Phil Scriver

Montana Album Prairies Phil Scriver

Seeing History A wonderful thing about the prairies is they are alive with history. The layers of history are easily seen on the surface of the land. Homestead shacks remind us of the boom and bust years of the early 1900s. Rusty equipment traces agricultural history from the very early times until today. As technology changed so did the farm equipment. Even the livestock have left their mark as cattle, sheep and horses replaced the buffalo. Since the 1860s when the settlers started arriving on these prairies until today many folks have taken advantage of the opportunities they found. Although many settlers left in disappointment others remained to live a good life and reaped the rewards. That history is easily found on these lands too. Generations of families who worked the land are visible with multiple homes on the same farmstead. The original home of the parents sits abandoned as the next generation lives nearby in the newer home that better fits their needs. Homes changed with the changing technology. Prairie towns have shrunk in population to the point many are near-ghost towns. Abandoned homes and a variety of equipment tell the story of what used to be. Welcome to where I grew up. My stories and my photographs tell my view of history on these prairies of Montana.