D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • FA L L 2 0 2 6
6
Fall
TA B L E O F
C O N T E N T S C O N T E N T S
TOM
RATH
2026
ISSUE
8 A NOTE FROM OUR PUBLISHER
10 OUR CONTRIBUTORS
14 2026 BEST OF MONTANA
40 TREASURE STATE TABLE:
SPUDNUTS, CHICKEN LICKIN' MUFFINS,
AND PIG AND WHISTLE CAKE
44 LAST BEST BOOKS
48 THE OLD BROKE RANCHER'S TRAVELS WITH ERNIE
by Gary Shelton
52 ONE HANDSHAKE AT A TIME:
JFK'S COURTSHIP OF MONTANA
by Joseph Shelton, illustrations by Robert Rath
62 SEARCHING FOR INITIAL POINTS
by Steve Gardiner
68 THE BALLAD OF GEORGE BRUFFEY
by Ross Peterson
74 A HOMECOMING FOR EDMONIA
AND SAMUEL LEWIS AT TINWORKS
by Nick Mitchell
80 SOME NOTES ON THE METAPHYSICS
OF THE NINEPIPE RESERVOIR PAINTED TURTLES
by Joseph Shelton
86 THE NINEPIPES MUSEUM OF EARLY MONTANA:
A RICH CHEFF FAMILY HERITAGE
by Doug Stevens
90 A SKI LODGE WITH A RUNWAY:
BOZEMAN'S AIRPORT EXPANDS
by Sherman Cahill
98 SUGAR BEETS AND TUMBLEWEEDS:
BILLINGS THROUGH AN ARTIST'S EYES
by Lindsay Tran
102 GET TO KNOW PONDERA COUNTY
article and photos by Bryan Spellman
110 MONTANA MUSINGS
by Bill Muhlenfeld
111 AD INDEX
112 DOWN THE TRAIL
