Mixed Images of Montana

The day started with a typical Montana breakfast--coffee, juice and French toast--followed by packing and check-out from the Dude Rancher. We then set off to find the two Catholic schools I attended while living in Billings. We found our way blocked by a Gay Pride parade complete with road blocks and police escort. The were practically no observers and the parade went along with no incidents that we could see.

We found the Fratt School, now converted to an middle school and renamed St. Francis. However, the founder Kate Fratt's name is still carved over the front entrance. The building looks good, but my memories of this school could be better.

Moss Mansion, Billings.

Leaving Fratt we went to the nearby Moss Mansion. Not knowing any better I drove right into the driveway we found ourselves in the midst of a garden party. I quickly exited to park on the street. The women giving tours of the restored house were very amiable and agreed to let us start the tour late. One of them gave us a quick catch-up tour of the spaces we missed and we were soon with the group. This house is the best preserved early 20th century mansion that I know of. The Moss family lived there until the last heir died in 1986 and then the estate sold the house to Billings.

The final living member of the family lived in a few rooms on the main floor and the city trustees found the mansion well preserved. Many of the facilities and furnishing were original, and the original wall coverings were preserved. The non-profit that maintains the building restored the upper floor for water damage, but little else was changed. They discovered personal photos of the family and found the actual clothes they were worn; both are on display. Amazing.

We left Billings for our next stop, Red Lodge. We stopped briefly at Joliet (to check out the Joliet Bar where I did a short bartender stint for mom--it is now J-Bar) and at Roberts to look at the High School where I graduated. The original school is being replaced by a new school and gym. Entering Red Lodge we stopped at the Carnegie Library--still a library and checked in to our room at the Pollard Hotel. There were two beds only so they installed a gigantic air mattress. Ethan is sleeping there.

View from Pollard Hotel.

We have a great view of the mountains and overlook main street. The photo was taken from our window and shows a building built in 1900, the year after the hotel. For dinner we went to the Red Lodge cafe. The now historic cafe features Montana cuisine--mostly beef. Desert was strawberry shortcake, the beef was prime rib.

Red Lodge is filling with Harley Davidison bikers coming early for their festivities in July. They expect 3500 bikers for the celebration--they will fill the whole street. Willie Nelson comes in August; they're expecting another huge crowd. What a day. What fun, lots of mixed images to process.

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