Rails and Trails Museum

08/18/2013

The Union Pacific Montpelier Railroad Yard has arrived at the Rails and Trails Museum and is in the process of being installed. When finished, it will include most of the buildings which occupied the yard at one time or another during its wonderful history. The buildings are scaled to N gage and two trains are running, an old steam engine and the City of Portland streamliner. And yes, there is a crossing guard and the guard shack. Thanks Chris and Marilyn.

06/25/2012

2012 is the 200 Year Celebration of Robert Stuart and his fellow
Astorian fur trappers--Benjamin Jones, Ramsay Crooks, Robert McClellan, Joseph Miller, Francois LeClerc, and Andre Valle who spent four days exploring and camping in the Bear Lake Valley.
They are the first recorded group of non-Native American people in our county.

Day One: The party entered the valley from Soda Springs. They
camped at the confluence of Georgetown Creek (Twin- Creek/Tullock’s Creek) with the Bear River.

Day Two: Sunday, September 12, 1812. Robert Stuart camped near the present Camp Stewart or just east along the north side of the Bear River. They were accosted by a band of Crow Indians.

Day Three: Monday, September 13, 1812. Robert Stuart’s Astorians crossed the Big Hill and the Sheep Creek Hills from west to east to Thomas Fork Creek. Fearing for their lives they made the wrong turn and fled north trying to escape the Crows. They traveled north along west bank of the Thomas Fork Creek and camped just south of the present Geneva where the Preuss Creek entered from the west.

Day Four: Tuesday, September 14, 1812. The Astorians continued their flight North—crossed the mountains and found their way to Spring Creek and into Star Valley.

06/25/2012

04/03/2012

The Pony Express began mail delivery April 3 in 1860. The first mail pouch contained 49 letters, five telegrams, and a variety of papers. A rider would switch to a fresh horse every 10 to 15 miles; each rider rode a leg of 75 to 100 miles. The Pony Express only operated for about 10 weeks when Congress authorized construction of a telegraph line to stretch between the Missouri River and the California coast. When completed, the Pony Express became obsolete, and it folded in October 1861.
Settlers didn't move into Bear Lake County until 1863...two years later, but one man who was to later settle Bear Lake County did ride for the Pony Express....that was Amos Wright.

11/29/2011

The Bear Lake Historical Society Calendars are here and ready to send...$9.95...seventeen beautiful black and white photos of Bear Lake County fifteen of them a hundred years old or older....if you want one message me on facebook.

11/15/2011

10/24/2011

Today, just in time for the world series, here is the stadium, the Montpelier Baseball Stadium (Overland Park) in Montpelier. This is one hundred years ago in 1912. It was located just west of the railroad tracks. Baseball then, as now, was such great fun.

10/08/2011

EARLY BUSINESSES ON FOURTH STREET, MONTPELIER IDAHO A business you can't see is a Drug Store on the corner where Gunderson's parking lot is not. Next to it would be the first Church in Montpelier which was surrounded by trees. Next to that, unidentified, then the Old Rock Store belonging to Edward Burgoyne, then the first store Lorenzo owned.

10/01/2011

Soon after the settlement of Bear Lake County a trade route was established to freight between Montpelier and Star Valley which went via Crow Creek Road. Autumn is a perfect time to take a road trip. Be sure to stop and read the great historical signs the Forest Service has. This is a pic of "Halfway House" , an overnight hotel and frontier cafe and a place for your horses.

10/01/2011

09/24/2011

This is an old picture of downtown Montpelier. Notice that there are both horse and buggies and motorized vehicles in the picture. It is a true moment of transition in history. Wish the photo were better, but it is what it is.