This event was made possible by funding from  ​Blackfoot Telecommunications and Montana Cultural Trust.

Partial funding for this project was also provided by Montana’s Cultural Trust.

MAR 2, 2018

Oral History Review

MARCH 11, 2016
Unsolved Mysteries of the Swan

For most, the Swan Valley is a bucolic respite from the hustle and bustle of urban life but, it has been rumored, that the Valley was also an ideal hide-out for those running from the law in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Dick Groom, as the story goes, came to the Swan carrying a running iron that he used to re-brand stolen horses and cattle.

It has also been speculated that several prospectors have mysteriously disappeared while heading into the hills to search for riches. Frenchy Taylor, who claimed to have found gold, may have encountered foul play at the hand of his 'partners.'

And, folklore has it that some, who simply went for a walk, may have vanished without a trace. Eugene Prange for instance, hiked into the Mission Mountains in 1958 and was never heard from again. Or was he?

This Upper Swan Valley Historical Society's Friday Program featured the tales, folklore and history of the Unsolved Mysteries of the Swan!

Partial funding for this project was also provided by Montana’s Cultural Trust.

"Bud's Place" Has Good Showing
By COLLEEN KESTERSON, Seeley Swan Pathfinder, May 11, 2017
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Nearly 80 people attended the showing of the movie "Bud's Place" May 5 at the Swan Valley Community Hall. The 60-minute film, sponsored by Alpine Artisans, Swan Valley Connections and the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society told the story of the late Swan Valley resident William "Bud" Moore, a renowned forester...

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This event was made possible by funding from  ​Blackfoot Telecommunications and Montana Cultural Trust.

MAY 3, 2019

Remembering Swan Valley's Fire History in Stories

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Unsolved Mysteries Linger in the Swan Valley
By COLLEEN KESTERSON
​Seeley Swan Pathfinder, March 31, 2016

Friday Programs

MARCH 3, 2017

Swan Valley Place Names

Photos by Helene Michael

JUNE 3, 2016

Rustics & Log Home Building in the Swan Valley

MAY 4, 2018

Wildlife Encounters

JUNE 5, 2015
A historical overview of logging in the Valley by Neil Meyer and friends.

MAR 1, 2019

The Swan Valley through the lens of Leon Kauffman

Rustics Memories Shared
By COLLEEN KESTERSON
Seeley Swan Pathfinder, June 23, 2016

Nearly 65 people gathered on the lawn of the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) museum June 3 to hear stories about the former Rustics of Lindbergh Lake (Rustics) from people who were employed by the log home company.

USVHS president Steve Lamar said log crafters started settling the Swan Valley one hundred years ago. He shared how Rustics got started when Jim Busch had an idea for a way to make a living and at the same time help valley residents gain employment...

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Photos by Anne Dahl and  Helene Michael

Author Describes Swan Valley Place Names
By COLLEEN KESTERSON
​Seeley Swan Pathfinder, March 9, 2017

Photos by Colleen Kesterson/Pathfinder, Helene Michael, and Susan Novosel

Photos by Anne Dahl, Helene Michael, and Sharon and Steve Lamar

This event was made possible by funding from  Blackfoot Telecommunications, Valley Bookkeeping & Tax Service, and Montana Cultural Trust.

Photo by Steve Lamar

Ted Richardson recalling firefighting in the Swan Valley at the May 3rd First Friday Storytelling event. Photo: Anne Dahl.

MAY 5, 2017

Bud's Place

Co-hosted by Alpine Artisans, Swan Valley Connections and the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society

Photos by Helene Michael

Logging Has Seen Changes Through The Years
​By Colleen Kesterson
​Seeley Swan Pathfinder, June 18, 2015 (PDF)

Steve Lamar presenting his Unsolved Mysteries of the Swan program. Photo by Helene Michael.

A creature of wilderness:
Documentary recounts remarkable life of Bud Moore
By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian, March 11, 2017

Bud Moore spent much more time in the mountains than he did in school.

The man who reached eighth grade at the one-room Woodside Elementary School in six years went on to retire as the chief of fire and aviation for the U.S. Forest Service with an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Montana...

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