Good Morning to you !
Dovetail homestead is the homestead where my dad was born and raised. His grandparents migrated to America from Norway. I did spend a lot of time there as a child. It just didn't seem like that big of a deal to me then. The homestead is still being farmed by my dads cousin and his grown son and grandchildren.
I'm so glad they chose to plant their roots deep there. They recently had a celebration honoring the past family, my Grandparents as well as my dad and his siblings and cousins. I was so humbled to walk on the very dirt my Great Grandparents also walked on.
The following pictures weren't taken by me (dead camera battery) but I thought I would share them anyway.
This is the one room schoolhouse my gramma attended as a child and later taught her children, their cousins, and the neighboring kids. The story goes there were 5 kids in her class when she was a child and 9 in my dads class.
The inside is so cool. It's still as it was when the last class attended it. There are a few desks, the coolest benches, blackboard, wood stove and even a coatrack complete with schoolhouse hooks. There is a small closet like area where the school marm stayed during the week because it was 30 plus miles to the nearest town.
This is the playground. I just love the feel of this photo. I can just hear the kids screetching on the merry-go round. I love that the swings are still in tact. At one point they were swaying in the breeze.
This is the sheep shelter. After my visit to the old homestead I have a new passion for sheep. That was the livelihood for my Great Grandparents and still so today.
The wood was taken from the surrounding land to make it.
My Gramma was born in January 1903. The closest town with a hospital was 52 miles away. So Great Gramma stayed in town due to the time of year and lack of transportation. Great Grampa walked those 52 miles to see her after she was born. It took him 3 days. He spent a few hours with his wife and new baby girl then walked back to tend to the big brothers still at home.
Before my Gramma died her niece sat down with her and got documentation of her life as a small child, as a farmers wife with 6 children and a school teacher. I have a copy as well as the recorded cassette tape. I will cherish it forever.
It's nice to know the roots of our family tree are firmly planted in Dovetail Montana.
