Brumleys honored for Buffalo Jump work

The new governor will include two Havreites while bestowing honors in Helena Feb. 21, with Steve Bullock set to present John and Anna Brumley with a Governor's Humanity Award for their work on the Wahkpa Chu'gn Buffalo Jump archaeological site, work that has involved John Brumley almost his entire life.

Anna Brumley said Thursday that she and her husband were honored — and overwhelmed — to be selected.

She added that she and John want to thank the people who wrote letters in support of their nomination, including former Hill County Commissioner Kathy Bessette; Victor Bjornberg, tourism development and education coordinator for the Montana Office of Tourism; Clack Museum Board Chair Judi Dritshulas; former state representative, county commissioner and Clack Museum manager Toni Hagener; museum board member Raela Hulett; state Sen. -elect Greg Jergeson; Clack Memorial Museum Foundation Chair Elaine Morse; and W. A. Rader.

Brumley discovered the site in the fall of 1961 while hunting rabbits in the Milk River Badlands, north of where the Holiday Village Mall now stands. He brought it to the attention of the Milk River Archaeological Society, which began work to explore, categorize and preserve the nearly 2,000 years of history at the site where Native Americans killed and butchered bison they drove off the bluff.

Brumley, after receiving a degree in archaeology and working in that field for some time, returned to Havre to the bison kill site and to act as curator of archaeology for the Clack Museum. Anna Brumley works as manager of Wahkpa Chu'gn.

Others receiving the Governor's Humanity Award at 3 p. m. Feb. 21 at the Montana Historical Society in Helena are professor and chair of Native American Studies at Montana State University Bozeman Walter Fleming, archaeologist Larry Lahren, MSU history professor Mary Murphy, teacher and former Rocky Mountain College President Lawrence Small and Carroll College history professor Robert Swartout.

A banquet will follow the ceremony. People can call Humanities Montana at 406-243-6022 or email [email protected] for reservations or further information.