Bridge to the Past: BACC seeks community’s help to open Bigfork’s own history museum
Bigfork Art and Cultural Center is hard at work putting together a new museum space featuring the community’s history and local stories.
In late October of last year, BACC received the lease for the old library at 525 Electric Avenue from Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork, allowing the organization to transform the space into an art gallery and makerspace and opening up BACC’s next door location to highlight Bigfork’s background.
The foundation for the new history exhibits will stem from the work of Denny Kellogg, Ed Gillenwater, and Tabby Ivy, who, from 2016 to 2017, researched, developed, and produced the documentary “Bigfork: A Montana Story.”
Recognizing that Bigfork’s history was at risk of being lost as older generations passed on, these local historians worked with area residents to collect oral histories, research local and state history, and archive nearly 1,000 historical images.
Gillenwater, who became a resident of Bigfork about 14 years ago, recalled being a part-time resident in years’ past before slowly learning the area’s stories.
“The more you find out about this place you live, the more attached you get to it. And the people that are already attached to it by birth and long-term love to see the stories come out so they can help tell them. Nothing makes you more attached to an area than to learn its history,” Gillenwater said.
Plans for broader public showcases of the film were derailed by the onset of COVID-19 in 2020. Now, BACC Executive Director Julie Bottum is seizing the opportunity to bring these stories to life. With the newly expanded BACC space, she and her team are leading the effort to establish a Bigfork Museum of Art and History, offering visitors an engaging look into Bigfork’s past.
Planned exhibits include the Flathead Maritime Archaeology Project, an effort by BACC to explore the underwater history of the area; an oral histories collection from Gillenwater and Kellogg’s documentary research; and a tribute to Bigfork’s artistic legacy. The museum will also display “The Origins and Cultural Perspectives of Bigfork,” a deep dive into the diverse people who have lived in the area for thousands of years.
Metal from the old Bridge Street Bridge is set to be repurposed by local blacksmith Jeffrey Funk and displayed. Exhibits will be on rotation, with new additions when feasible. Digital displays, as well as a collection of historic artifacts, will be included in the museum’s design.
BACC has fundraised $66,000 to press go on the project, but efforts are still underway to ensure the success of the endeavor. Beyond monetary donations, BACC hopes to receive corrugated tin and reclaimed wood for the museum’s build out.
Artifacts of local history are also of interest. Bottum noted the museum had recently received a lamp off an old Great Northern train and a stagecoach wheel jack, as well as an old plat map of the area. With new imaging technology, families will be able to contribute their historical objects to the museum’s digital archive if donation is not feasible. BACC will also consider having displays on loan in the future.
Several thousands of hours of volunteer time have gone into the new museum, with more anticipated. Volunteer work has allowed the project to allocate funds directly to the museum buildout and exhibits.
“Our goal is to make this as much of a community process as possible... This is their center,” Bottum said.
Those interested in donating their skills to the museum’s construction or coding for digital displays are invited to reach out. For more information or to support the project, contact Bottum at director@baccbigfork.org.
Though there isn’t a set timeline on the project, as construction and design updates are still up in the air, Bottum hoped to have the museum open for tourist season.
“Something will open in May of this year, it’s not going to be a final thing, that’s for sure,” she said.