A steamboat could make $80,000 for the cargo and passengers going to Fort Benton in the Montana gold fields. Life was hard for the deck hands and crew. There was danger at every turn, of 700 steamboats, 300 were destroyed by snags, explosions and sand bars.

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Chief Little Mountain was chosen to lead the Kiowas. The military held peace talks which lasted a decade until the gold rushes brought thousands across their lands. Another treaty further reduced their land. Was there to be peace or war?

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Islandman was the chief of the KIowas. He failed to protect his tribe after a brutal battle with the Osage. The tribe had a unique method for choosing a new leader. Little Mountain became the chief for the next 33 years.

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The Christmas Truce, personal stories and more.

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The cowboy’s identity was his horse. The lariat, gun, a fancy hat and good boots were standard equipment. A cowboy’s speech was roughly one third profanity, with son-of-a-(yes, that word) being the most common. They were a hardworking, never complaining, tough and dedicated men.

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Artists like Remington and Russell dramatized the cowboy life, but was it reality? They often went long hours in bad weather, with little food or sleep. Cowboys came from all walks of life and countries, some to get away from the law. From his prized Stetson, spurs, boots and chaps, his life centered on that unlovable creature called a cow.

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Bullboats, dugout canoes and even rafts were handmade and could hold tons of furs and gear. Also handmade were lightweight pad saddles, buckskin gun cases, calf knee gun protectors, tomahawk and knife sheaths, leggings and leather pouches for carrying food and supplies. 

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Ornery, cantankerous, unwashed and a master trapper. Captured by Apaches, they took all his belongings and turned him loose to walk over two hundred miles barefoot. Usually very cautious, he made the mistake of agreeing to be a guide for John C. Fremont. The expedition was a disaster that ended with the death of Old Bill.

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Mountain man, trapper and author of “Journal of a Trapper.” Camped near Yellowstone Lake, he and his companion were attacked by Blackfoot Indians. Both wounded by arrows, they managed to escape by hiding in the thick brush and were able to walk back to Fort Hall.

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The grizzly was the animal the trappers feared worst. They say if confronted, stand your ground and stare the bear in the eyes and he will leave. But trapper Marie and others who encountered bears carried scars the rest of their lives. Men were in the land where the grizzly was king.

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