The Montana Historical Society (MHS) and the Center for Western Lands and Peoples at Montana State University (CWLP) have received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to conduct a community project focused on gathering materials that document the food culture and food heritage of Richland and Roosevelt counties.

On Saturday, September 15, at Pella Lutheran Church in Sidney, a team of historians and students from the MHS and CWLP will host "A Taste of the Past: Gathering Montana's Food Heritage" from 9:30-4:30. Area residents are invited to bring traditional recipes, community cookbooks, historic photographs and documents of food related events, menus, records of home demonstration clubs, and artifacts related to food preparation and preservation. The team will scan and gather information about the documents and artifacts that speak to the history of the region’s local food customs. During the day, MHS and CWLP staff will present programs on Montana food history and preservation techniques for cherished artifacts, cookbooks, and photographs. Participants will retain the original items as well as receiving a digital image of the items on a thumb drive for their own use. The digital images will ultimately be made available on the Montana History Portal.

All events are free and open to the public.

Appointments for digitization are available. For an appointment contact mhslibrary@mt.gov. Walk ins are also welcome.

Programs on Montana food history and preservation techniques

• “Can the Kaiser! Food and Patriotism in World War I” (Dr. Mary Murphy)
• “Cookbooks, More than Just Recipes.” (Zoe Ann Stoltz)
• “History Preserves: How to Preserve Your Family’s Food Heritage” (Molly Kruckenberg)

We are excited to discuss the importance of this grant as well as to invite Richland and Roosevelt County residents to share their food heritage on September 15.

For further information, contact:

Mary Murphy
Department of History
Montana State University
406-994-5206
mmurphy@montana.edu

Molly Kruckenberg
Research Center
Montana Historical Society
406-444-4787
mkruckenberg@mt.gov

Thank you to our Project Partners:
Center for Western Lands and Peoples at Montana State University,
Sidney-Richland County Public Library
James E. Shanley Tribal Library at Fort Peck Community College
MonDak Heritage Center
National Endowment for the Humanities
Montana State University Library
Montana History Portal