Yellowstone County Museum Photographs Tell Historic Billings Stories

Chairman of the Yellowstone County Museum Foundation, Charlie Yegen, commended the John Petek Exhibit in the gallery room of the museum.

The museum was closed during road construction in 2009. When the roundabout was ready, the museum reopened. YCM is the kind of museum that tells the stories of the people and places, tools, art, and triumphs and heartache of the early residents, both Native American and settlers, who populated the Yellowstone Valley.

Yegen said that during the closure, the museum underwent a wonderful transformation. “Director Chas Weldon has taken things under his wing and given his flare to the exhibits. He has added a couple of wonderful displays in the Native American room that cap off that collection, which we have been told many times, is the best of its kind in the state,” said the chairman.

The museum now enjoys more space around the building. The patio affords a spectacular view of the Yellowstone Valley. “We made it through in fine fiddle,” said Yegen.

The museum gift shop is full of Native American reproductions and books of Yellowstone Valley topics.

Special Exhibits

John Petek was a commercial photographer

who captured many businesses, ranches, aerial views, landscapes and parades in and around the Billings area during the mid 20th century. Over 80 photo prints are on display at the museum and another 140 may be viewed on the new, large flat screen monitor in the gallery of the historic McCormick cabin.

The Petek family gave the museum permission to hang the first-ever exhibit of the crystal-focused photos of the man who lived from 1907-1999. The photos on display cover the years from 1927 to the 1950s. People whose parents and grandparents were Billings residents during that time can enjoy looking for their ancestors in the crisp black and whites that show throngs lining the streets for parades, listening to Dwight D. Eisenhower speaking from the caboose of a train on his whistlestop tours, and living in the Yellowstone Valley.

Exciting exhibits also grace the Northern Plains Tribes room. Yellowstone County Museum received an Indian Education for All grant in June 2008. The funds helped YCM build two beautiful wood and glass cases, which display two of the museum’s most valuable artifacts. The first is the rare dog travois of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe.

The other treasure that has returned to the museum’s displays is the Crow Indian eagle feather bonnet with a magnificent eagle feather trailer. The rare bonnet and trailer is adorned with the white skins of ermine and long locks of hair from this warrior’s family. Feather bonnets were worn by Indian men as a sign of their success at hunting and war. Feathers had to be earned before they could be worn.

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission and parking are free. Find out more about this historic museum at yellowstonecountymuseum.org. Memberships are nominal.