"The Gathering Place" Encapsulates Gordon Ranch History

SWAN VALLEY - The Upper Swan Valley Historical Society's recently published book, The Gathering Place: Swan Valley's Gordon Ranch, encapsulates the rich history of the upper Swan Valley. To document the impact of the area's first homestead and ranch, the USVHS publication committee researched numerous records and interviewed key people including the owners, managers, ranch hands and other employees of the ranch.

Long before it became known as the Gordon Ranch, this natural prairie in the Swan River Valley has been a gathering place. From the Pend d'Oreille people gathering to dig camas, to the Hollands bringing hunters together for a pack trip, to the mapmakers and surveyors gathering to resupply and camp, to Dr. Gordon and family coming to celebrate the newly constructed lodge, the Gordon Ranch has provided many hardy souls with shelter, companionship and sustenance.

Inside this volume the reader will gain a broader understanding of the natural, cultural and historical aspects of the region as well as discover the oftentimes amusing and downright astounding tales about authentic western ranch experiences of the owners, caretakers and ranch hands. From branding, to fencing, to haying, to horse-driving, to outfitting, the record of their experiences gives us a sense of who we are and how the landscape shapes us.

A special feature of this book is a chapter written by the Salish-Pend d'Oreille Culture Committee titled, "The Swan Massacre: A Brief History." This chapter offers an authoritative look into the traditions and culture of the Pend d'Oreille people who for generations crossed the Mission Mountains to hunt, fish and gather plants for food, medicines and other uses. The Swan Massacre was a profound tragedy for the Pend d"Oreille people not only for the needless loss of lives but also for the loss of the tribe's freedom to live their traditional way of life hunting game in their aboriginal territories.

The book is available for purchase at the Swan Valley Museum, Swan Valley Library, the Grizzly Claw Trading Company in Seeley Lake and other local bookstores. For more information visit the USVHS website: http://www.swanvalleyhistoricalsociety.org

 

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