Interviewer
Beth Hodder
Files
Description
George Ostrom discusses his childhood in Montana, including his time spent in a mining camp where his father worked. He describes his decision to become a fire lookout during the 1940s, working mainly at the Battery Lookout above Quintonkon Creek. Ostrom talks about the equipment he used, the telephone lines he maintained, and his daily routine which included fetching water from a spring near the lookout. He tells stories about his time as a lookout and mentions the wildlife he saw and the kinds of food that he stocked and prepared. Ostrom also recalls working as a smokejumper during the 1960s, and later as a radio announcer. A portion of this interview has been restricted at the interviewee’s request.
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Document Type
Oral History
Subjects
Kalispell, Montana; Quintonkon Creek, Montana; Battery Lookout, Montana; Spotted Bear; Flathead National Forest; Fire lookouts, Montana; Forest fires, Montana; U.S. Forest Service; Smokejumpers, Montana; Radio announcers; World War, 1939-1945
Original Date
8-31-2017
Time Period
Twentieth century
Geographic Coverage
Montana
Language
eng
Original Collection
Northwest Montana Lookout Association Oral History Project, OH 453, Archives and Special Collections, Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula
Digital Publisher
University of Montana--Missoula. Mansfield Library
Rights
Copyright to this collection is held by the interview participants and by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula. Permission may be required for use. For further information please contact Archives and Special Collections: (406) 243-2053 / library.archives@umontana.edu
Oral History Number
OH 453-004
Media Type
Sound; Text
Digital Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Run Time
01:16:30 minutes
Local Filename
OH_453_004.mp3; OH_453_004.pdf
Citation
Ostrom, George, "George Ostrom Interview, August 31, 2017" (2017). Northwest Montana Lookout Association Oral History Project. 4.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/nwmt-ffla/4