Tag History

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Beaverslide

Jul 25, ’11 1:09 PM

On the way back to Helena from the reunion we stopped at the Grant-Kohrs Ranch in Deer Lodge for Western Heritage Days weekend. There was a lot of sun and mosquitoes to accompany the cowboy talks, chuck wagon and blacksmithing demonstrations. By far, my favorite thing was seeing the beaverslide hay stacker in action. You can see it in the video below.

Fair Warning

This video is boring, but careful observers will notice a front flip and a driver bucked up from his chair.

The main section of the slide is constructed of two green 55-62 feet lodge pole pine poles. The 15-20 foot span between the poles is called the floor and is constructed of 1 x 4 slats roughly 40 feet long, two thirds of the length of the poles. A frame of 24 x 20 foot wood poles is called the backstop, and forms an immense right triangle with the floor and the slide. The spaced slats in between the main poles are easily seen. -Source

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Vigilante Day Parade

May 6, ’11 1:51 PM

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The first Vigilante Parade, held in 1924, was the brainchild of Principal A. J. Roberts in an attempt to divert students from traditional “subversive” spring traditions. These included an annual “senior-junior fight,” which often resulted in serious injuries. With the help of both students and faculty, the historical parade has enjoyed decades of success, creating its own history. For instance, in 1939, the Parade served as primary entertainment for visiting Prince Olaf and Princess Martha of Norway. -Source

NO GUNS, STARTER PISTOLS, OR BB GUNS WILL BE ALLOWED. ONLY REPLICA FIREARMS (WOODEN OR PLASTIC ARE ALLOWED). NO EXPLOSIVES WILL BE ALLOWED ON FLOATS. NO HAY RIDE, HOT TUB, MUD FIGHT, BARBQ ENTRIES OR FIRES WILL BE ALLOWED.

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The First Air to Ground Radio Message

Feb 19, ’10 7:35 AM

kiddo-vaniman.jpg‘Roy, come and get this goddamn cat’

2010 marks the centenary of a number of great events, including the first air to ground radio message.

Exactly 100 years ago, a gray tabby named Kiddo became the first cat to cross the Atlantic Ocean by dirigible. Kiddo belonged to one of the crew members of American explorer Walter Wellman’s airship America. In 1910 Wellman attempted to cross the ocean, leaving from Atlantic City, New Jersey on 15 October that year. Kiddo stowed away in one of the lifeboats, and was after his discovery turned out to be as big a pain as only an angry, claustrophobic cat can be, scratching, mewing, and howling and generally bugging the heck out of everybody on board. The America carried radio equipment — the first aircraft so equipped — and apparently the historic first, in-flight radio message, to a secretary back on land, read: ‘Roy, come and get this goddamn cat’

More information on this momentous event is here. Via BoingBoing.

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