Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w. d i s t i n c t ly m o n ta n a . c o m 53 England. In order to save their struggling horse farm, Evelyn took up photography, creating photographs in her kitchen, while often singlehandedly running the ranch. Her journals and photographs are filled with images of friends, strang- ers, weddings, sheepherders, railroads, wildlife, along with women doing men's work such as branding, plowing, roping. After her death, the photos were discovered and published by Time Life Books. The photographers among us are especially impressed. gLENDIVE • Hell Creek Music Store, one of the top 100 in the country as deemed by the National Association of Music Merchants. We see a $25,000 guitar, hand-carved guitars, and on the ceiling a Michelangelo- inspired art work of God's finger reaching out to a guitarist. If Evelyn Cameron's work was a photographer's inspiration, this store is a musician's mecca. • Doug Smith of the Sheridan County Planning Office joins us. He's tall, lanky, quiet, and informative. makoShIka StatE park We get here before sunset Friday night so we can walk in the strange and beauti- ful landscape, created by erosion and mineral-laden soft sedimentary rocks inter- mingled with pines and junipers. "Makoshika" is a Lakota word for "badlands." These rock layers are older than those in the Dakotas. Relics from 10 species of dinosaurs have been found here. Saturday we drive through the easternmost part of Montana and see oil rigs near the road as well as trains pulling oil cars. We also see large trailers, called "man camps", and threaten to leave our man there if he misbehaves. I am glad to see for myself the apparent effects of this new "boom" (Montana has known five or six). I have heard only negatives but locals tell us that they have a favorable impression because of money spent on infrastructure. True, one can see small new "settle- ments." Yet, analysts think the oil boom is on an unstable trajectory and wonder what would happen to this agricultural area in a bust? A half-mile east, just into N. Dakota, I see where the beloved Yellowstone River ends, blending into the Missouri River. I find it par- ticularly moving to see the way these rivers flow, for in Three Forks we have the Madison, Jefferson, and Gallatin joining the Missouri. fort uNIoN traDINg poSt rENDEzVouS A large square representation of the exact settle- ment constructed for trade between 1828-1867 lies on the Upper Missouri River. Tribal leaders offered buffalo robes, furs of beaver/fox/otter in exchange for beads, knives, guns, and metal pots. At this year's Reenactment no actual Indians show up but the whites include potters, blacksmiths, bowmakers, gunsmiths, cooks, and beadwork. In the past, natives negotiated with the settlers in a private room. Then the goods were passed through a window, like money in a bank. George Catlin, John James Audubon, Karl Bodner, and Jim Bridger came here. Glendive Makoshika State Park Fort Union COnTinUED

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