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Carolyn Keonard Interview with Kris Brown, Eureka, MT, 11/24/00

There were a couple of ranches that was all there were out there. Now there is lots of houses you know the area has been sub-divided there's been. Well um the big mill was out there but at that time it, it was called Kenity and Stevens. But it has expanded through the years but that is probable the many income was from that mill

Yeah.

The road through Main Street has much improved since I have been here and since you have been here also.

Yeah.

It yum it was pretty scary when I first came here. Every spring the it was almost impassible, because it had so many potholes.

Yeah.

But. Hum. The big change that I think in my time was the constructions of the Dam. And they rerouted the railroad; the railroad use to come through here it was the main line. And it was good transportation you could get on the train and go ether east or west.

Yeah

And at that time the mail even came on the train.

Hum.

And they had the fast train. The fast train carried the mail is that how and they just throw it out. Uh and did you have a station depot agent and they were there to pick up the mail as the train went speeding through. Ah and of course when they brought the ah, the Dam into this area. They took the main line out. So now we don't have a very good mode of transportation in and out of here you're at your own mercy you ether have to have family to get you in and out or, the bus doesn't come through that's obvious.

Yeah.

Um the storefronts have really changed. We are actually pretty respectable looking now compared to we use to be the little old frontier town, which we still are I guess but. but we have spiffed up main street. That new highway did really enhanced the down town area. And of course with all of this there has been a lot of population new people have come to our area. And of course there's not much, much to do here your ah your you need to be rich and retired or work all your life.

Yeah.

Maybe that would be, but industry there really just isn't much. We have lot of recreation and if you had a boat you could enjoy the reservoir. Or again your young and healthy enough you could hike up in the mountains or go camping or if you have an ATV you can really get around out in the woods. Which we're really lucky we can just drive for maybe 10 minutes and your out in the woods. There's a lot of people that don't have that opportunity and of course while your out there you can see lot of interesting wildlife that people in other areas not have the opportunity to see. What am I suppose to tell you?

Um just any thing you can think of about the area.

Any exciting stories?

Of course, probably one of the situation now is are general politics were uh were a natural resources area that needs logging and farming and this particular area doesn't have a lot of mining but all of these industries are really hard pressed because of politics at this point. The forests service unable to put up sales and of course we sit here and see all the natural resources going to waste, which seems to me a crime uh you know my family are all loggers but at the same point in time we in time were environmentalists to. We don't want to destroy this beautiful country we would like to have something left for you folks to uh live with and enjoy. And of co urse, our point of view is that it is all‑

Renewable if managed properly there should be no problem. The ranchers should be able to graze their cattle out in the natural forest. There's positive things that happen with you know graze down excessive amounts of grass and help prevent the fires from; the grasses they grow back. And I think there is plenty for the deer and elk. Who ever else need's it. But I don't know maybe we're just getting to many people. Maybe that's it we need to manage the people too. I don't know. But you know the more people you get out there the more the ah seem to, to want to have things their way.