\;Learn about the frontier settlers of Monta na.
\nThis talk will focus upon the frontier settlers who advanced u pon the high plains with great expectations that their labor and dedicatio n to tilling the soil would eventually be rewarded with land ownership. Th eir saga is one of triumph and tragedy.
\nThe Homestead Act\, signed by Abraham Lincoln on May 20\, 1862\, was a major factor in the agricultu ral development of the West. First utilized by cattlemen in the late ninet eenth century to establish operation bases\, the homestead movement flower ed in the early twentieth century as many thousands of people migrated wes tward in hopes of becoming successful dryland farmers. This lecture focuse s upon the formidable odds against them\, such as drought\, wind\, cold\, remoteness and primitive technology. These determined homesteaders establi shed homes\, planted fields and gardens\, nurtured modest livestock\, and constructed supply towns along the emerging railroad lines. At first they flourished\, but as the decades advanced\, climatic conditions and economi c forces conspired against them. Many persevered\, and many sold out and m oved on. Anthropologist John Martin Campbell aptly phrased it as a &ldquo\ ;magnificent failure.&rdquo\;
\nAs a former resident of the Judith B asin of Central Montana\, Lee Silliman became acquainted with the descenda nts of these early pioneers. In recent years he has returned to the high p lains to photograph the remnants of this earlier era. Abandoned log and fr ame houses decaying with every storm\, rusting machinery collected into &l dquo\;iron piles\,&rdquo\; rotting horse collars and harness hanging in ol d barns\, childless schoolhouses dotting remote landscapes\, and wooden gr ain elevators &ldquo\;scraping&rdquo\; the prairie skies\, were all focal points for Silliman&rsquo\;s camera and curiosity. This lecture will paint a vivid portrait of a poignant period in western history\, using photogra phs\, statistics\, and first person narratives. Homestead era books from S illiman&rsquo\;s personal library will be on display\, along with a free b ibliography handout on the subject.
\nLee Silliman is a retired teac her and museum archivist living in Missoula\, Montana. He has curated exhi bits of photography and vintage engravings that have garnered over one hun dred venues in ten states since 1988.
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