Havre Montana - The Underground City Tour

HAVRE, MONTANA 

A Great Northern Railroad town along the route from Seattle to Minneapolis.

Founded in 1893 it had become a "Railroad Boom Town" and had it's share of 

corruption, crime and mayhem.

There was so much racism that the Chinese workers were not allowed on the streets and needed a safe place to go to work so they went to the underground tunnels and rooms.

When a fire destroyed most of the town in 1904, the business moved underground for about 2 yrs until the city could be rebuilt.

After the city was rebuilt several of the businesses stayed underground

( brothels and opium dens )

until a flood in the 1930's wiped it out.

A picture perfect life!

Sausage Factory

Sewing machine for heavy leather in the tack shop.

And then there's the dental office-

And the bordello 

(perhaps the Madam's quarters)

The rather large room had separate numbered areas with oil cloth dividers for 'rooms' (The ladies were numbered, names were not used )

Perhaps this was the fancy parlor in the bordello.

The guide said that the crystal chandler was donated by a Lutheran Church

( they didn't say where it should be displayed.)

The sidewalks on the street level installed glass bricks for light to the underground.

This wall in the tunnel had glass for some sunlight.

Several cities have underground tours.  Google says that this is the #2 rated one.

Todays tour was interesting even though not directly related to the Lewis and Clark expedition but they were here and camped nearby on the river.

Heading West (across North Dakota)

 The Northern Plains are flat and have huge farms.

We took a 'scenic byway' to Regent ND 

Gary Greff was determined to keep his small town in North Dakota alive, so he learned how to weld and put up several unique roadside sculptures.

The area is called "Enchanted Highway"

Medora North Dakota 

We are treated to an outdoor Dinner and Musical

This is the Pitchfork Fondue Steak Dinner

(for about 500 or so people)

It shows the 'pitchfork method' of cooking.

A beautiful setting and reminds me of Tuachan

An evening of fun and entertainment and a tribute to Teddy Roosevelt

Yep, they are on stage.

The buildings move out of the way.

I think everyone was enjoying the bubbles.

The Theodore Roosevelt National Park

The Bad Lands have their own kind of beauty.

Roosevelt said that if he had not spent time here grieving after his wife and mother both died on the same day, he never would have become President.

A pleasant day to drive through the park.

Lots of Bison

(aka buffalo)

Fun to see them up close and personal.

Lots of Prairie Dogs (aka Gophers)

Really fun when the herd of wild horses surprised us!

Back in town are many tributes to Theodore Roosevelt who had part interest in two ranches in the area.

Petrified Tree trunk and log.

We didn't have time to drive/hike to the Petrified Forest,

but they have plenty on display in town.

Mandan Villages along the Missouri

Earth Lodges along the Missouri

These villages were settled a couple of hundred years before 

Lewis and Clark arrived, but in disrepair by then. 

They have been re-created to show the life style in the 15-1700s

The Mandans (and other tribes) constructed these earth lodge houses 

30 to 60 feet in diameter.

(and, of course the women did all the work: cut down the trees, make the structure, cover with layers of willow branches, grass, and mud from the river)

There would be 75 houses in a circle around the religious center. Each one housed around 15 people.

These houses were wide enough to have their beds raised from the floor.

An upgrade from a teepee, but not portable.

The center of the village housed the symbol of their god

Lone Man.

He protected them and the village when the Great Flood happened.

According to the Mandan the Missouri River flowed backwards and Lone Man protected them all.

Here is Lone Man

The diorama of the village shows the typical number of earth lodges, the spiritual center of the village where they held their religious festivals 1-2 times per year (Hum I wonder if it was Christmas and Easter? Just Kidding!).

They did this to ask for favor for their hunting season.

There were 9 of these villages along the river.