Columns : Help community put together information on Richland County : Sidney Herald, Sidney, Montana

Home » Columns

Help community put together information on Richland County

Published on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 4:23 PM MDT

Thinkin' out loud
Libby Berndt

It is s a book of Richland County. The families therein had "Courage Enough" to withstand the elements of northeastern Montana. It's about town and country folk, stories about people from Mona to Fairview, from Fairview to East Side, from East Side to Enid areas.

It could have been a picnic retreat or a favorite branding spot. Family and friends waited patiently for the next get-together, playing cards or joining in for a country dance.

It wasn't that people in each community kept others away, it was just that families were larger back then, schools were plentiful because of the large rural communities and families relied on their country friends in every aspect of life.

The "Courage Enough" book recorded history in the following areas in Richland County:

Andes area with communities of Andes, Cherry Creek, Girard, Hardscrabble and Sioux Pass;

East Side area including Bennie Pier, Clark, Earl, Elm Coulee, Estes, Gossett, Hay Draw, Horse Creek, Middle Creek, Shadwell, Sheep Butte, Skaar, Squaw Gap, Smith Creek and Trotters;

Enid area and communities of Enid, Lane, Manrock, Redwater and Spring Lake;

Fairview area with the Buford, Dore, Fairview, Fort Buford, Four Mile, Hay Creek, Java, Mondak, Muriel and Nohly communities;

Lambert area and the Gettysburg, Lambert, Poleville and Three Buttes communities;

Mona area and communities of Arthur, Charley Creek, Elmdale, Grandview and Mona;

Savage area including Breezy Flats, Burn, Crane, Savage, Sears-Midway and Tokna;

Sidney area with communities of Brorson, Epworth, Mount Pleasant, Newlon, Ridgelawn, Riverview and Sidney.

In some of the communities listed above, very little history has been recorded. Within an old map of Richland County, communities were shown, but what really happened to places like Hardscrabble? Breezy Flats? Gettysburg? Nohly? To find out the history, families within those communities are encouraged to record their stories, and preserve a copy at the MonDak Heritage Center.

There may never be another book like "Courage Enough," but the history still needs to be available for those who want to learn the rich heritage of the area. Too much history and photos are packed away in cellars and attics.

Do you have photos that need to be scanned and preserved? Call the heritage center at 433-3500. The staff will be able to help with this type of preservation by providing information.

The Sidney Herald editorial staff has been in contact with people throughout the surrounding communities and will be sharing stories in the Town and Country section coming June 22. Community members have told the history of the area they have lived in, or where their parents homesteaded. Some history is known, some photos have been kept - but more often than not, information is lost and will never be retrieved.

Start your journals now. Keep history alive. If your family has roots in a certain area, document what you know.

For 100 years the Sidney Herald has been bringing town and country together, but only with your help. It's your choice to share those stories. What possibly may be of no interest to one person will be life's treasures to another. Not every community's story will be included in the Town and Country section, but rest assured, the Herald will continue to reveal the stories as we receive them.

Libby Berndt is publisher for the Sidney Herald. She can be reached at 406-433-2403 | publisher@sidneyherald.com

Print this story Post A Comment

Comments

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of the Sidney Herald.

hot child in the city wrote on Jun 14, 2008 2:20 AM:

" bravo! "

WRITE A COMMENT

Comments Policy:

All comments transmitted through, or linked from the site, are the sole responsibility of the person from whom such content originated. www.sidneyherald.com encourages our readers to engage in civil discussions about issues. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. Comments that are submitted are not posted to the site immediately, but are reviewed by Herald staff. The Herald cannot edit or change your submissions.

DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.

There are some exceptions to the above rules when public figures are involved. We define public figures as individuals who work in the public’s eye and/or are candidates for public office and/or their position is paid with tax dollars.

Thank you for your comments!