Times of Trouble, Times of Change: Montana and the Great War. When the U.S. entered World War I in April 1917 to make the world “safe for democracy,” a conflict over American ideals erupted at home. What happened when pro-war propaganda swept across the nation? What did it mean to be an American and how did that tear communities apart? What ideals were Montanans fighting to protect? Join us at the opening of Montana Historical Society’s newest exhibition exploring these questions and commemorating the First World War. The reception is free and open to the public and will have refreshments inspired by historic recipes, hands-on activities for all ages, and WWI-era music from the Continental Divide Tuba Society.

The exhibit Times of Trouble, Times of Change: Montana and the Great War explores how everyday Montanans served the war effort on both the home front and the Western Front. The exhibit showcases some of Montanans’ contributions, including a Red Cross quilt made to raise money for relief efforts. The exhibit also examines how patriotic fervor pulled some communities together and tore others apart, including when the Speculator-Granite Mountain Mine fire on June 8, 1917, led to the death of at least 168 miners.

Montanans, including non-citizen Native Americans, served in the military in record numbers—from the skies over Europe to the forests of France, from military hospitals to supply ships, and from the telephone exchanges to the trenches. Those who returned found their home communities struggling with influenza and drought.

The exhibit offers several interactive experiences for visitors to step into the lives of Montanans during the war, including a life-sized trench replica and a “Follow a Montanan” character experience. The exhibition will be open through Summer 2019.