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Broadwater County Farm Bureau: "Dun Movin"
Author: Missy Cox, Broadwater County Farm Bureau

Broadwater County Farm Bureau: "Dun Movin'"

Missy Cox

Broadwater County Farm Bureau

Long-time Townsend residents may have heard of Shirley Ann Van Vost, a well-known photographer in the early 1900’s. She was raised in Townsend and married into the Kelly family, who resided in Townsend.

One of the Kelly family members became a filmmaker in Toronto, Canada. He came to Townsend to visit his grandparents. This was probably about the late 1960’s. Townsend made a big impression on him, and as a result, he decided to make a movie featuring Townsend.

The Kelly family was highlighted in the movie. Many of the family members worked for the railroad and ended up working all over Montana. Lots of traveling and lots of moves resulted.

Eventually the family retired and moved back to Townsend. After years of moving and finding themselves in, once again, a new town to call home, you can imagine that the family was happy to settle down for good and not have to move anymore.

At this year’s Broadwater County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, this historic movie about Townsend and the Kelly Family will be shown at the meeting. Take the time to come to the Farm Bureau Annual Meeting on September 20, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the Lodge. You don’t want to miss out on the meeting or this special movie.

The movie, featuring the Kelly family, was aptly named (by at least one Kelly), no doubt. It’s called “Dun Movin'.