by Larry Miller
It was a hot and dry summer afternoon when, nearly 40 years ago, I walked along a hillside in Hot Springs, South Dakota, taking pictures of Chadron State Coillege students, feverishly working at unearthing a collection of mammoth bones. It had been a remarkable discovery, one that would bode well for the community, Chadron State College……and science.
It was a hot and dry summer afternoon when, nearly 40 years ago, I walked along a hillside in Hot Springs, South Dakota, taking pictures of Chadron State Coillege students, feverishly working at unearthing a collection of mammoth bones. It had been a remarkable discovery, one that would bode well for the community, Chadron State College……and science.
And this week, I learned there’s another paleo-playground
just across the border in Montana.
It’s a burgeoning dinosaur business that’s been thriving for, oh,
several millions of years.
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| Don Matthesen (left) and MSU student Jack Wilson |
Montana State University and its Earth Sciences department
spiritual mentor Jack Horner (of Jurassic Park fame) have put together “the largest
paleontological field program in the country.” MSU students have hit the road all across the state, and we
met one of them this week in Ekalaka, which is nestled in far southeast
Montana.
Jack
Wilson is an Earth Sciences major at MSU, and he’s one of the young folks who’ve
helped the Carter County Museum in Ekalaka become one of the finest small
museums in the region.
He
and fellow students assist the museum staff in numerous ways, examining and
identifying fossils, conducting research and helping with exhibits. Another MSU student, a graphic arts major, recently
redesigned what is now an impressive museum website. There’s little doubt that these young folks are helping
revitalize the Carter County Museum.
Friend
Don Matthesen and I have visited a few museums around the area over the past
couple of years, and each one has its particular attraction. However, I confess I was more than a bit oblivious to the
museum at Ekalaka, and when he first mentioned it, I hesitated a bit. But Don and I have found a lot of interesting things during earlier museum treks, so I quickly warmed up to the idea of visiting the Carter County Museum.
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| The expressway to Ekalaka, Montana |
The
three-hour trip from Spearfish to Ekalaka took just a bit longer, since we had
to navigate through a herd of several hundred cattle on Wyoming 323 about 20
miles north of Alzada. Having grown up in Nebraska, I'm not unaccustomed to seeing cattle driven across country -- but this was something a bit different.
It was
quite an experience in itself, watching the cattle meander along the road and
ditch, prompted occasionally by a pickup and a gent on a four-wheeler, which more often than not is the new steed of choice for ranchers these days.
After
arriving in Ekalaka and enjoying a hearty breakfast at the Wagon Wheel café, we
spent several hours exploring the museum, which offers a real variety of
items. From arrowheads and
dinosaurs to pottery, photographs, old newspapers, and well-constructed
exhibits reflecting American Indian life on the plains through the era of white settlements by early pioneers. And the price is right, too: Free. Of course, generous contributions are always appreciated!
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