This is an oral history collection made to celebrate Travelers’ Rest State Park, historical preservation, and the people who made it possible. These interviews were conducted by University of Montana undergraduate student Olivia Kohn in the winter and early spring of 2026. The narrators discuss their involvement and memories of the founding of Travelers’ Rest State Park, which is located in Western Montana. Narrators offer their opinions on historic preservation, the Lewis and Clark trail, and the broader Lolo and Missoula communities. Many also discuss the importance of the site for local Native American tribes for time immemorial.
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Chuck Sundstrom and Mike Wallace Interview, February 27, 2026
Chuck Sundstrom and Mike Wallace
Chuck Sundstrom was a founding member of the Travelers’ Rest Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. He worked alongside Mike Wallace, who became president of the Chapter. In this interview, the two talk about their memories of the founding of Travelers’ Rest ... Read More
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Dale Dufour Interview, January 30, 2026
Dale Dufour
Dale Dufour is a long-term volunteer at Travelers’ Rest State Park. In this interview, Defour talks about the founding of the park and details the archaeological dig that proved the site was a Lewis and Clark campsite. He talks about how he was involved with ... Read More
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Daniel S. Hall Interview, February 13, 2026
Daniel S. Hall
Dan Hall was the leading historical archaeologist at the Travelers’ Rest Historic Site. In this interview, Hall talks about the excavation and evidence to prove the exact site of Travelers’ Rest. He mentions the people he collaborated with during his work and expresses the importance ... Read More
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Diane Sands Interview, February 6, 2026
Diane Sands
Diane Sands is a former Montana legislator and representative. In this interview, Sands discusses her role in establishing Travelers’ Rest State Park and funding the bill in the Montana Legislature. Beyond this, she expands on the history of the Lolo area from multiple lenses, especially ... Read More
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Lee Bastian Interview, March 6, 2026
Lee Bastian
Lee Bastian is the former Regional Park Manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. In the interview, Bastian discusses his role in declaring the Travelers’ Rest historic site a state park. He stresses the importance of the grassroots organizing that made the park possible. Bastian ... Read More
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Loren Flynn Interview, February 11, 2026
Loren Flynn
Loren Flynn is the former Executive Director of the nonprofit that managed Travelers’ Rest State Park. In his oral history, Flynn reminisces on his days at the state park and what it was like managing it as it was developing. He also discusses how his ... Read More
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Ramona Holt Interview, March 27, 2026
Ramona Holt
Ramona Holt and her husband, Bill Holt, donated the site of the current museum at Travelers’ Rest State Park, and were the previous owners of the north side of the state park property. Ramona talks about her passion for historic preservation and her dearest memories ... Read More
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Teri Heath Interview, February 20, 2026
Teri Heath
Teri Heath is a former member of the Travelers’ Rest Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. In this interview, Heath discusses her memories of establishing the state park. She talks about how important preservation and Travelers’ Rest are to the Lolo community, ... Read More