movin' Rawhide!

Don't try to understand 'em, Just rope and throw and grab 'em, Soon we'll be living high and wide. Boy my heart's calculatin' My true love will be waitin', be waiting at the end of my ride.

Move 'em on, head 'em up, Head 'em up, move 'em out, Move 'em on, head 'em out Rawhide!

Set 'em out, ride 'em in Ride 'em in, let 'em out, Cut 'em out, ride 'em in Rawhide.

Source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/rawhidelyrics.html

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The Ponderosa & Cartwright Family 1959 - 1973 Bonanza an NBC television western series that ran from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series (behind Gunsmoke), and within the top 10 longest running, liveaction American series. It continues to air in syndication.

The show centers on the Cartwright family, who live in the area of Virginia City, Nevada, bordering Lake Tahoe. The series stars Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, Michael Landon, and later, David Canary.

The title "Bonanza" is a term used by miners in regard to a large vein or deposit of ore, and commonly refers to The Comstock Lode. In 2002, Bonanza was ranked No. 43 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time, and in 2013 TV Guide included it in its list of The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time. The time period for the television series is roughly between 1861 (Season 1) to 1867 (Season 13) during and shortly after the American Civil War. During the summer of 1972, NBC aired reruns of episodes from the 1967-1970 period in prime time on Sunday evening under the title Ponderosa.

The show chronicles the weekly adventures of the Cartwright family, headed by the thrice-widowed patriarch "Ben Cartwright". He had three sons, each by a different wife: the eldest was the urbane architect "Adam Cartwright" who built the ranch house; the second was the warm and lovable giant Eric "Hoss" Cartwright ; and the youngest was the hotheaded and impetuous Joseph or "Little Joe".

Via exposition Bonanza, "Rose For Lotta", premiere September 12, 1959 and included flashback episodes, each wife was accorded a different ethnicity: English (Bonanza, "Elizabeth My Love"; episode #65) Swedish (Bonanza, "Inger My Love", episode #95) and French Creole (Bonanza, "Marie My Love", episode #120) respectively. The family's cook was the Chinese immigrant Hop Sing played by Victor Sen Yung. Greene, Roberts, Blocker, and Landon were billed equally. The opening credits would alternate the order among the four stars.

The family lived on a 600,000+ acre ranch called the Ponderosa on the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe in Nevada. The vast size of the Cartwrights' land was quietly revised to "half a million acres" on Lorne Greene's 1964 song, "Saga of the Ponderosa." The ranch name refers to the Ponderosa Pine, common in the West. The near- The West Old & New Page 12

Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada to Russian-Jewish parents, Lorne Greene was chosen to play widowed patriarch Ben Cartwright.

Early in the show's history, he recalls each of his late wives in flashback episodes. A standard practice with most westerns was to introduce some romance but avoid matrimony. Few media cowboys had on-screen wives. Any time one of the Cartwrights’ seriously courted a woman, she died from a malady, was abruptly slain, or left with someone else. Greene appeared in all but twelve Bonanza episodes.

Waycross, Georgia-born Pernell Roberts played eldest son Adam, an architectural engineer with a university education. Adam built the impressive ranch house ("The Philip Diedesheimer Story", Oct. 31, 1959; "Bonanza: The Return", NBC TV, April 21, 1993). Roberts disdained the assembly-line mindset of serial television (a rigid 34 episode season), and fought with series writers regarding Adam's lack of independence, noting that his 30-plus year old character was dependent on his "Pa's" approval.

Dan Blocker was 6-foot-4, 320-pounds when chosen to play the gentle middle son Eric, better known as Hoss. According to a biography, the show's crew found Blocker to be the "least actor-ish as well as the most likeable" cast member. According to producer David Dortort: "Over the years he gave me the least amount of trouble."

In May 1972, Blocker died suddenly from a post-operative pulmonary embolism following surgery to remove a failing gall bladder.

The producers felt nobody else could continue the role. It was the first time a TV show's producers chose to kill off a major male character.

Michael Landon played the youngest, feistiest Cartwright son, whose mother (Felicia in the pilot, and later changed to Marie) was of French Creole descent. Landon began to develop his skills in writing and directing Bonanza episodes, starting with "The Gamble." Most of the episodes Landon wrote and directed were dramas, including the 1972 two-hour, "Forever", which was recognized by TV Guide as being one of television's best specials (November 1993). Landon's development, was a bit stormy according to David Dortort, who felt that the actor grew more difficult during the last five seasons the show ran. Landon appeared in all but fourteen Bonanza episodes for its run, a total of 416 episodes.

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est town to the Ponderosa was Virginia City, where the Cartwrights’ would go to converse with Sheriff Roy Coffee played by veteran actor Ray Teal, or his deputy Clem Foster played by Bing Russell.

Bonanza was considered an atypical western for its time, as the core of the storylines dealt less about the range but more with Ben and his three dissimilar sons, how they cared for one another, their neighbors, and just causes. "You always saw stories about family on comedies or on an anthology, but Bonanza was the first series that was week-to-week about a family and the troubles it went through. Bonanza was a period drama that attempted to confront contemporary social issues. That was very difficult to do on television. Most shows that tried to do it failed because the sponsors didn't like it, and the networks were nervous about getting letters", explains Stephen Battaglio, a senior editor for TV Guide magazine (Paulette Cohn, "Bonanza: TV Trailblazer", American Profile Magazine, p. 12, June 5, 2009).

Episodes ranged from high drama ("Bushwacked", episode #392, 1971; "Shanklin", episode #409, 1972), to broad comedy ("Hoss and the Leprechauns", episode #146, 1964; "Caution, Bunny Crossing", episode #358, 1969), and addressed issues such as the environment ("Different Pines, Same Wind", episode #304, 1968), substance abuse ("The Hidden Enemy", episode #424, 1972), domestic violence ("First Love", episode #427, 1972), anti-war sentiment ("The Weary Willies", episode #364, 1970), and illegitimate births ("Love Child", episode #370, 1970; "Rock-A-Bye Hoss", episode #393, 1971). The series sought to illustrate the cruelty of bigotry against: Asians ("The Fear Merchants", episode #27, 1960; "The Lonely Man", episode #404, 1971), AfricanAmericans ("Enter Thomas Bowers", episode #164, 1964; "The Wish", episode #326, 1968; "Child", episode #305, 1969), Native Americans ("The Underdog", episode #180, 1964; "Terror at 2:00", episode #384, 1970), Jews, ("Look to the Stars", episode #90, 1962); Mormons ("The Pursued, episodes #239-40, 1966), the disabled ("Tommy", episode #249, 1966) and "little people" ("It's A Small World", episode #347, 1968).

Originally, the Cartwrights tended to be depicted as put-off by outsiders. Lorne Greene objected to this, pointing out that as the area's largest timber and livestock producer, the family should be less clannish. The producers agreed with this observation and changed the Cartwrights to be more amiable.

Despite the show's success, Roberts departed the series after the 1964–65 season (after 202 episodes) and returned to stage productions. Attempts to replace Adam with Little Joe's maternal half-brother Clay (Barry Coe) and Cartwright cousin Will (Guy "Zorro" Williams), were unsuccessful. Creator David Dortort introduced a storyline that would keep the character of Adam in the mix, but with a lighter schedule. During season six Adam falls for a widow with a young daughter, while making Will Cartwright a central figure. Scripts were quickly revised by having Adam's fiancee, and her daughter, depart the series prematurely, with Guy Williams' Will. It was Landon, not Roberts, who objected to the infusion of any new Cartwrights. After Roberts did leave the following year, it was eventually mentioned that Adam had gone "to sea", and in the later movies he had emigrated to Australia. In mid 1972, the series producers considered inviting Roberts back in the wake of Dan Blocker's passing: "One suggestion was to return Pernell Roberts, who had played another Cartwright son when Bonanza first hit the airwaves fourteen years ago. 'We only considered that briefly, producer Richard Collins says, Some people felt it was a logical step- the oldest son returning at a time of family need- but most of us didn't think it would work.'"

Hoss was the nickname used as a nod to the character's ample girth, an endearing term for "big and friendly", used by his Swedish mother (& Uncle Gunnar), or a rib to his humiliating, failed attempt to break a horse. In the Bonanza flashback. his mother Inger names him Eric after her father. To satisfy young Adam, Inger and Ben agree to try the nickname Hoss and "see which one sticks." Inger says of "Hoss", "In the mountain country, that is the name for a big, friendly man." Not until the TVmovie Bonanza: The Next Generation was it explained that Hoss had drowned attempting to save a woman's life.

Beginning in 1962, a foundation was being laid to include another "son", as Pernell Roberts was displeased with his character.

In the episode "First Born" (1962), viewers learn of Little Joe's older, maternal half-brother Clay Stafford. The character departed in that same episode, but left an opportunity for a return if needed. This character's paternity is open to debate. In the 1963 flashback episode "Marie, My Love", his father was Jean De'Marigny. Then in 1964, Lorne Greene released the song "Saga of the Ponderosa", wherein Marie's previous husband was "Big Joe" Collins, who dies saving Ben's life. After Ben consoles Marie, the two bond and marry. They choose to honor "Big Joe" by calling their son "Little Joe". So, whether to Stafford, De'Marigny or Collins, Marie Cartwright was previously married. In the last of the three Bonanza TV movies, it is revealed that "Little Joe" had died in the Spanish–American War - a member of the "Rough Riders" Chinese American actor Victor Sen Yung played the Cartwrights' happy-go-lucky cook, whose blood pressure rose when the family came late for dinner. Cast here as the faithful domestic, the comedy relief character had little to do beyond chores. He once used martial arts to assail a towering family foe. Though often referenced, Hop Sing only appeared in an average of eight to nine shows each season. As a semi-regular cast member, Sen Yung was only paid per episode. After 14 years, he was widely known, but making far less than his Ponderosa peers. The Hop Sing character was central in only two episodes: "Mark Of Guilt" (#316) and "The Lonely Man" (#404).

The theme music was composed by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston and the opening theme song, Bonanza was composed by David Rose, Walter Scharf, Harry Sukman, Fred Steiner, and William Lava.

There were 430 episodes playing on Sunday nights from September 1961 until April of 1972.

The Bonanza Horses Perhaps the unsung stars of "Bonanza" are the horses themselves. The stars of the series were

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happy with their horses, because the main purpose was to carry the rider and were cast just for this part.

Because the show was filmed in color and because the different personalities of the Cartwrights, the horses that were selected would be distinct before the cameras and still relate to their riders. The horses weren't owned by the actors. They were rented from Fat Jones Stables in North Hollywood. The firm specialized in renting horses and horse-drawn rolling stock to movie and TV productions since 1912.

In 1970, the stable sold off a good deal of their livestock, which included the Paint horses rode by Michael Landon, for a sum of $19,000 dollars. He was supplied with new mounts for the final three seasons of the series. The era of Western films was coming to a final curtain. Fat Jones Stables closed their business in 1975.

Michael Landon once related in an interview on The Tonight Show, that Lorne did not like horses and could be heard mumbling in disgust when he had to mount or ride one. On many occasions, Lorne would say, "Whoa, you son of a bitch", when he would bring Buck to a dead halt.

The real names of the horses the Cartwright sons rode were Streak, Slippers and Tomahawk.

Michael Landon selected a beautiful Paint horse for his new mount, in the show he is called Cochise, named after the famous Indian. He stood 15. 3 hands high and weighed 1,150 pounds. Michael rode Cochise the first six years of Bonanza, who had two stunt Paint horses double him, the first season, in June-July 1959 at Sand Harbor and Tahoe Meadows, and the second Paint double used in the fourth season at Truckee and Iverson Ranch in 1962, fifth season again at Iverson Ranch in 1963, and seventh season at Red Rock Canyon, California in 1965.

During the sixth year in October 1964, a deranged intruder broke into the Fat Jones Stable when everyone was asleep and stabbed the Paint and a few of the others horses very badly. Some of the other horses the vet was able to save, but the Paint and the others had to be euthanized. Michael was very saddened by this and put out a reward, but the authorities never apprehended the killer.

Lorne Greene was also shaken and said if this had happened to Buck, he didn't know what he would do if anything happened to his horse.

An acrylic painting by Jim Erickson of Hot Springs, Montana.

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The Virginian 1962 - 1971 The Virginian (known as The Men From Shiloh in its final year) is an American Western television series starring James Drury and Doug McClure, which aired on NBC from 1962 to 1971 for a total of 249 episodes. It was a spin-off from a 1958 summer series called Decision. Filmed in color, The Virginian became television's first 90-minute western series (75 minutes excluding commercial breaks). Immensely successful, it ran for nine seasons—television's third longest running western behind Bonanza and Gunsmoke.

Set in the late nineteenth century, and loosely based on the 1902 novel by Owen Wister, the series revolved around the tough foreman of the Shiloh Ranch, played

by James Drury. He and his top hand Trampas (Doug McClure) were the only characters to remain with the show for the entire run. As in the book, the foreman went only by the name "The Virginian." The Virginian's real name was never revealed in the nine years the show was on the air. The series was set in Medicine Bow, Wyoming. Various references in the first season indicate that setting is about 1898 - in episode 5, "The Brazen Bell," guest star George C. Scott quotes from Oscar Wilde's The Ballad of Reading Gaol, which was first published in 1898, in episode 7, "Riff Raff," several of the main characters join Theodore Roosevelt's James Drury Rough Riders, the volunteer cavalry unit formed in 1898 and in episode 11, "The Devil's Children," the grave marker for one of the characters that dies in the episode states 1898 as the year of death. The series circled around the foreman's quest to maintain an orderly lifestyle at Shiloh. The ranch was named after the two day American Civil War Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee. The Virginian's white Appaloosa was named Joe D., and Trampas' buckskin horse was named Buck. As the show progressed, Trampas became the more developed of the characters, and it continues to be the role for which actor Doug McClure was best known.

In season 9, the name of the program was changed to The Men from Shiloh and the look of the series was completely redesigned. Ownership was changed once more, and Colonel Alan MacKenzie (Stewart Granger) took over. In several countries, including the United Kingdom, the show went under the extended title The Virginian: Men From Shiloh. The opening theme song was changed to a new one, composed by Ennio Morricone, and the look of the show was changed reflecting a style similar to spaghetti westerns, which were very popular at the time. The hats worn featured much broader brims and higher crowns. The clothing was also jauntier and more imaginative. These changes brought a better ranking (#18) in the top 30 prime-time shows, after the previous year saw the show slip out of the top 30 rankings for the first time ever. The final season operated on a "rotating lead actor" basis of the four stars, with normally just one lead appearing each week. Two of the four lead actors, Lee Majors and Doug McClure, never appeared together in the last season. The ranch itself played a very nominal part in season 9, with most scripts featuring the four stars away from the ranch. There seemed little that could save it, as the final season brought in several big guest stars to the remaining episodes. The studio and network were set on ending the series, as evidenced by rivals CBS and ABC making demographic moves away from rural-oriented shows. The final episode aired on March 24, 1971, ending the show's nineseason run.

The Virginian foreman of the Shiloh Ranch was loosely based on the character in the Owen Wister novel. He always stood his ground firmly. Respected by the citizens of Medicine Bow and the hands of the ranch, he was a prominent figure in Medicine Bow. In the series, the Virginian is the ranch foreman from the first episode. This way, the producers were able to establish a feeling that he had been there for a while, and thus keep a consistent story line. In the book, however, the Virginian was the deputy foreman, and only became the foreman after a promotion from the Judge.

When making the show, the producers chose not to reveal the Virginian's real name, and little about his past was actually made known. This succeeded in making the Virginian an intriguing and mysterious character. The foreman worked under four ranch owners throughout the series.

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The Native American riding a horse in the Hot Springs, Montana mural was painted by Kathy Roullier.

Hot Springs, Montana is at the edge of the Flathead Indian Reservation and borders the eastern edge of the Cabinet Wilderness area. It maintains a population of over 500 people and has been known for over a hundred years for the natural healing geothermal water that flows year round from artesian wells across the small village.

In 1998 Leo Harties, an artist of many genre’s, saw the potential for a mural on a long wall in the downtown area of the small town. He rallied artists, brushes and paint and over time with the help of many hands it came to life. This summer he plans to have a major restoration and finishing effort take place.

To the visitor the mural might seem a lot of activity with no direction, but to the trained eye of the people who have lived here for a long time, it is a beautifully woven compilation of the people who have brought the town alive over a long period of time.

Musicians, dogs, cars and scenes from the area chronicle the hundred years since the homesteaders moved onto the reservation in 1910.

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The Granite County Museum & Cultural Center The Granite County Museum and Cultural Center, housed in the former Courtney Hotel on South Sansome Street in Philipsburg, Montana was founded in 1991 thanks to the tireless efforts of volunteers and the generous donations of supporters. The price of admission is $4.00 for adults and free for children under the age of twelve.

The main floor of the museum welcomes visitors to view a revolving display of historical exhibits, including photos, clothing, and other belongings of former Granite County residents. Downstairs is a mural of a mining community, complete with an assay office, a bank with a miner's coin collection, and a reconstructed miner's cabin to see how the early prospectors lived.

In 1996, a replica of an underground silver mine was built in the museum. The simulated mine shaft and drift is realistic and includes a compressor, a hoist house, several ore cars, and various other pieces of mining equipment, offering the visitor a glimpse into the daily routine of a turn-of-the-century underground miner.

Museum & Cultural Center Admission Children 12 and under-free, Adults $4.00 Memorial Day-Labor Day Hour 12pm-4pm Winter Hours by appointment only (406) 859-3020 www.granitecountymuseum.com/ The West Old & New Page 20

Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park The West Old & New Page 21

The Lewis & Clark Caverns Whitehall, Montana Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park is located in southeastern Jefferson County, Montana. The primary feature of the park is its namesake cavern.

The caverns have been familiar to Native Americans since long before their discovery by Europeans. The Lewis and Clark Expedition camped within sight of the caverns on July 31, 1805, when they camped along Antelope Creek. The cavern was first discovered by non-Native Americans in 1882 by two people from Whitehall, Montana, Charles Brooke and Mexican John. However, they told few people and at the time their discovery did not become well known. In 1892, local ranchers Tom Williams and Bert (or Burt) Pannel saw steam coming from the caverns while hunting. In 1898, Williams finally explored the caverns. Williams wanted to begin giving tours to the caverns but in 1900 a court battle over ownership ensued and the railroad won. In 1908, the railroad gave the land to the federal government.

The cave was first developed for tours around 1900 by Dan A. Morrison, who called it Limespur Cave. The site was first officially established as "Lewis and Clark Cavern National Monument" on May 11, 1908, but was not fully surveyed and declared until May 16, 1911, by President Taft as 160 acres (0.65 km2). The limestone cave is named after the explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark since the cavern overlooks over 50 miles (80 km) of the trail from the Lewis and Clark Expedition along the Jefferson River, although Lewis and Clark never saw the cavern. Lewis and Clark did however pass through portions of the modern day park. It is located approximately 45 miles (72 km) west of Bozeman, Montana, and 60 miles (97 km) northwest from the northwest corner of Yellowstone National Park. The caverns are also notable in that much of the work done to make the cave system accessible to tourists was performed by the New Deal-era Civilian Conservation Corps.

It was disbanded as a national monument on August 24, 1937, and transferred to the state of Montana. The site was formally dedicated in 1941 as Montana's first state park.

Lewis and Clark Caverns was dissolved by slightly acidic groundwater in tilted beds of the Madison Limestone of Mississippian age. This limestone was formed by layers of calcium rich organisms that died in a sea that was present around 325 and 365 million years ago. Reddish sandstone, known as the Amsden, laid down in the Pennsylvanian age was uplifted to current heights during the Laramide Orogeny around 70 million years ago. This uplift constructed joints in the Madison Limestone that would later become caves, such as the Lewis and Clark Caverns. Most of the cave was probably excavated during the ice ages, a time of much greater water supply than today.

There used to be thousands of western big-eared bats in the caverns but now there are only about 100 females, which nest inside the caverns. The males are believed to live in other caves nearby. These bats eat thousands of bugs every day. Bats have opposable thumbs and are "the only mammals capable of true flight." The year 2012 was declared the "Year of the Bat" at the caverns, with a special celebration from August 7–11.

The guano of these bats was collected by the Civilian Conservation Corps during World War II and used to make TNT. There are also lots of springtails in the caves.

The park is open every day of the year except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Available activities and amenities include: amphitheater, bicycling, bird watching, camping, restrooms, camper dump station, fire rings, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, kennels, kiosk and information station, cabins, parking, photography, picnicking with tables, playgrounds, retail firewood, ice, trails, freshwater, and wildlife. Guided tours of the caverns are available from May 1-September 30, are 2 miles (3.2 km) in distance, and last 2 hours.

Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park is located at 25 Lewis and Clark Caverns Rd in Whitehall, Mt. It is open View from the cave entrance. from 8:20 a.m. to 5 p.m. The phone number is (406) 2873541. The caverns are managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

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The Worst Coal Mine Disaster in Montana History Site of the Smith Mine disaster

The Smith Mine disaster was the worst coal mining disaster in the State of Montana, and the 43rd worst in the United States, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

On February 27, 1943, at approximately 9:37 a.m., an explosion ripped through Smith Mine No. 3, a coal mine located between the towns of Bearcreek and Washoe. Since it was a Saturday, there was a short crew in the mine. Of the 77 men working that day, only three got out of the mine alive, and one of the rescue workers died soon afterwards. The report from the United States Bureau of Mines states that 30 of the men were killed instantly by the explosion, and the remainder died either through injuries sustained in the explosion, or through suffocation from the carbon monoxide and methane gas in the mine. The explosion was deep underground, and was not even heard from the mouth of the mine, despite having enough power to knock a 20-ton locomotive off its tracks 0.25 mile (0.4 km) from the blast origin.

All of the bodies were removed from the mine. There is a highway plaque near the mouth of the mine, which was never reopened, and there are memorials in the cemeteries in Bearcreek and nearby Red Lodge, the county seat for Carbon County.

The explosion was attributed to a build-up of methane gas in the mine. The cause of detonation is unknown, but various reports note that men were allowed to smoke in the mine, and that fuses for blasting were lit with matches.

Memorial of the Smith Mine disaster

Speculator Mine Disaster, Butte On June 8, 1917, at about 11:30 p.m., a fire began in the 2,400 foot level of the Granite Mountain Shaft of the Speculator Mine. The fire was touched off by a shift boss when his carbide lamp ignited some oil-soaked electrical cable.

Flames roared up the shaft to the surface and into the night sky. Of the 410 men who went to work on the night shift, 165 died. It was the worst catastrophe in the history of Butte mining. (Butte Miner, June 9, 1917)

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Detail from mural in Hot Springs, Montana.