Living History makes a comeback in Havre

Havre’s annual Living History event will be held this Saturday, with tours, period dress and showcases of the areas historic artifacts on display, though it will look a bit different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year, Fort Assinniboine was not able to do much of anything for Living History due to the pandemic, but Fort Assinniboine Preservation Association Chair Ron VandenBoom said that, this year, their event is coming back and is looking to make up for lost time.

“We’re pretty happy just to be able to have a Living History this year after the pandemic,” VandenBoom said. “It’s gonna be a bit of a party.”

This year, he said, they will have all of their normal events including the Black Jack Wagon Tours which will bring attendees through the area to see the historic locations of Fort Assinniboine, complete with guides in period dress.

He said the Bullhook Bottoms Black Powder Club will be there in the traditional garb of the time as well, ready to show off antique weaponry as well as their famous cannon.

Like years before, VandenBoom said, one lucky child will be able to pull the cord and fire the cannon to announce the departure of the Black Jack Wagon Tours, which will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at a reduced rate and are the only part of Fort Assinniboine’s event that isn’t free of charge.

“We offer one of the more elaborate tours of north-central Montana,” he said.

He said fellow association member Ron Smith may be able to attend with his horse and show off his own collection of late 1800s antiques as well.

VandenBoom said one of the parts of the event he’s most excited about is the Bachelor Officers’ Quarters which, for the first time, will be open for tours.

He said attendees will be able to see how these officers lived, and he invited everyone in the community to come to see it.

He also said the Fort Assinniboine Interpretive Center and the Old Guard House will also be open to the public, and the latter will be featured on the wagon tour.

However, he said, among the more traditional elements of the annual event there will also be live music preformed by local band Sax Cadillac & the Other Brothers and Sistas.

The event will also include free pulled-pork sandwiches, pork and beans, potato chips, coffee, soda and water, as well as cookies.

VandenBoom said it will be a fun-filled afternoon at Fort Assinniboine and will let people get to know local history and its impact of Havre and the Hi-Line.

He said he hated having to cancel the event last year and he thinks the rest of the community really missed it, and suspects they are itching to come back.

“It was a bit of a torture for us and just about anyone else who lived through COVID-19,” he said. “They feel pent up and they want to get out and celebrate and do something they’ve not been able to do in a while.”

Havre Beneath the Streets, however, will not be holding their traditional component of Living History, much to organizers’ dismay.

Havre Beneath the Streets Office Manager Christy Owens said by the time they had to start making plans for Living History the COVID-19 situation was still up in the air for Havre and they decided to err on the side of caution for the sake of customers and staff.

Owens said if they had known that things would be as they are right now, they would have planned for a normal Living History, but with so many unknowns they weren’t able to plan for that.

The typical fare during Living History at Havre Beneath the Streets includes live actors in costume staffing different displays and treats offered at some locations.

Owens said that this year, Havre Beneath the Streets will be offering the normal tours at a discounted rate, but it will not feature the live actors they traditionally get for Living History.

She said Havre Beneath the Streets has recently opened for their regular summer hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 7 days-a-week, and anyone interested can call to make a reservation for said tours.

Owens said Havre Beneath the Streets will likely be back in action for Living History next year as the pandemic, hopefully, continues to subside.