Tuesday, June 2, 2009

I'm Not From Montana...

...but if I were, I would want this quilt! I just finished this cute "row" quilt for a quilter who's entering it in an upcoming quilt show.
She is from Montana and each one of her friends made a row of this quilt.
I quilted it in a lovely Signature variegated thread. Don't you love this moose?
Although I am not from Montana, I was reminded of my great grandfather who worked in a silver mine in Anaconda, Montana in the 1890's. He's pictured below, standing in the doorway on the left. My great grandmother is seated in the center. This looks like a hard life. They worked for my great grandfather's wealthy brother who owned the mine. You'd think he'd put them up in better accomodations. Wait, maybe these were the best accomodoations!
Now here's a crazy coincidence for you. My great grandfather was a friend of a man name George Washington Love. He worked in that mine too! George Washington Love was my husband's great, great, granduncle! Here they are both pictured below. This picture was taken in Anaconda, Montana. Small world, don't you think? Yes, my ancestors and my husband's ancestors were friends. Of course, being some of the Mormon pioneers, they probably all knew each other! (don't you think my great grandfather, pictured on the left, was a handsome man?)Now, get back to work, Vivian!

10 comments:

Shannon said...

I was born in Great Falls and lived there for five years until my dad received orders and we moved to England. Big Sky Country!

Martha said...

Love the quilt and the pictures. I, too, lived in Great Falls for one year.

Carmi Quillts said...

I was born in Kalispell and raised in Billings. I moved when I was 30. Nothing like the Big Sky Country. Love the Montana quilt!

Tina said...

That is so cool that your ancestors were friends, and that you actually have a picture to prove it!

dee said...

I love it when you do history posts. I'm a history buff so it's all interesting to me.
Great quilt.

QuiltSue said...

Great quilt. The family connections are amazing, and having the photos to look at too - just wonderful.

Paula, the quilter said...

I have actually BEEN to Anaconda MT. Some friends of ours still live there. Did you mean silver mine or copper mine, 'cause they are widely known for the copper in the area and the chimney from the copper smelter is still standing. Looks like a very tall brick flagpole *grin*. Not much happenin' in Anaconda these days.

Susan said...

Anaconda ~ what a neat and very beautiful country. My father was born there.(1917) His father worked in the copper mines also, as electrical engineer. My dad was born in a house that is still there today and is now an antique shop/vintage linens. I visited there 2 years ago (I live fairly close by in Idaho) and the little house was then a bike shop. I met the current owner of the house/shop at a quilt show in Spokane, WA Oct 2007, and he is from Connecticut and moved to Anaconda, bought the bike shop, converted it to the antique shop. Very small world isn't it? I have a couple of photos of my grandfather & dad in the front of the house. Still looks very similar.
Hope this wasn't too much rambling, and made some sense. Love history and ancestry also. Thanks for posting this Montana quilt.
Susan
North Idaho

NazaPatch said...

hi, I just want to be in touch with others lds women (blogers) who love quilting and crafts (and arts)like me. I hope I can learn more about quilting that I am crazy about with you. xx

Suzanne said...

We went to Bozeman for a family wedding a few years ago...beautiful country! Great quilt shops too. In the end, we're all related somehow...reminds us to be good kids!