Friends of Park County

06/08/2026

Please join us in holding our Board Vice-Chair, Kathy Foote, and her family in your thoughts as they grieve the loss of her husband, Jonathan Foote. 💟

📸Audrey Hall Photo

Jonathan founded Jonathan L Foote AIA - Architects and Planners (now JLF Architects; his initials remain our brand) in 1979. His architecture blended into the Montana landscape as if grown from the sites themselves, framed by salvaged century-old barn timbers and floorboards. He formed and shaped where we’ve been … and where we’re headed.

Read our tribute to the visionary architect’s lasting legacy in the Anvil blog on our website (link in bio).

PHOTO:

05/22/2026

Sure signs of spring in Park County? (1) it starts snowing! (2) Montana Freshwater Partners launches their “Predict the Peak” contest!! 🏆

05/21/2026

Shout out to our neighbors in the north end of the Shields Valley: North Bridger Bison! They were included in a 7-minute video created by the Smithsonian in conjunction with an exhibit now open at the National Museum of Natural History. 🎬 You'll find Matt Skoglund right around 4:23 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu7sbx3-rA4

You can read more about the exhibit below ... and you can read more about NORTH BRIDGER BISON on their blog! https://www.northbridgerbison.com/blog

Explore the remarkable story of bison. These iconic animals shaped North American landscapes for more than 100,000 years and anchored Indigenous lifeways for generations. Pushed to the brink of extinction in the 19th century, bison survived thanks to dedicated conservation efforts. Today, they stand...

05/20/2026

Thank you to Yellowstone Gateway Museum for getting us out on the land on a gorgeous spring day!

05/12/2026

Will we see you there?! This is shaping up to be our FAVORITE kind of bear encounter = involving humor but no actual injuries! 😬
With thanks to Park County Environmental Council for hosting. 🙏
🐻🤎

It's ursine storytime!

We are teaming up with Elk River Arts & Lectures to present an entertaining evening of ursine storytime -- let's talk about bears!

Bear With Me will feature local storytellers sharing true-life tales about our bruin neighbors we all love from a distance.

Hosted by Story Wrangler Bex Frucht and featuring Malou Anderson, Steve Hoffman, Nick Mott & Jacob Lilley, Danielle Oyler, and Evan Stout. This event is free and open to the public.

Wednesday, May 13, 2026
6:30 PM 8:00 PM
Livingston Elks Lodge

Details: https://www.pcecmt.org/events/bearwithme

05/07/2026

Throw back to last Friday morning when our board member Mike Dailey and our ED Barbara Oldershaw met up with County Commission Bryan Wells and a great group of Shields Valley residents who were eager to talk about community improvements! You too can have an informal coffee chat with Bryan: 1st Friday of the month at in Clyde Park and the 2nd Friday of the month (tomorrow!) at Riverside Hardware on Main Street in Livingston. Both conversations start at 9:00 am, no need to sign up - just show up! 🇺🇸

04/16/2026

Shout out for all of the terrific quotes from local advocates, including Ken Cochrane, who chairs our Board of Directors. 🗣️ "The decisions made about one piece of land affect neighbors, working lands, water, roads, wildlife, scenery, and the character of the valley as a whole." Hear, hear!

The opposition letter marks a stark contrast from a drafted support letter the commissioners discussed in a Feb. 10 meeting.

04/14/2026

Welcome event for our new ED: Wed, 4/22, 4:00 - 6:00 pm - https://mailchi.mp/friendsofparkcounty/welcome-new-ed-april-22

04/13/2026

Just another reminder: we invite you to join us this coming Thursday afternoon to learn more about the process for updating Park County's subdivision regulations! Details below.

As promised: meeting details for updates on county subdivision regulations - Thurs, 4/16 - https://mailchi.mp/friendsofparkcounty/meetings-on-april-16

04/12/2026

If this is anything like the Craig Lee lecture, it will be equal parts informative AND ENTERTAINING! 🦬

Due to weather, we had to reschedule our Drive Lines & Buffalo Jumps of Paradise Valley Field Trip! But, that means a new opportunity to join us!

Good news: We now have five tickets available for the new date, Saturday, May 16.

Join Dr. Craig Lee, Dr. Scott Carpenter, and Dr. Jack Fisher for a rare, in-depth field experience exploring the incredible drive line and buffalo jump landscapes of Paradise Valley. This is a unique chance to walk these engineered hunting sites and gain insight into the ingenuity and deep knowledge of Indigenous peoples who shaped this landscape long before modern development.

📍 Departing from Park County Fairgrounds at 8:30 AM May 16th

🎟️ These spots will go quickly don’t miss your chance to be part of this unforgettable day in the field.

👉 Grab one of the remaining tickets on the gift shop website: https://ygm-shop.shoplightspeed.com/field-trip.html