Museum celebrates building purchase

CHARLO — This past Saturday the Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana celebrated its successful “Save the Museum Campaign.” The event was filled with live music, snacks and free museum admission. Hosted by the museum’s board members. The event thanked the community for their support through two-years of fundraising and donations. The deed to the museum was handed over to the museum board on Oct. 16. Now not only is the museum able to stay open, but as co-founder Laurel Cheff stated, “It is a springboard for tomorrow.”

The museum holds an extensive collection of local artifacts, historical photographs and artwork, along with several life-size displays including a Native American village.

The museum opened in 1997 with local artifacts and other historical items provided by Ronan native Bud Cheff Jr.

“Bud has been collecting artifacts since he was nine years old.” His wife Laurel Cheff said. “His first find was a ‘war club’ located in Bad Rock Canyon.”

 Cheff grew up listening to stories of the Blackfeet and Flathead Tribes going to battle in that canyon and with this discovery he was inspired to  open his own museum.

Not that Cheff had to go far to learn about the history and culture of the area. The Cheff family has had members at the foot of the Mission Mountains dating back to 1805. Although, the majority of the Cheff clan came down from Canada in 1906.

“He has been collecting all of his life, “ Laurel Cheff said,  and while a majority of the items are from Cheff’s personal collection, a great deal have been donated and loaned.

“ People loan us a number of items,” Laurel Cheff said, “It really makes us feel like this is a community museum.”

With the number of contributions from the community the museum has been able to continue and expand its collection.  

“We wanted to have a representation of every tribe in Montana and I believe we do. “ Laurel Cheff continued,  “We also wanted to share the history of the trappers, traders and miners of Montana, to provide visitors with an in-depth history of early Montana.”

The Cheffs still have big plans for the future of the musuem. Laurel Cheff said,

“We hope to add a south wing to the museum in the near future to hold a conference room, a library and a public archive.”

Laurel Cheff also hopes that the museum will eventually be able to stay open during the winter months and bring more tourism to the area.

The Ninepipes Museum is open annually from April 1-Dec.1, with the exclusion of group tours that are provided yearlong by appointment.