A while ago I wrote about a museum exhibit featuring a large number of creative, custom-made iron implements that were displayed in a little museum in northwestern Montana. Today, as I’m circumnavigating much of North America, I went hundreds of miles out of my way to get a picture.
When I got there, in the picturesque hamlet of Troy, the museum turned out to be closed. I went over to the hardware store next door, asked when the museum was supposed to be open (Friday through Monday, today is Wednesday….), and told them my story. The very nice lady called over to city hall (possibly an over-glamorized title for a town of 957), and told me someone would come over and open it up for me. A very nice gentleman did come by and open it up for me, giving a few other passersby a chance to get inside as well, and what did I find?
The museum was laid out somewhat as I remembered it, complete with a second room oriented about as I remembered, which was, in fact, filled with various tools and farm implements, but this was totally not the right museum. I took some pictures (I’ll post a couple when I have time), thanked my host profusely, made a generous donation, and headed across the street for a lunch that included huckleberry ice cream.
Now, either my memory, ten years removed, is faulty, the implements were in the caboose displayed out back (with a lovely new paint job, I might add), or they are in a completely different museum. All of the implements I saw in this museum were quite comprehensible and seemingly ordinary.
If I succeed in locating the display I’m thinking of via Google or the dim recesses of my brain I’ll be sure to let you know. In the meantime you can be assured that I’m willing to go out of my way to accomplish a mission I’m passionate about.