Deer Lodge, Montana

Our first visit to Deer Lodge, Montana was 44 yrs. ago. We loaded 4 young children into our station wagon and started across the northern states to visit Nanny Wiffen and Uncle Fred in British Columbia. A twin size mattress fit perfectly in the back and a box of tenting supplies rested on top of the wagon.

We pulled in to Deer Lodge and rented a room in a small motel. It is still there today. We took the kids out for dinner, if I remember correctly, it was spagetti for all. There was a large prison on the main street and we teased the kids about leaving them there.

Bob and I have visited this small town 3 times since then. We have found a lovely, RV park and a favourite restaurant. We swear that The Broken Arrow serves the best steaks we have ever tasted.

Today we visited the old prison which is now a Museum. A self-guided tour took us to all the facilities of this state prison. From solitary confinement, to the shop were they made licence plates, to the mess hall, to the cells, all surrounded by a stone wall and lookout posts with sirens and search lights.

Since Deer Lodge is a very small town, I doubt that this prison will ever be kept up as a museum. The buildings are slowly deteriorating, paint is flaking, sidewalks broken and a huge theatre has been burned.

More to come in the next blog. SERVING TIME!!