A Little Bit of June and History Tidbits

If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring? June bugs

Knock, knock, Who’s there? Noah, Noah, who? Noah good joke about June?

For our fun stuff – The Superman Comic was published June 1, 1938. PT Barnum’s circus begins its first tour of the U.S. on June 2, 1835. On June 3, 1969 we all watched the last episode of the original Star Trek television series on NBC. ‘Beam me up Scotty’ ‘I’m giving her all she’s got, Captain! She cannae take anymore!’ (and make sure you read that with the right accent.)

Robert F. Kennedy was shot and mortally wounded on June 5, 1968 while leaving the Hotel Ambassador in Los Angeles. The shooting occurred after a celebration of Kennedy's victory in the California presidential primary.

The first drive-in theater opened in Camden, New Jersey on June 6, 1933. Many of us will miss those days of warm summer nights under the stars or under a warm blanket when the night cooled. A time of freedom.

Disney’s Donald Duck made his debut to entertain us with his antics on June 9, 1934. More fun came our way when the first roller coaster ride opened at Coney Island in Brooklyn, NY on June 13, 1884. It cost 5 cents a ride.

Lest we all forget June 14 is Flag Day to celebrate the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as our flag on June 14, 1777. The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote, was passed by Congress in 1919.

Why do pirates hate May, June July and August? Because they don’t have Arrrrrs in them!

It goes without saying that Montanans are proud of their state. And when it comes to the history of Montana, most of us know our stuff. Still, there is always something to learn, and a few of these facts might actually surprise you.

When Great Falls High School was built in the 1890s, herds of sheep were used to compact the earth around the foundation. In 1903 the Bozeman Carnegie Library was (intentionally!) built across the street from the red-light district and opium dens. They hoped it was an incentive to improve those ‘disreputable’ surroundings.

You’ve probably seen the Gideon Bible inside the nightstand drawer of your hotel room. That trend originated in Montana. The first placement was made by Archie Bailey at the Superior Hotel.

In 1867 the US Congress annulled all legislation passed by the second and third assemblies of the Montana territory, which was an unprecedented act in American history.

In 1892, Walter H. Peck established a post office on his ranch, requesting the name “Ray” in honor of a relative. Someone in Washington D.C. misread the application and returned it with the name “Roy.” And that’s how Roy, Montana got its name.

Montana certainly has had its share of strong women. Helena’s Chicago Joe, a clever business woman and madame, established Helena’s first “house of ill repute” at the age of 23. Chicago Joe managed to evade all attempts to destroy her business. She remained a professional success until the economic collapse of the 1890s.

Montana has more bookstores per capita than any other state. We also have international ties. The Montana Yogo Sapphire is included in the Crown Jewels of England.

In 2015, a black bear decided to walk the halls of Bozeman High School. The bear entered the school through an open garage door in the back of the building in the morning before school started. Luckily, there were no interactions with humans, and the bear escaped unharmed (and uncaptured). Guess he graduated early!

We extend a big thank you to the Dearborn Garden Club for their beautiful barrels of flowers. They always go the extra mile and we thank them for their hard work. If you see one of these motivated ladies be sure and thank them for all the hard work they do to beautify the community. The town is so bright and cheery.

We would also like to take this time to thank Del and his helpers for always being so prompt with flying the flags through town. It is a wonderful sight to behold.

Volunteer and support our wonderful free activities around the 4th, whether they be the softball games or the fireworks display. Beee a hero – read.

Several notes of interest. July 1, 1862 - President Abraham Lincoln signed the first income tax bill, levying a 3% income tax on annual incomes of $600-$10,000 and a 5% tax on incomes over $10,000. Also on this day, the Bureau of Internal Revenue was established by an Act of Congress (wonder how many agents they hired LOL). July 23rd is Vanilla Ice Cream Day. Pure and simple, it is the ultimate comfort food in hot weather. According to ice cream lore, an ice cream vendor created and served the first ice cream cone during the St. Louis World's Fair, on July 23, 1904. Enjoy.

If you have to schedule a meeting with a person or people you would rather avoid, here are some days to tell them, no matter what year. February 30th, April 31st, June 31st, September 31st, and November 31st. Have a warm, happy and safe summer.

We appreciate the patience our patrons have shown this last month when we had no phone or internet.