Residents of 1870s Great Planters
This article appeared in the Missoulian Centennial issue.
Residents of 1870s Great Planters
Missoula residents in the 1870s were great planters, store ledgers of those early years in the city’s history reveal.
Almost every itemized account of that time had entries such as “Seeds – .65” or Garden seeds – $15,” indicating that most every family devoted part of its land to the raising of vegetables.
In the days before the railroad the major source of fresh vegetables and fruit was the family garden.
Accounts of individuals who were responsible for the early growth and development of the city of Missoula and western Montana told much of how they lived and what equipment they had to work with.
Copybooks and schoolbooks of all kinds were in great demand at that time. The children furnished their own equipment and books. Supplies were few and expensive. Pens and ink, as well as slate pencils, vied with garden seeds for the biggest sales.
Residents of the Bitter Root Valley to the south and Grass Valley and the Frenchtown area to the west shopped for each other. Settlements were far apart and the winters so severe that trips to Missoula for mail and supplies were hazardous.
One entry in one store’s ledger for Feb. 20, 1879, in the account of William McWhirk, pioneer Bitter Root resident, contains the information that he sold 36 dozen eggs to W. H. H. Dickinson, operating the Postoffice and Variety Store, for 50 cents a dozen. He purchased a speller, reader, arithmetic and a baseball.
One account tells of the sale of four rolls of wallpaper for 40 cents, one song book, 50 cents; a violin bow, $2; a music box, $3.50; a cigarette roller and a pair of field glasses.
The Postoffice and Variety Store was situated on East Front street in a frame building about where the Rialto Theater is located now and later at the Main street-Higgins avenue intersection.
The old Kennedy House, then under the management of Mrs. Lizzie Kennedy, purchased a dictionary for $16, a chandelier for $8, a wine bottle for $1, and radish seeds for $1.65.