This Week in Tribal History

Mary Rogers, Tribal Preservation Department

February 19, 1869 from The Montana Post: "The Flatheads"- a band of Flatheads passes through town a day or two since from the Yellowstone where they had been on their regular winter's hunting excursion Indians were en route for their homes in the Bitterroot Valley. Laden with meats and pelts and in the best of spirits they usually have a battle or two by way of variety on these excursions. The Mountain Crows who claim that region keeping a jealous eye over it. Thus the Yellowstone Valley for man miles below the canyon has been the scene of Indian battles for time immemorial. The last fight look place 3 years ago. This winter about 40 miles below Bozeman being as usual between the Crows and the Flatheads. Victor the head and war chief of the Flatheads has many times endeavored by treaty stipulations to secure to his tribe the privilege of hunting in the Crow country but always unavailingly. The Flathead, who usually travel over that way in strong force and keep close together have to often been successful in their fights that the Crows have ceased to return on general engagements. The Flatheads are often accompanied by their friends and allies, the Nez Perce and when thus strengthened, they are as much at home on the Yellowstone as in their own.

February 18, 1910 from The Sanders County Democrat: "Plats of a system of county roads held out on the Flathead reservation by the surveyor of Flathead county were sent to the department of the interior recently for approval. By this plan of laying out the roads according to natural avenues of travel and not awaiting settlement and then following section lines, it is believed $20,000 to $30,000 will ultimately be saved to the county. In the Flathead valley, owing to failure to lay out roads before land was taken, more than that amount has been expended in buying right of way and grading steep hills."

If you have any questions or comments please contact Mary Rogers at 675-2700, ext 1320, or Communication Director, Rob McDonald at ext. 1222. Newspaper articles may be suggested for the Preservation archives if the article includes the newspaper name, date and is from 1975 or earlier.