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Smithsonian ends Montana tour in Beaverhead County

A piece of the Smithsonian is coming to Dillon for five weeks this fall, and the town is ready to roll out the red carpet.

By Perry Backus of The Montana Standard

The Smithsonian Institution’s award-winning exhibit, "Barn Again! Celebrating an American Icon," will end its seven-stop stay in the state at the Beaverhead County Museum beginning Saturday, Sept. 20.

At 4 p.m. on that ribbon-cutting day, the museum will host U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns,

R-Mont., and Lt. Gov. Karl Ohs to welcome the exhibit that honors the state’s abundance of historic barns. Burns will auction off a scale model of the beaver slide made by Jay Nelson of Wisdom after taking a tour of the exhibit.

"This is the first time that a Smithsonian traveling exhibit has come to Montana," said Beaverhead County Museum director Vinola Squires. "And this will be the last chance for

people to come and see it before it leaves the state forever. Once a Smithsonian exhibit has been in a state, they don’t bring it back."

Exploring barns in all segments of American life, from their agricultural forms to their use in advertising, "Barn Again!" began its Montana journey at Jefferson County Museum in Clancy in January. The exhibition features an architectural model, photographs and popular culture objects from rural America.

The exhibit is sponsored by the Montana Committee for the Humanities and was hosted by seven rural museums across the state.

Beaverhead County Museum officials have been working for two years to put together the events each weekend the exhibit remains in Dillon. It will be in Dillon through Oct. 31.

"We have some really, really fun activities coming up," Squires said.

Anyone interested in local history will have plenty to do in browsing through the nearly 300 photos of old barns scattered throughout Beaverhead County that have been collected by the museum.

"We still need people’s stories about their barns," Squires said. "They are slow in coming in."

The museum also needs volunteers to help staff the museum and the Argenta Schoolhouse through the five weeks the Smithsonian is in town.

"We’re going to be open seven days a week from 8 to 5," said Squires. "We’re going to need some help."

Following the opening weekend, the museum will host its second annual Cowboy Poetry and Music Rendezvous Sept. 26-27.

"We have 52 cowboy poets who’ve signed up to perform," said Squires. "We finally had to cut it off. They just kept calling."

The numbers of poets more than doubled from last year, when 24 showed up to share their verse and strum a few tunes.

"The ones who came had so much fun that they all wanted to come back," said Squires. "They must have told their friends…It should really be worth it for everyone who comes to listen."

The next week, on Saturday, Oct. 4, the museum will take the event on the road in the form of bus tours around the area so people can get a first-hand look at local barns. People may choose between tours going up the Blacktail, through the Big Hole or on Highway 41. The cost will be $15 and includes a brown bag lunch.

"There will be a guide on each bus who will give a history about the families who homesteaded in the area," said Squires.

On Oct. 10-11, the event will feature the railroad’s role in developing the West. Bill Rossiter will entertain people with stories and songs about the little old sod shanty on Oct. 10 in the Old Depot Theater. On Saturday, Oct. 11, the museum’s new model railroad display will be opened to the public.

The premier event of the exhibit’s stay is the second annual "Barn Daze" program set on the museum grounds on Saturday, Oct. 18. Starting at 10 a.m. the grounds will be filled with people demonstrating many old-time skills, including things like churning butter, braiding rugs and making jelly.

There will also be plenty for the kids with a section set aside for youngsters to try their luck at marbles or stilts or maybe making a willow whistle.

"We’re also going to have a display of old time tools and the person who can either name them or tell how they were used will win a sunflower sunbonnet made by Mary Jo Perry," said Squires. "There’s just going to be so much to do. We hope everyone comes out and enjoys it all."

Reporter Perry Backus may be reached via email at [email protected]

http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2003/09/06/newsdillon/hjjgjajfjbhifg.txt

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