W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA NA . C O M
71
This excerpt is from
Fifty-Six Counties:
A Montana Journey
Copyright © 2016
by Russell Rowland.
Published by Bangtail Press
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5 LOCATIONS IN
WESTERN MONTANA
WHITEFISH 406.863.3060
BIGFORK 406.837.6100
MISSOULA 406.541.7020
Each office is Independently
Owned and Operated
FARM & RANCH GOLF SKIING WATERFRONT
Charles and
Nancy Russell
Joseph Kinsey Howard
graduating from
high school there.
After starting out
as a journalist, Howard eventually wrote several
nonfiction books about Montana, with his first,
Montana: High, Wide and Handsome, being one of
the best historical accounts of Montana.
Great Falls can boast one of the best news-
papers in the state. For decades, the Great Falls
Tribune was the only major newspaper in the state
that wasn't controlled by "e Company," which
also made it the only newspaper that had the
courage to write honestly about what was going
on in Butte and Anaconda.
I really want to believe Ken Robison in the
worst way. Robison is a likeable guy, with a round
face and twinkling blue eyes that exude kindness.
I don't want
any town in
Montana to
suffer. I want
them all to
thrive and
grow. But
Great Falls
doesn't seem to have the signs I've seen in other
places. I tend to go by the body language of the
people in each of these towns. e people of Great
Falls are friendly, as friendly as anyone else in the
state. But there simply isn't that sense of hope
and optimism that I see in places like Bozeman
or Helena. I believe that Ken is probably right
about this town being on the rebound. But I think
perhaps it will take longer than he realizes.
