Distinctly Montana Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.distinctlymontana.com/i/1479010
D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 2 24 that strives to save and protect Montana's historic places, traditional landscapes, and cultural heritage. Chere Jiusto is the Executive Director for Preserve Mon- tana, and she says their group is actively helping to catalog the history of the state and find the resources necessary to preserve the most important and most endangered sites among us. "A lot of work we have been doing recently is trying to look at the baseline of what's out there, what iconic buildings best represent the history of Montana that everybody shares, and the biggest threats to them," Jiusto says. "There are many places that aren't listed (on the Register) that could be," she says. "For example, we just wrapped up a survey across the state of every standing schoolhouse. We ended up with about 1,000 historical schoolhouses. Only a few of those are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. And several of them could be." Jiusto says sometimes a historical landmark or building isn't listed but is still important to the community. "They still tell the story of how that community came to be and shaped it over time. In those cases, we will try to find solutions to keep them intact." Montana is a relatively young state, so some may think its history is not as important as the history in other places. But our landmarks and places are touchstones. They tell the sto- ry of our state and its people. Montana, like all places, will continue to evolve. Change is the one thing that is constant, but our landmarks and historic places help mark the time. With so many disappearing, though, it begs the question… which ones will remain when all the others have been torn down? FOR MORE LOST IN MONTANA OR OTHER TERRIFIC PHOTOS, VISIT TODDKLASSY.COM LOTHAIR, AN UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY IN WESTERN LIBERTY COUNTY, MONTANA, WAS A STOP ON THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY AND FOUNDED IN 1910, ABOUT THE TIME THIS GRAIN ELEVATOR WAS CONSTRUCTED. IT STOOD FOR OVER 100 YEARS BEFORE IT WAS TORN DOWN IN 2014.