This is a collection of stand-alone interviews pulled together by Archives and Special Collections around the topic of Montana communities. The interviewees describe life in specific towns and geographic areas such as Missoula, Alberton, Frenchtown, and Seeley Lake, discuss some of the founding members of those areas, and detail particular aspects of those places such as school districts, churches, businesses, and diversity. These interviews were conducted from 1966 to 2009. The original interviews are held at Archives and Special Collections, Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula.
This collection includes 35 interviews.
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Mary Jane Adams Morin Interview, December 4, 1984
Mary Jane Morin
Mary Jane Adams Morin discusses growing up in Garnet, Montana during the early 20th century. She describes the economic security brought by the mining industry and her daily life, including school. She also describes many photos, detailing the names and buildings visible within them.
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Opal Brown Interview, April 27, 1985
Opal Brown
Opal Brown speaks on her time in Eastern Montana during the Great Depression. She remembers the difficulties of not being able to afford any luxuries, and just barely scraping by on her family’s small income. She recalls her pet sheep, Bootsy, which she had to ... Read More
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Patti Nolan Interview, December 12, 1993
Patti Nolan
Patti Nolan describes her family history starting with her great uncle Robert L. Mudd, who fought in the 24th infantry during the Spanish-American War. She talks about him moving to Missoula, Montana his discharge in 1915 and purchasing land for a house. Nolan reminisces about ... Read More
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Ramona Marchioli Interview, February 23, 1991
Ramona Marchioli
Ramona Marchioli discusses her childhood and her move from Kalispell, Montana to San Francisco, California after the earthquake of 1906. She describes how she became a Ward of the State of California, her education, and working for a telephone company. Marchioli discusses her marriage to ... Read More
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Robert Henry "Ty" Robinson Interview, April 9, 2007
Robert Henry Robinson
Robert “Ty” Robinson describes his relationship with Walter McLeod and relates stories about Marcus Daly, Andrew Hammond, and other prominent Missoula, Montana families, including the Eddy, Bonner, Keith, and Higgins families. Robinson also explains the history of the Missoula Mercantile Company and its success until ... Read More
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Romeo J. Richard Interview, August 31, 1983
Romeo J. Richard
Romeo Richard discusses his life after settling in Riverside, Montana and Wolf Point, Montana. He describes personal tales that shed light on life in rural Montana during the early 20th century, and discusses the price of tools, livestock, and land. Richard also describes forms of ... Read More
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Salmon Lake Residents Interview, May 7, 1988
Barbara Toole, Betty Tarbet, Mildred Chaffin, Tex Baker, Warren Skillicorn, Elta Townsend, John Toole, Eddie Coyle, Herbert Townsend, Faye M. Collins, Bruce Vorhauer, and Eva Richards
Each interviewee recalls when he or she first saw Salmon Lake. They reminiscence about people and events that played a part in the Lake's history.
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Susan "Susie" Miller Interview, May 9, 2019
Susan Miller
Susan “Susie” Miller recalls her experiences working with the Hmong community in Missoula to document their history and culture through the oral history project “Hmong Voices in Montana” and an art exhibit at the Missoula Art Museum displayed from 1992 to 1993. She describes her ... Read More
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Tenina Pominville Little Interview, March 10, 1988
Tenina Little
Tenina Pominville Little speaks on her life, recounting stories from her childhood in Eastern Montana on a homestead as well as her married life in Missoula and Frenchtown, Montana, ranching and supporting her husband Dighton. She remembers the early 1900s, attending a one room school, ... Read More
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Walter B. Gnose Interview, February 20, 1988
Walter B. Gnose
Walter Gnose discusses William R. Allen and his reputation throughout Wise River, Montana and Anaconda, Montana. He describes the Anaconda Mine and the Montana Southern Railroad during the Great Depression, as well as his day-to-day experiences living in Wise River. Gnose also discusses his decision ... Read More