Sunday, July 5, 2020
Link to a picture of a 1913 Irvine Flats social gathering - George, Rose,and Harold must be in the photo!!
1913 IRVINE FLATS HOMESTEADER GATHERING PICTURE
Click on this link above to see the wonderful picture of the early settlers gathering at a country school (probable the Spring Valley School). The people used the Homestead Act to settle in the Irvine Flats area of Polson, Montana.
It is July 2020 and I did an internet search on Irvine Flats. And - there was an astounding picture. I may have seen it before - I can't remember, however, this picture is so clear and crisp. I'm going to take it to my dad and see if he can make out whether his grandfather, George, his grandmother, Rose, and his very young father is in the picture!
Update hopefully soon!
Link to info on the "four schools of irvine flats"
https://www.polson.k12.mt.us/community/community-resources/historical-school-districts-of-lake-county/the-four-schools-of-irvine-flats/irvine-flats
Irvin Flats homesteader fitted with a hook after a 4th of July accident on Flathead Lake
We, my family including Dave, my son Wesley living in Oregon, and my granddaughter, Seeley, were all visiting my dad, George (known as Georgie as a child) at his house across from Bonner Park on Ronald St. in Missoula. It was the 4th of July, 2020. My dad fixed us some lemonade and we sat on the patio surrounded by dad's flowers. Ken, my brother, was also there.
I asked my dad what he did as a child on the 4th of July. Here's what he said: There wasn't much going on, however, he told a story about a fellow Polson area/Irvin Flats homesteader, Cliff McBroom, and how due to a fireworks accident on Flathead Lake, lost his hand and had it replaced by a hook!!
Here's what happened. Cliff and some others were lighting some fireworks on Flathead Lake. In those days fireworks really packed a punch and were more powerful than many modern day fireworks. Cliff was holding a firework which didn't go off completely at first so he dunked it in the lake water thinking it would douse the firework.
Instead of the firework going out it exploded in his hand which was under water and blew his hand off!
The doctors did surgery and his hand was fitted with a hook.
Cliff was at times known to get into some fights and you could say he had an angry streak that surfaced every now and then. So...when he did get into a fight his opponents knew that Cliff had a hook on his one hand and that it may be used on them!
This is the story my dad told to us on the 4th of July many years after the incident. As I haven't looked into this story as far as checking newspapers or finding some relatives this account is just from my dad, an Irvin Flats homesteader, who has a very good memory!
I asked my dad what he did as a child on the 4th of July. Here's what he said: There wasn't much going on, however, he told a story about a fellow Polson area/Irvin Flats homesteader, Cliff McBroom, and how due to a fireworks accident on Flathead Lake, lost his hand and had it replaced by a hook!!
Here's what happened. Cliff and some others were lighting some fireworks on Flathead Lake. In those days fireworks really packed a punch and were more powerful than many modern day fireworks. Cliff was holding a firework which didn't go off completely at first so he dunked it in the lake water thinking it would douse the firework.
Instead of the firework going out it exploded in his hand which was under water and blew his hand off!
The doctors did surgery and his hand was fitted with a hook.
Cliff was at times known to get into some fights and you could say he had an angry streak that surfaced every now and then. So...when he did get into a fight his opponents knew that Cliff had a hook on his one hand and that it may be used on them!
This is the story my dad told to us on the 4th of July many years after the incident. As I haven't looked into this story as far as checking newspapers or finding some relatives this account is just from my dad, an Irvin Flats homesteader, who has a very good memory!
Saturday, February 22, 2020
Orville Bjorge - Garcon Gulch native featured on front page of the Missoulian for his service in World War 11
https://missoulian.com/news/local/end-of-an-era-montana-idaho-chapter-of-the-th/article_c80d3038-f561-5b59-a1e2-1c800d0569b8.html
Hello! Fellow cowboys and girls!!
Here is an article about a fellow homesteader, Orville Bjorge!! The article states he is from the Garcon Gulch area which is near the Irvin Flats area. It is over the hill from where our ranch house used to be.
Here is a reference to the ranch country of my family and his - "He's 97 now, retired from a life of cattle ranching and farming on his spread between Polson and Hot Springs."
Another quote about his family is - " Bjorge won't make it to Jakers on Saturday. He's living at an extended care home near the Flathead River in Polson, not far from the ranch his father homesteaded in 1910 on Garcon Gulch, between Hot Springs and Polson."
I called my dad, George, and he said he remembered the Bjorge family. There was some distance between the two homesteads so he did not know them well. My dad didn't know for instance that Orville had gone into the service. He said that the Bjorge family did most of their shopping in Hot Springs rather than in Polson.
Montana Homesteader Heritage would like to thank Orville for his service in WW 11. The article relays the story of his service - he was right in the thick of things that's for sure. Thank you, Orville!!
Hello! Fellow cowboys and girls!!
Here is an article about a fellow homesteader, Orville Bjorge!! The article states he is from the Garcon Gulch area which is near the Irvin Flats area. It is over the hill from where our ranch house used to be.
Here is a reference to the ranch country of my family and his - "He's 97 now, retired from a life of cattle ranching and farming on his spread between Polson and Hot Springs."
Another quote about his family is - " Bjorge won't make it to Jakers on Saturday. He's living at an extended care home near the Flathead River in Polson, not far from the ranch his father homesteaded in 1910 on Garcon Gulch, between Hot Springs and Polson."
I called my dad, George, and he said he remembered the Bjorge family. There was some distance between the two homesteads so he did not know them well. My dad didn't know for instance that Orville had gone into the service. He said that the Bjorge family did most of their shopping in Hot Springs rather than in Polson.
Montana Homesteader Heritage would like to thank Orville for his service in WW 11. The article relays the story of his service - he was right in the thick of things that's for sure. Thank you, Orville!!
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