History Trip

On May 9th, most of the eighth-grade students prepared for the annual 4 day history trip. Known to be a blast, those gathered in the cafeteria couldn't contain their excitement. Even before boarding the bus, all the students were chattering with friends about their already favorite sites. Each pupil had their bags looked over by the drug dog before beginning the four-day adventure. Everybody already knew they were going to experience the time of their lives.

One of the sites visited was the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Teenagers and chaperones alike had an informative time during this special opportunity. They learned about Lewis and Clark's hard expedition across the west of the U.S. and how they took care of the corps' medical issues. Tour guides explained the harsh environment and unforgiving carnivores. 

Another location was the Buffalo Jump. There, students played games such as Make the Stick Jump and learned how to throw and atlatl. They hiked up to the jump where they were taught about its history. The lesson was filled with fun facts about how the Indians used the kill site. 

Helena was an amazing experience for so many students. The Capitol was said to be very beautiful and breathtaking by more than one traveler. The trolley ride felt like a slow roller coaster. It was fun and they were still able to look around at the scenery. Also, the groups trekked to St. Helena's Cathedral to find it in magnificent shape. The stained glass was unique and the design was a show-stopper.

The Butte Mining Museum was an intriguing time. Students got to explore what the mining town used to be like in its early days, along with the hard ways they used to extract the gold and copper. It was great for everyone to breathe a little fresh air.

Another site included the Grant-Kohrs where students were taught about the cowboy life. There were four different stations. One was the blacksmith shop, another about covered wagons, another about horses and their relationship with the cowboys, and a tour of the house. It was an enjoyable time.

The Big Hole Battlefield was a good learning experience. The groups got to take a relaxing hike down to the site with Mr. Dryden as their guide. The visitors' center was an entertaining time between the movie and the teaching about the battlefield's history. Unfortunately, bus 3 couldn't go because of a snowstorm.

The prison was a fan favorite, between the tour and the car museum, each student had a blast. Some guides were funny while others were more serious and to the point. Either way, each group had a fun time.

During the time in Bannack, 8th graders had a great time running around and using their energy. The guides provided an epic scavenger hunt, along with entertaining gold mining and a tour. The teenagers enjoyed searching for the gold and listening to the ghost stories.

At the Daly Mansion, the kids had an awesome time touring the massive house. There were too many rooms to count and all the old furniture was cool. Almost all of the furniture was original, along with some of the lights. It was a unique visit.

"It looked like Forest Gump's house," commented Mikayla H.

Mrs. Brist asked a few students, "What was your favorite part of the History Trip?"

Jack W (bus 1) said "My favorite site was the prison. My favorite part of the trip was when Rafe got left behind at one of the hotels when we went to get dinner. It was okay. I got him a happy meal." 

Luke R (bus 1) said "My favorite part of the trip was the hotels and my favorite location was Bannack."

Archer J (bus 2) said, "My favorite part of the trip was hanging out with friends and my favorite place was Bannack where we found gold."

Tima T (bus 3) said "My favorite part of the trip was eating lunches in the parks and my favorite location was the prison."

Scout  B (bus 3) said,  "My favorite part of the trip was the bus ride and my favorite spot to go to was the prison in Deer Lodge."

Saige S (bus 3) said" I loved the bus ride and my favorite place was the prison in Deer Lodge because Turkey Pete was funny and the guide was fun."