Museum board discusses Living History, work on new building

The stone boiling at the Wahkpa Chu’gn Buffalo Jump that has long been a part of Havre’s Living History celebration will not happen this year, H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum Board Chair Judi Dritshulas said at the board’s monthly meeting.

Stone boiling was an activity former Buffalo Jump managers John and Anna Brumley did with students during school tours and visitors during Havre’s annual Living History celebration.

H. Earl and Margaret Turner Clack Foundation President Elaine Morse said stone boiling will probably still take place during school tours but not during Living History.

The Brumleys retired from managing the buffalo kill site last fall and moved to Salt Lake City. The site is now being managed by the museum staff.

In other business, a smaller version of the museum foundation’s annual Hands on History fundraiser is being planned for the Living History celebration Saturday, June 2, Dritshulas said.

“It’s going to be a mini Hands on History for Living History weekend,” Board Vice-Chair Lela Patera said.

The event will take place in the Holiday Village Mall outside the Museum’s entrance.

Morse said usually Hands on History would consist of 25 to 30 different activities throughout the mall.

This year, Hands on History will consist of three or four events.

Patera said it is not known what activities will be offered, but activities being considered are making dolls out of clothes pins, putting out some typewriters owned by the museum for people to type on and an activity related to genealogy, such as making family trees.

Patera said the board should form a committee to prepare for the event.

“I am just thinking rather than leaving it until the last minute, let’s make our decision and make sure we have everything.” Peatera said.

Two school tours have been booked at the Buffalo Jump, one for May 25 and the other for the end of April, Dritshulas said.

Morse said foundation members have made some contacts about possibly doing some outside finishing to the Griggs Printing building which will be the museum’s future location.

She added that the foundation has arranged for a Montana State University-Northern welding instructor to design some metal signs for the new location.

Morse said the foundation sent a letter of intent for a grant that was due in March, with plans to submit the grant application in the fall.

“This letter of intent is to submit the grant for later in the fall,” she said.

She said that though it has been closed for the winter, the Buffalo Jump has still been generating a very large electricity bill. Morse said she will check on what is driving up that bill.