Learning from Historical Documents for Chapter 1 |
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Letter from Helen Piper to "Friend," Helena, Montana October 28, 1935. Montana Governors records, 1889-1962. Manuscript Collection 35. [box 63 folder 1]. Montana Historical Society Research Center. Archives. Excerpted in Not In Precious Metals Alone: A Manuscript History of Montana (Helena, 1976): 201-202. Context for Helen Piper's Letter: After 1929, Montana's agricultural depression blended with the national financial crash, and the low prices, high unemployment, and hard times continued. Because state government employed many people, Helena escaped the worst of the Depression. Instead, that city's disaster was natural in origin. From October 3, 1935, to February 22, 1936, over 700 earthquakes shook Helena. Although the majority were only weak tremors, a quake of major proportions occurred on October 18. Many buildings were severely damaged and hundreds of residents were forced into the streets to sleep in automobiles or hastily constructed emergency shelters. Fortunately, the loss of life was minimal. On October 28, just as the city was beginning to return to normal, Montana Deaconess School principal Helen Piper reported the experiences at the school to the institution's friends. Ironically, two days later an equally violent quake again shook the city and did even more damage. View the original document. Read the excerpt. Complete a Written Document Analysis Worksheet. About Primary Sources: |
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