Old Trail Museum

THE OLD TRAIL MUSEUM SERVES THE PUBLIC VIA ITS MISSION STATEMENT IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS: OLD NORTH TRAIL, BLACKFEET TRAPPER/TRADER, CATTLEMEN, SHEEPMEN, ALICE GLEASON, METIS, BEADWORK, GRIZZLY BEAR, ART STUDIO, SHEEPWAGON AND A.B. GUTHRIE DISPLAYS; CHILDREN'S SUMMER PROGRAMS AND GIFT SHOP. THE OLD TRAIL MUSEUM SERVES THE LOCAL AREA, AS WELL AS, ADJACENT COMMUNITIES AND LARGE NUMBERS OF TOURISTS ENROUTE TO GLACIER NATIONAL PARK JUST TO THE NORTH OF CHOTEAU.2021 PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:OLD TRAIL MUSEUM (OTM) WELCOMED 3,278 VISITORS TO THE MUSEUM. OF THIS TOTAL, 1,615 WERE FROM OUT OF STATE, 137 WERE FROM CHOTEAU, THREE WERE FROM CANADA, AND 27 WERE FROM OTHER COUNTRIES. OTM WAS OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER MONTHS AND WAS ABLE TO HAVE ALL THE BUILDING OPEN FOR VISITORS TO EXPERIENCE OUR COLLECTIONS. OUR ANNUAL WILD GAME FEED HAD TO BE CANCELLED AGAIN IN 2021, BUT WE HAVE SCHEDULED OUR NEXT FEED TO BE HELD IN MARCH 2022 IN HOPES THAT COVID-19 DOESN'T FORCE ANOTHER CANCELLATION. A MAJOR PROJECT THIS YEAR WAS REPLACING THE ROOF, WHICH HAD BEEN LEAKING SEVERELY, AND REPAIRING THE WATER-DAMAGED CEILING AND REPLACING ANTIQUATED LIGHTING. WE HELD ONE WEDNESDAY EVENING PROGRAM WHICH WAS MUSIC NIGHT WITH THE LOOSE MULES - RICH CLOUGH, GARY BETCHER AND MARCA GIBSON. THE RAIN WAS POURING DOWN, BUT ABOUT 25 FOLKS ASSEMBLED IN THE OLD SCHOOL ROOM AND IT TURNED OUT GREAT.OTM THANKS ALL THE PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE DONATED THEIR TIME OR PRODUCTS TO HELP MAINTAIN OUR BEAUTIFUL MUSEUM COMPLEX. A HUGE THANK-YOU TO VOLUNTEER LAURIE JORDEN OF CHOTEAU FOR HER DEDICATION TO WORKING ONE DAY A WEEK ALL SUMMER. ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, CLAYTON KETCHAM, AND HIS WIFE KATHY, REPAIRED AND REPAINTED TWO OF OUR OUTDOOR DINOSAURS LAST SPRING. THIS IS QUITE A BIT OF WORK AND THEY DID SUCH A NICE JOB. OUR FRONT STEPS TO THE MUSEUM HAVE TAKEN A BEATING OVER THE YEARS AND IT WAS TIME TO REPLACE THEM. WITH THE DONATION OF WOOD PLANKS FROM THE TETON ANTIQUE STEAM AND GAS ASSOCIATION'S THRESHING BEE AND LABOR FROM BOARD MEMBERS DAVE ZION, STEVE TAORMINA, GARY POOR, AND ALF WISEMAN, WE NOW HAVE BEAUTIFUL FRONT STEPS.