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Billings
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When you hear someone mention the state of Montana, it conjurs up images of cowboys. So what better The Western Heritage Center offers a glimpse of the History of the Yellowstone Region. Over The Charles M. Baird Family Musuem opened it's doors in 1996. The house and property had | ||||||||||||
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that it required three expeditions before the American public would believe that it existed. There was much debate in the Congress, about the "worth" of the land. Early park supporters believed that these treasures of Yellowstone should be preserved, not for economical benefit, but for the value of their intrinsic natural beauty, so that generations to come may benefit and enjoy. In 1872, Ulysses S. Grant signed an 
act, naming it as the First National Park. Today, this same region is considered priceless, especially by the more than three million people that come to visit it annually. What draws them here? It may be that within this park are more geysers and hot springs than in all other locations throughout the world combined. Old Faithful is the most well-known of these, erupting in grand splendor about 20 - 25 times daily, 
as it's waters arch up toward the heavens. The crystal clear waters of cascading waterfalls tumble into the bountiful lakes, streams and rivers that weave through 3,400 square miles of the park. Wildlife abounds with over 300 species of animal calling Yellowstone home. The history of man within the region is found to date over 12,000 years ago, with the discovery of fossil forests that tell of their existence. The name of the park is believed to come from the Sioux Indians, who called the yellowish bluffs along the mouth of the river "Mitse-a-da-zi." French trappers later translated this to mean "Rive des Roche Jaune", or Yellow Rock River.
place to see a rodeo, than in Billings? The rodeo is more than just a group of riders on horseback. It encompasses skill, knowledge, and courage in events that include bareback riding, saddle bronco, steer wrestling, calf roping, team roping, ribbon roping,and break away roping. Rodeo events are available year-round, and bring some of the top talent to the city. Throughout the summer, Billings hosts rodeos every weekend. The most popular of the summer rodeos is the National Rodeo Association event held at MontanaFair in August. The Norther International Livestock Exposition holds a livestock show and rodeo every October in Billings. This has become one of the fast growing rodeos and ranks in the top 50 nationwide.
16,000 artifacts are housed in what was the Parmly Billings Library Building. This building was presented to the city in 1901, by the son of the founder of Billings. When larger quarters were needed by the library, the Western Heritage Center took over the building. Today, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A highlight of the center is a permanent exhibit, titled, "Our Place in the West: Places, Pasts and Images of the Yellowstone Valley, 1880-1940." Through the use of computers, hands-on exhibits, video-taped oral histories, photographs and artifacts, the history of the region is explored. The Center has a series of traveling exhibits, including presentations and displays about Yellowstone, a history of transportation through the valley, underground coal mining history and farming and ranching families of the Yellowstone River Valley. The Center also hosts workshops and tours throughout the year, in the Museum Without Walls and Second Saturday Family programs.
been left to Montana by his daughters, as a way to give to the people a look into the past history of the area. Charles Baird had come to Montana as a conductor for the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1883. Before the century ended, he had switched professions, and was raising sheep on property that was leased from the railroad, individual parties, and a marge portion of a Crow Indian reservation. At one point over 
300,000 head of sheep roamed under his ownership and he was able to send a shipment of forty-seven full train cars of wool back east, to Boston. Upon the death of him and his wife, the daughters added onto the original house, to accommodate the vast collections of items that they had accumulated. On numerous trips to Europe the sisters would purchase some of the fine silver pieces made. Paul Storr was one of the most successful silversmith's in London at the turn of the century, and the sisters eagerly snapped up pieces of his work, which are now on display in the museum. Antiques and art were another weakness for them, and they revealed in the works of such noted painters as Charles Russell and Joseph Henry Sharp. Being located near Indian Reservations gave them access to numerous Indian artifacts. Many of the items were given to the family from Crow Indians, but includes Sioux and other tribal pieces.
