Wokeism and Fish, Wildlife and Parks

by Lyn Graves, Stevensville

I recently saw the new brochure for the Fort Owen State Park. The first line of the brochure says, “Visit the site of many firsts in Montana History including home to Montana’s first Catholic Church.” Really! How can that be? Fr. DeSmet arrived in 1841 and established that first church. Their (FWP) brochure says so. John Owen arrived in 1850 and built his fort. Their brochure says so. Thus, the church was in the area before the fort. That first church was swept away in a flood. The church John Owen acquired in 1850 is not the first church. It is the second or, I believe, the third church. It is, also, believed to have been in the field south of the present Ft. Owen. Not at the Fort. John Owen was asked by the Catholic Church to burn it as the priest had decided to close the Mission and sell it to John Owen. Owen does burn it. Furthermore, some of those firsts mentioned happened before John Owen arrived in the area.

Yes, that first sentence can be construed as firsts in the valley. Trust me, the average visitor is believing that the first church, and all the other firsts, are happening at Ft. Owen. I’m sure that was the intent. It is causing great confusion and concern.

Is Fort Owen so historically insignificant that the FWP needs to rewrite history? Isn’t John Owen’s life and accomplishments important enough? Does the FWP need to destroy the credibility of Historic St. Mary’s Mission, its founder Lucyllle Evans and, for that matter, Fr. DeSmet?

I would like to encourage the FWP to read Fr. DeSmet’s journals as well as John Owen’s diaries, Fr. Mengarini’s memoirs and Lucylle Evans’ books. The FWP should do their research and write their own brochures and information plaques instead of hiring outsiders to do the job. Lastly, the FWP should hire people who are going to be here more than a year or two and who give a damn.