Education and the Event of the Month: History Camp was perhaps the most exciting happening in August. Nine students from throughout Montana arrived on August 1 and attended classes and hands-on workshops through August 6. Dan Thyer devoted many hours to organizing the History Camp, lining up the instructors, and working out the many logistical details. Orientation on August 1 included extensive and detailed tours of Virginia and Nevada Cities and the Frontier Houses by John Ellingsen. John assisted in the history camp instruction throughout the rest of the week as well, including mining and other tales around the campfire on the evening of August 3. Laura Baur of Helena taught the students in Dimsdale's school house, the oldest school building in Montana. Gold mining, taught by “Diamondback” Dave Sweet of Henderson, Nevada, (who also took part in the living history) was one of the favorite segments of the camp. His popular pack burros were a favorite with the students as they are with the living history visitors. John Ellingsen helped locate a good spot for placer mining on Heritage Commission ground in Alder Gulch, and the placer mining adventure yielded an impressive amount of 'paydirt' and memorable experiences to the students. A number of other living history re-enactors took part in History Camp as well. At closing ceremonies on Saturday, August 6, the students presented short papers and spoke on their history camp experiences. The camp was a great success.

Interpretation and Living History: The August living history program included "The Frontier Celebration" on August 5-7, "Daily Life in Virginia City" on August 12-14, "The Life of Victorian Ladies" on August 19-21, and "Alder Gulch Legends" on August 26 - 28. August 19 -21 was also Heritage Days in Virginia City and the 1864 Grand Ball weekend. John Barrows, Editor of the Dillon Tribune, and John Ellingsen had the Montana Post Print Shop open from 11 until about 6 pm on August 20, demonstrating hand set type and printing on the Washington Hand Press and the clapper-style press. Over 150 people visited the print shop that day. John Barrows continued the printing and type setting demonstrations on Sunday, August 21, and the next Saturday and Sunday as well. On August 27, the living history included Montana's first Governor Sidney Edgerton, portrayed by Tom Sergeant; Wilbur Fisk Sanders, portrayed by Jason Loveland; and Henry Plummer's wife Electa Bryant Plummer, portrayed by Electa Loveland. Dan Thyer gave a presentation on the road agents on Saturday, August 27. John Ellingsen spoke on the "Legends of Alder Gulch" on Sunday, August 28. Other living history presenters throughout the month included Edna Mae Leonard (Miner's Widow in the Depuis house), Coby Johnson (Laundress), Dale Johnson (Storekeeper in the Cheap Cash Store) Shelly Therimer (Spinning and Weaving), Susan O'Connell (Mattie Silks), Terry Draught (Trapper, miner, Freighter, at the Glenn Cabin), Tom (Joseph Sullivan, Saddler), Dave Dusterbeck (Sheriff) and Brenda, Dan & Dule Thyer.

Volunteer Program: A dinner honoring 32 Volunteers was held on August 19, and Volunteer Service Awards were presented. Bobby Dirks, who is famous here for her devoted service in polishing Steam Engine No. 12 and also as fireman on the weekend operations, has over 4,000 hours of volunteer time in her lifetime! She received the President's Volunteer Award, a National Honor. Volunteers from Living history were also presented awards.

Tours: John Ellingsen gave a tour for the New Commissioners on August 3. John and Dan gave a presentation on the education and interpretation department to the new Commissioners the next day in the Music Hall. Other tours by John included two for Papoose Lodge (August 17 and 18) and for Commissioner Judy McNally on August 19. Mary Oliver, Jeff Tiberi, and a group from Varney toured with John on August 25.

Railroad: John helped start the Steam Engine No. 12 on August 13, 14, 20, 21, and 27. and 28. (The steam train did not operate on the weekend of August 6-7). Roger Williams and Bobbie Dirks have been the main-stay of the weekend operations through this summer Joel King and his son Philip were a welcome addition to the crew one weekend in early August; they have been regulars in past years before Joel's new job in Moscow, Idaho made it hard to make frequent visits to Virginia City. Most runs of No. 12 were filled to capacity, and the steam train continues to be an extremely popular and a major tourist attraction.

Music Machines: John Ellingsen maintained the music machines throughout the month with no unusual events. Music money was collected weekly. Small daily repairs and adjustments keep the music machines entertaining our visitors and adding much to their enjoyment. The latest repair is renewal of the leather in the variable speed drive 'pulley' of the Wurlitzer 103 Organ.

Special Events: The Mai Wah Society of Butte was in Nevada City China Town on August 16 though 18. Many of the items we have on display were originally from the Wah Chong Tai Co. and the Mai Wah buildings in Butte. Charlie Bovey purchased the Chinese artifacts from Howard Chinn in 1948, at a time when an exodus of Chinese from Butte was taking place. Much of Butte's China Town was quickly destroyed soon after many of the Chinese population departed. The Wah Chong Tai Co. building escaped destruction when it became a second hand store, and fortunately most of the interior remained unmodified. The Mai Wah Society was formed about a decade ago to continue preservation of this remarkable remainder of the once-extensive Butte Chinese community. Christopher Chann, of Mountainside, New Jersey, the grandson of Howard Chinn's sister Pearl, was here to explore in detail and photograph the artifacts once owned by his family. Mai Wah Society members Janet Sperry and Erik Hammerstrom, who can read Chinese and interpreted many of the Chinese signs and labels, joined in listing the articles. Heritage Commission curatorial staff and John Ellingsen assisted. John and Charlie Bovey put the Nevada City China Town exhibit together in 1972-73 as a memorial to the Chinese. The Chinese culture was a major part of the mining camp life in Virginia City and throughout the West, yet at the time the Nevada City Chinese display was created, (1972 - 73) there was almost no mention of the Chinese contributions to Western history. John recalled stories told by Charlie Bovey relating to acquiring the artifacts, which items came from the Wah Chong Tai Co., and which came from other sources. John located a note he wrote years ago on a major item, the wooden statue 'Kwang Goong, a mighty protector of the place and the weak.

A beautiful painting by famous Montana artist Monte Dolack was unveiled on the evening of August 28. Monte was challenged with the difficult task of capturing the essence of Virginia City and its extensive and complex history and distilling a million images into work of art. The 'poster' depicts a gold miner panning nuggets of history from a creek, with the town, mountains, and the gold of fall 'alder' trees in the background. A large number of people attended the event held in the Virginia City Community Center (Gym). The exquisite original painting was auctioned by Bill Holt, and many signed and numbered prints were sold to the enthusiastic crowd. Sale of the original and prints will benefit of the Montana History Foundation and the Montana Heritage Commission.

Research: John Ellingsen researched the chain of title of the Sim Ferguson Cabin, and is continuing the project to research the historic title information on all the Heritage Commission buildings. Though the information gained from title research is somewhat limited in quantity (generally yielding only the names of past owners, dates, and legal descriptions) and while title research is not fast, it is the most basic of information for accurate historic documentation on the Virginia City buildings. Much of the most historically interesting and revealing activity took place between the first settlement here in 1863 and 1868, when the legal title to the townsite was passed by US Patent to the City of Virginia. Title searches by a modern legal title company generally do not include the period between June 1863 and 1868, before the US Townsite Patent. Fortunately, the Clerk and Recorder's Office of Madison County has preserved the historic records - which date to June, 1863 - with great care, and the originals are accessible right here in Virginia City.

Staff Meetings and Administrative: Manager meetings were attended on August 1, 8, 15, 22, and 30. Dan attended the all-staff meeting on August 25, but John was giving a tour at the time. Dan and John worked on the budget for next year's education and interpretation activities and presented it for consideration.

Architectural Design: John sketched an idea for a handicap ramp at the west end of the Opera house.

Movies: John begun repainting the sign listing the movies and TV shows made at Nevada City. The degree of interest by visitors in the movies made here is always surprising, and many have their picture taken by this sign.

Miscellaneous, Weekly Security Checks, Etc.: John Ellingsen performed the weekly security checks of NC and Railroad as usual. The annual migration of pack rats and mice into the buildings is beginning, and action is being taken. Otherwise, no unusual problems were noted. A break-in at the Glenn Cabin in Nevada City occurred in the early evening (about 7:30 pm) on August 7. Dan Thyer, who was on site, noticed the culprit immediately and took action, notifying the sheriff's office. VC Streetlights were also maintained through the period as usual.

Respectively Submitted August 30. 2005

John D. Ellingsen
Dan Thyer