Area brings history to life with annual event

Havre celebrated its annual Living History event Saturday, with a variety of historical locations and community organizations offering tours and activities for community members and tourists of all ages.

"It's just kind of fun," said Jim Griggs, Bullhook Bottoms Black Powder Club member and one of the founding members of the club.

The Black Powder Club was at Fort Assinniboine, displaying historical firearms to visitors of the fort as well as allowed children to fire the club's replica cannon every hour.

Saturday's events included activities at Havre Beneath the Streets, H. Earl Clark Memorial Museum, Fort Assinniboine, Wahkpa Chu'gn Buffalo Jump and a few others.

The North Central Montana Everything Antique Show was also held over the weekend in conjunction with Living History, with the show at the Great Northern Fairgrounds Friday through Sunday.

Community member Dave Brown, who was at Fort Assinniboine with his family, said that his family had been to the fort before, although this year was the first time they all went. He added that he thought the tour was great and he had a great time with his family learning about the old buildings and the history during the tour. His children were also very interested in looking at all of the antique weapons displayed by the Black Powder Club, and his son Ben Brown had the chance to fire the cannon.

Ben Brown said that pulling the firing lever for the cannon was fun and enjoyed the shock he felt as the cannon was going off. He added that he also enjoyed getting to see the fort's guardhouse and jail and learning about some of the history.

"It was pretty interesting," he said.

Dave Brown's daughter Annabel said that she was having a good day at the Living History event and would like to come back in the future.

"I liked it," she said. "I liked learning about the buildings."

Griggs said that Living History is a great way for the community to come out and learn what makes Havre special. He added that he knows people in town who have lived in Havre for decades but don't know where that the area has so much history to offer.

"It shows people what Havre has," he said.

H. Earl Clack Museum and Wahkpa Chu'gn site manager Emily Mayer said that Living History is a great event to attract people to what makes Havre special. She said that she has always been fascinated with history and the event and all of the locations and organizations help bring information to people in a fun way.

She added that this year two local high school students, Jazmyn Doney and Nate Berreth, will also be starting as tour guides at Wahkpa Chu'gn.

Throughout the day, they both led a number of tours and were excited to share the history of the site with the people who took the tour, Mayer said.

"They are doing an absolutely fabulous job," Mayer said. "I couldn't be happier."

Havre Beneath the Streets also held tours, with actors making the underground displays come to life for the visitors. The tour had actors dressed in the costumes of the early 1900's, with some of them dressed as Havre's historical figures such as C.W. "Shorty" Young Jr. and lawyer Max P. Kuhr.

Jake Strissel said it is his sixth year acting in the Beneath the Streets tour and he enjoys bringing the tour to life for visitors. He added that it is fun to see the smiles on people's faces when they see all the different displays and actors. Living History is important to the community because it is a rich history that needs to be told.

"Just being able to educate and bring knowledge to people that maybe are from here that don't know or people from out of town," he said. "Just to show what we're all about."

Watch for more on Living History Day in Friday's Hi-Line Living.