Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 July 1895 — FIRST HOUSE BUILT MONTANA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FIRST HOUSE BUILT MONTANA

Is a Log: Cabin Thirty Years Old—Still Owned by the Builder, The first house ever built In Missoula, Mont., has an Interesting and peculiar history, thoroughly in keeping' with

the wild conditions of life prevalent in that part of the country when it was erected, thirty-five years ago. As seen in the picture, this house is really noth-

lag store nor less than an ordinary log cabin, the typical domicile of the first settler In the uninhabited districts of the West Four years after the cabin was built it was the scene of a wholesale lynching, when four notorious . horse thieves paid the penalty of their crimes. They were run down near this cabin, and on the same day they were hanged from the ends of four stout poles, which were fastened to the fence and, front of the hut In that same year—lß64—not less than seventy-three members of the various thieving gangs were caught and lynched In Missoula County. The graves of the four culprits hanged in front of the cabin are still pointed out to occasional travelers and hunting parties as they pass through the district But thirty-live years has brought a great change to that part of Montana, although the old log cabin is practically unchanged, both in appearance and durability. It is still inhabited, being now occupied by a ranchman and his family. The man who built the cabin is Frank Woody, and he is seen in the picture, the old house and its builder having been photographed a few months ago. Mr. Woody, however, is now known In that district as “Judge” Woody, his condition in life having risen in proportion to the advance of civilization. He is now the county judge of Missoula, and he lives in a fine modern house in that town, which is a prosperous place of about 0,000 inhabitants. The old log cabin is three miles from the town. Judge Woody still owns it, and he frequently visits the scenes of his early pioneer days. He Is about 70 years old.

FIRST HOUSE ERECTED IN MONTANA.