Brumleys retiring from buffalo jump

Anna and John Brumley, who for 23 years have managed the Wahkpa Chu’ gn Buffalo Jump, will retire at the end of this year, Anna Brumley said at Monday night’s meeting of the H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum Board.

Brumley said she and her husband submitted a letter to the county June 6, saying she and her husband would no longer manage the bison kill site.

She said the decision to pull back on managing the site was motivated by her husband’s health problems.

The Brumley’s contract says they must give six months notice before they discontinue managing the jump. They will no longer manage the jump effective Dec 6.

Brumley said the jump saw a near-record 3,000 visitors last year.

She said her husband discovered the site of the buffalo jump when he was 14-years old. John Brumley eventually became an archeologist.

The couple moved back to Havre in 1992. Anna Brumley said tours were given of the buffalo jump every Tuesday and Thursday at that time. She said her husband had such a passion for it, the Brumleys approached the county government and fair board to propose their company, Ethos Consultants, manage the jump.

She said a great deal of changes have happened at the jump throughout the years, including building new structures to house the exhibits — which are of actual archeological digs, rather than displays of items found — and the addition of an interpretive center, along with work on the trails themselves.

“So it has come a long way,” she said.

Brumley said she will miss managing the jump.

“I met some of the most interesting people in the world there and the school children had such interesting questions,” Brumley said.

Dritshulas said the buffalo jump would not be in operation had it not been for the Brumleys' efforts.

In other business, the museum has officially scheduled three guest speakers for its Summer Speaker Series.

James C. Simmons, author of the novel “Just to Keep Even” about the life of early Havre figure “Long George” Francis, will open the series Saturday June 24 with a presentation at 1 p.m. Dritshulas said the event will take place at the H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum in the Holiday Village Mall and consist of a book signing as well as a chance to ask Simmons questions.

Historian Randy Morger will give two talks during the Great Northern Fair, July 21 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., in the Faber School House on the fairgrounds.

The museum will round out its speaker series Friday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m. at the mural in the parking lot of the Havre Inn and Suites with retired Havre High School teacher Jim Magera. Dritshulas said Magera will tell stories about the history behind the names of some places in Havre.