This collection of eight oral history interviews about the Milltown, Montana area were conducted by Caitlin DeSilvey and Minie Smith in fall 2007. The interviewees discuss topics such as: Northwestern Energy and the company acquisition of Milltown Dam, life in Milltown-Bonner, working for the Anaconda Mill, moving to West Riverside, growing up in the area and the changes that have occurred in the community, memories of Clark Mill, and the relationship between Milltown and Interstate 90. The original interviews are held as Oral History collection OH-419 at Archives & Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana.
This collection includes 8 interviews.
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Bill Scarbrough and Mike Haenke Interview, August 21, 2007
Bill Scarbrough and Mike Haenke
Bill Scarbrough was hired as foreman by Northwestern Energy in 2002 to handle the hydro operations and maintenance of the Milltown Dam. When Northwestern took over the Montana Power Company’s operations, they had no hydro staff. They sold all MPC dams to PPL (Pennsylvania Power ... Read More
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Dennis E. Pleasant Interview, September 14, 2007
Dennis E. Pleasant
Dennis "Lefty" Pleasant lived most of his life in Bonner (house #36) until he and his wife built a house near Turah in 1961. Pleasant discusses his childhood in Bonner and the types of activities he participated in. He has memories of the Clark Mill ... Read More
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Emmett Smith Interview, June 29, 2006
Emmett Smith
Emmett Smith was the manager of the Milltown Dam (Milltown MT) for Montana Power Company from 1971-1984. He and his family lived at the dam in one of the four company houses there. Smith describes not only his life at the dam, but also the ... Read More
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Ilona Hangas Interview, September 4, 2007
Ilona Hangas
Ilona Hangas, the daughter of Rudy Ruana, founder of the Ruana Knifeworks, moved with her family to the West Riverside area from North Dakota when she was two months old. Hangas discusses the development of her father’s business as well as her experiences growing up ... Read More
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John W. Price Interview, November 5, 2007
John W. Price
John Price worked for Anaconda Operations in Butte before moving to Bonner with his family in 1962 as a draftsman for the Anaconda Products Plant. They lived in the Bonner housing. He also managed the Bonner and Milltown properties for Anaconda and later Champion. He ... Read More
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Leo Dufresne and Theola Dufresne Interview, October 26, 2007
Leo Dufresne and Theola Dufresne
Leo Dufresne was born in Milltown, two doors down from the house where he currently resides, along the Blackfoot River. He and his wife met in high school in Missoula and were married in 1945 after he came back from the service. Dufresne worked at ... Read More
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Mike Nelson and Linda Schultz Nelson Interview, October 1, 2007
Mike Nelson and Linda Schultz Nelson
Mike Nelson was born in Milltown, as were his parents. His grandfather and father worked at the Anaconda mill. Mike worked only one year at the mill, then went to work for the Montana Highway Department. Except for a few months in Alaska, he lived ... Read More
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Wilfred V. Thibodeau Interview, August 27, 2007
Wilfred V. Thibodeau
Wilfred "Fritz" Thibodeau moved to the Milltown area in 1928 after his father had died, to be near his mother’s family who had settled near Frenchtown. His brothers worked at the Anaconda Mill, but initially Fritz went to work for the Civilian Conservation Corps in ... Read More