Thain White Papers, 1877-1909

Thain White, proprietor of Flathead Lake Lookout, Lakeside, Montana, ("Population 5 -- 2 peeps, 2 dogs, 1 cat"), turned his tourist museum on the shores of Flathead Lake into a consuming interest in the local history of his area. Since Flathead Lake has been the center of both Indian and white occupation and exploration, he uncovered much information useful to scholars outside the area. Lacking library resources, he spent considerable time in the field going over the ground of the earlier explorers. Backing this up with as much information and research as he was able to procure by mail, he (sometimes in collaboration with others) produced a lengthy series of brief articles on aspects of the history of western Montana. Many remained unpublished, available only in manuscript. A few were produced in mimeograph form in small quantities in order to make them more available to students and scholars.