Wolf Point Montana Memories

One of the earliest photographs of Wolf Point at "Old Town". The Presbyterian Mission school buildings

are on the left, which operated from 1895 to 1927.

From a penny postcard, another Early View of the School, church and dormitories (similar to the one above)

My mothers' Aunt, Vera Smith Johnson, lived in this house built by my Great Grandfather, William H. Smith, in 1910. William H. Smith was born in Llano County, Texas September 10, 1855 and died in Wolf Point January 1, 1917. He was a member of the Texas Rangers in the early 1870's. In 1884 he was a stock inspector for the Montana Stock Association. He trailed cattle to Montana four different times with his brothers, James and Drew, and the fourth time he decided to stay here in Wolf Point. He married Nellie Trexler (my Great Grandmother). This house, called the "Green House" was originally a large log house, and when John Listerud came to Wolf Point, he had the first lumber yard, and William had lumber put on this house. This house was finished December 11, 1910 and moved into on December 22, 1910. It was one of the first homes built in "new town". It still stands near Benton Street on 5th Avenue South.

Here is a photo of my great-grandfather, William H. Smith (taken in 1877 in Red Rock, Texas)

In 1913, William H. Smith built this rooming house on the south side of Main Street.

Smiths' brother Ed, and his wife, Hattie, managed the place. It was later purchased by Jim Terry

and was known as the Terry Rooming House, the Terry Hotel, and later the Point Hotel.

In 1928, my Great-Grandfather, Ben Anderson (on the left) with Pilot

Jim Cook first flew the "Air Mail" out of Wolf Point:

Ben Anderson with an unidentified man (possibly Bob Anderson) cutting ice from the river near Wolf Point:

An early view of the Stockman's Bar and Attorney Frank Catlin's office

From the left to the right on main street: my Grandfather Hanks' Barber Shop, The Modern Cafe, The

Federated Store (later Bryan's), and Buttrey Foods, the largest grocery store in Wolf Point (around 1954):

The Triangle Service Station and Triangle Cafe in the mid '50s.

A matchbook from the Triangle Cafe and Service Station:

Main Street with the Elks, The Liberty Theatre, Beacon Tire Service and the Frigidaire dealer:

The movie playing at the Liberty Theatre was "The Boy From Oklahoma" starring Will Rogers, which would date this picture to 1954.

The movie also starred Sheb Wooley, Slim Pickens and a "later-to-be" talk show host by the name of Merv Griffin!

A look at Wolf Point from the north in the 1920s:

Monte Montana (from Wolf Point) was a famous trick rider in many stampedes:

Indians doing a "War Dance" in the early days -- date unknown

Hank's Barber Shop (my grandfather) on Main Street (about 1945). I do not know who the other Barber is, but the customers are Art Toavs and Dutch Schreiber

Hank Arndt, Sr. and Ralph Eggerbrecht

Hank and George Jensen:

Wolf Point main street in 1919:

Another old view of Wolf Point:

Soldiers marching down Main Street in July of 1918. The J. H. Coffey building was located

where the old Buttrey Foods store (now a part of Bryans) was located:

Keith Bryan sent me the next four pictures in July of 2006:

A postcard of Assiniboine Indians at the Stampede:

Chief Redstone and his court:

The Equity Co-Op Elevator

These next two photos were taken about 1941: The business in the middle could be what later was the Stockmans Bar and to the right of it could have been Frank Catlin's office, but I'm not sure. I believe the photos are of offices you'd see as you are going south towards main street just leaving the underpass. Any ideas?