"Night At The Museum" A Big Success
Author: Matt Nelson
"Night at the Museum" a Big Success
Matt Nelson
Old Baldy Adult Education sponsored the Night at the Museum on Monday evening, January 13th. Broadwater County Museum curator Linda Huth led a group of people on a very good tour of the museum, during which time she answered the four questions about four photos published in the MT43 News on January 3rd and 10th in the advertisements about the Night at the Museum. Much of the information in this article was extracted from the Broadwater Bygones, published in 1977. A copy may be purchased at the museum.
Question 1 asked “Who is this?” and showed an old photograph of a man, Question 2 asked “What building is this?” with a photograph of a building under construction, Question 3 asked “What is this?” about a drawing that looked like a pictograph of two horsemen, and Question 4 asked, “Where is this?” with a photograph that showed an old town located somewhere in Broadwater County.
W.E. Tierney is the answer to the 1st question, “Who is this?” In the Broadwater Bygones, there is a photo similar to the one that Linda is standing near, with a caption that says, “W.E. Tierney, founder of Canton Store, about 1875.” The photo above the portrait of Mr. Tierney is of the Townsend Mercantile Co. and the one behind Linda is of the Remodeled Mercantile, 1905 (China Department). Quoting from the Broadwater ByGones,
“Mr. Tierney was born in Ireland but came to Confederate Gulch from Virginia City in 1865. Mr. Tierney had many and varied interests. He also had interests in Canton, Hassel and other locations. He and his partners, J.R. Marks and Dan D. McCarthy built the W.E. Tierney & co. and the Townsend House Hotel. Mr. Marks was manager of the Townsend House and Mr. McCarthy was the manager of the store.
He was a familiar figure around Townsend in his declining years and held in universal esteem. Broadwater County owes much to him. He died in the D’Arcy Block, which had the nicest rooms in Townsend at that time, and are now the rooms of the Gamble Store. He is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery.”
Linda is holding a photograph of The Commercial Hotel, the answer to question 2, “What building is this?” Again, quoting from the Broadwater Bygones, “The Commercial Hotel, Billie Pierce’s hotel came five years after Townsend’s first, The Townsend House, and gave the new town two large and fine hotels. The Commercial was built by William (Billie) Pierce in 1889 and has weathered time in a remarkable way. Although renovated and enlarged from time to time during the 136 years since the main part of the building was constructed it still stands.”
Inside the museum there is a buffalo robe with Native American-style paintings that has been duplicated from the original. The museum has had the original robe for many years and a few years ago had it replicated, which is the one in the photographs. The photo of the two horsemen is similar to the one in the MT43 News asking, “What is this?” and there is another photo of the entire buffalo robe.
The Hassel, Montana Mining Camp is the answer to Question 4, asking “Where is this?” Quoting from Kathy Weiser© (https://www.legendsofamerica.com/hassel-montana/) and last updated in February 2000, “Situated near Indian Creek in Broadwater County, Montana, Hassel was first called Saint Louis when it got its start in 1869 after gold had been discovered in the nearby (Indian) creek.
The camp was most famous for its huge Diamond Hill 120-Stamp Mill which operated from 1898 to 1900.
Although the Broadwater County Museum is only open from May 15th to September 15th, with the exception of July 4, it is highly suggested that you visit it, either for the first time or again, even if you have visited it many times before. If you are lucky, you will have Linda Huth as your guide. Also, if you don’t have a copy of the Broadwater Bygones, buy one. There is so much information about Broadwater County in it.
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PhotoCredit: Matt Nelson Photo
Image 1 Caption: Broadwater County Museum Curator Linda Huth is talking about W.E Tierney
Matt Nelson Photo
Image 2 Caption: Linda is holding a photograph of the Commercial Hotel
Matt Nelson Photo
Image 3 Caption: This is a close-up photo of two Native American horsemen on the duplicated buffalo robe, located in the museum
Matt Nelson Photo
Image 4 Caption: The entire duplicated buffalo robe.
Matt Nelson Photo
Image 5 Caption: The Hassel, Montana Mining Camp
Matt Nelson Photo
