Hangman Tree Legend Deepens Montana History
In Last Chance Helena a famed Hangman Tree stood at Dry Gulch where 13 men reportedly died on its limb between 1865 and 1870. Dr Shippen cut down the tree in 1875 amid threats, altering town life and leaving a long, somber memory of a landmark linked to frontier justice. The tale endures in Montana lore as a symbol of passion, vandalism, and communal memory.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Helena
Florence M. Lemert
Montana
Shippen
Doctor Shippen
Butte
Hangman
Wesley Chapel
Methodist Episcopal Church of
Oregon
Choteau Girl Wins Week in New York Adventure
Miss Erma Young, a senior at Intermountain Union College Great Falls, won a contest with 700 entrants to spend a week in New York guesting at the Beekman Tower. Her prize included a $100 cash award and an itinerary arranged by judges like Fannie Hurst and Thomas Wolfe. Her program featured a motion picture interview where makeup transformed her “demure” image, and she expressed a possible future in teaching English. Her trip drew press attention as she met city life, Liberty through fog, and the Metropolitan Opera House.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Erma Young
Intermountain Union College
Great Falls
Manhattan
New York
Panhellenic House Association
Beekman Tower Hotel
Miss Young
Fannie Hurst
H. V. Kaltenborn
Lyman Beecher Stowe
Thomas Wolfe
Statue of Liberty
Metropolitan Opera House
A. Barton Hepburn
Miss You
Napoleon Bonaparte Sells Mississippi Drainage Holding
A historical note reports Napoleon Bonaparte in 1805 deciding to sell a vast land holding drained by the Mississippi while reportedly bathing. The item frames the event as a decisive moment in territorial history and property transfer to the United States.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Napoleon Bonaparte
Mississippi
United States
Napoleon and the Louisiana Purchase in a Bathroom Quarrel
A dramatic 1805 family quarrel among the Bonapartes in Napoleon's bathroom sealed the sale of Louisiana to the United States. Jefferson sent Monroe and Livingston to Paris. the treaty was signed April 30, 1803 for 15 million dollars, with Lewis and Clark beginning westward in spring 1804 to explore the vast new territory.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Walter ED Taylor
Montana
United States
Napoleon Bonaparte
France
America
Louisiana
Mississippi River
Napoleon
Atlantic
England
Thomas Jefferson
Robert R. Livingston
James Monroe
Livingston
Jefferson
Monroe
Paris
Lucien
Joseph
Congress
Lewis and Clark
Fraudulent Stock Salesmen Target of Proposed New Law
Sherman W. Smith, Helena attorney, proposes a law to define grand larceny more broadly to aid convictions of fraudulent stock salesmen. He notes gaps in the current Montana grand larceny statute from his Lewis and Clark county tenure and aims to protect investors with a stricter standard.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sherman W. Smith
Helena
Raymond T. Nagle
Montana
Lewis and Clark County
Smith
Stay of execution granted in Montana contempt case
Chief Justice Sands of the Montana Supreme Court granted John W. Nelson a stay of execution and allowed his attorney W D Rankin to appeal to the U S Supreme Court. Nelson and his former Helena newspaper The Western Progressive were fined 250 dollars and jailed a day for publishing an article accusing state justices of upholding a bank fraud. Sands dissented.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
W. B. Sands
Montana Supreme Court
John W. Nelson
Helena
W. D. Rankin
United States Supreme Court
Nelson
Montana
Supreme Court
Sands
The
Western Progressive
Oldtimers of Musselshell Valley Spin Some Farcical Tales
Roundup in Musselshell county showcases climate praise and legends from frontier days. Stories recount gumbo mishaps at a circus, loco weed whisky trials, white wolves haunting stockmen, and a legendary rubber man stretch incident amid oral histories from early settlers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Musselshell Valley
Musselshell
Jamaica
Musselshell County
Sidehill
John Zimmerman
Wagon Wheel John
Deadwood
Fort Benton
Roundup
Wagon Wheel
John
Symes Medical Springs Hotel and Baths Ad
Symes Medical Springs in Hot Springs Montana advertises waters recommended for rheumatism digestive ailments and liver issues with modern baths, sun and sweat rooms. The Symes hotel and apartments offer convenience for guests with rates from $1 and literature available by mail 80 miles northwest of Missoula.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
P. O. Montana
Symes
Missoula
First Park Story Printed in 1866
The first authentic trip report into the Yellowstone region appeared in the Omaha Herald around 1866 or 1867. George Huston and companions explored the Madison River area visiting Yellowstone Lake and other famed sites before heading toward Livingston, meeting miner turned journalist R I Freeman who published the interview. Freeman later sent additional Yellowstone City dispatches to eastern papers confirming early park accounts.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Walter ED Taylor
Yellowstone National Park
Omaha Herald
Omaha
Neb
Yellowstone Park
Jim Bridger
Yellowstone
John Colter
George Huston
Park County
Virginia City
Madison River
Park Region
Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstoneake
Livingston
Yellowstone City
Yellowstone Valley
R. I. Freeman
Freeman
Christmas tree firm opens eighth Eureka season
While western Montana sweltered with high heat, a Eureka Christmas tree company began its eighth consecutive year with a district manager in charge. Regional HQs were set up and for the next two months the firm will arrange stumpage contracts and cutting. England and Canada per capita egg consumption numbers are given as 152 and 304 respectively.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Montana
Eureka
England
Canada
Greenough Again Wins World Title at Frontier Days
Turk Greenough of Red Lodge captures the world bronc title at Cheyenne for the 40th Frontier Days celebration. Riding the bay stallion V-8, he earns a fresh saddle and prize money after one of the wildest rides in the show.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cheyenne
Turk Greenough
Red Lodge
Airliner Defense and Lightning Resistance
In bombardment formation planes space to protect neighbors while limiting strike damage. All metal airliners can be struck by lightning without harming the aircraft or occupants.
Also Mentioned on This Page
Choteau Girl
N’york
Hangman’s Tree
William West
California Chamber of Commerce
Half Breed Creek
James McMillan
Dude E
79 Ranch
Northern Pacific
Buffalo
Wyo
J. W. Newton
Hart Bar Hranch
W. K. Quarles
F. M. Wall
H. E. Marshall
L. R. Carrol
Mat Polich
Mike Klien
August Schrump
George Handel
Texas
John Chandler
HX Ranch
Bull Mountains
Kentucky
Missouri
Farreltown
Lord Clifton
Lord Lowther
E. M. Moran & Company Gentlemen’s Tailors
Minneapolis, Minn
Mercury
Greenough
A.M. S. Division
National Distillers Products Corporation
Louisville, Kentucky
Clark's Fork Valley
Anaconda Copper Mining CO
Lands Department
Missoula, Mont
General Electric
GE Thrift
General Electric Supply Corp
Butie, Montana
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!