On May 13 2024, the Townsend Middle School students came to Radersburg for the third annual history outing. The Townsend Seventh grade students study Montana history. Radersburg is has an extremely interesting history: once the county seat for Jefferson County and a hub of industry and travel for southwest Montana.
Three non-profit organizations (Preserve Broadwater History, Broadwater County Museum and the Radersburg Historic Preservation, Inc.) combined to host the outing in Radersburg.
Approximately 54 students along with teachers David Lawson and Tyler Patrick and School Board member Daniel Truesdell made the trip to Radersburg.
The first stop was the historic Radersburg schoolhouse built in 1913. Broadwater County Museum curator Linda Huth presented the history of Radersburg. Along the way Linda mentioned Myrna Loy (Radersburg’s own movie star) and Cecil Duff (Major League baseball player for the Chicago White Sox).
After the presentation by Linda Huth, Preserve Broadwater History members (and spouses), Bob Tootell, Keith and Robin Kirscher, Keith and Carol Obert, Vic and Pam Sample, and Gary Richtmyer cooked and served lunch. The students had hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies and water. They then had an opportunity to burn off some energy in the historic school’s schoolyard. Some of the students toured the Radersburg Museum housed in the upper classroom.
We would like to thank Bob’s Supermarket in Townsend for donating the hamburgers. Bob’s has been a great supporter of the Radersburg outing and has donated food for the since the beginning of this annual event.
The students then gathered outside the Radersburg historic Methodist Church (established in 1917 by Brother Van Orsdell). Unfortunately, the door lock froze up over the winter and could not be opened. Vic Sample gave a short talk about the historic church and about Brother Van Orsdell, as well as some of the historic Radersburg buildings that could be seen from the church.
The outing then moved to the Radersburg Cemetery. Jackie Smith, president of the Radersburg Cemetery organization, hosted the students at the cemetery. She provided ice cream and was available to answer questions that the students might have about their family members buried at the cemetery.
A hidden Broadwater County gem is a cemetery Museum established by Jackie Smith that is housed at the Radersburg Cemetery. The Museum hosts a wealth of information about people buried in the Radersburg Cemetery including birth certificates, marriage certificates and death certificates. This Museum is well worth visiting!