Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Just down the road from Plentywood is Scobey (population 1,023, elevation 2,450 feet), an
agricultural town with Scandinavian roots, a wealth of wheat farms, and a population of
diehard sports fans. The downtown area is compact and cute, with nice places to eat and a
very welcoming attitude. The town has so many unique features because most of its resid-
ents are descendants of those who homesteaded the area around the turn of the 20th century.
There are a few legendary feuds, of course, but mostly people get along and are always
willing to lend a hand. When Scobey residents get married, for example, invitations are un-
heard of; rather, the event is published in the weekly paper, and the entire town shows up
with hot dishes, salads, and everything else to make a party worth attending. It is as quaint
as it is genuine. Scobey is a wonderful example of small-town Montana. The town achieved
some minor fame thanks to an award-winning 2008 PBS documentary,
Class C,
that tells
the story of vanishing small towns through the lens of five girls' basketball teams.
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Pioneer Town
Just west of town is Scobey's beloved
Pioneer Town
(720 2nd Ave., 406/487-5965,
www.scobeymt.com/museum.html
,
12:30pm-4:30pm daily Memorial Day-Labor Day, by
appointment only Labor Day-Memorial Day, $7 adults, $4 children 3-11, free for children
2 and under, includes tour), an extension of the Daniels County Museum and a significant
labor of love. It is a collection of more than 50 buildings from Scobey and the surrounding
area that were saved from destruction and, to a lesser extent, the ravages of time. Some 35
of the buildings on-site—including a schoolhouse, a barber shop, two churches, and a sa-
loon—have been restored and furnished with period pieces. Pioneer Town comes alive at
the end of June each year with
Pioneer Days,
the town's biggest and arguably best event.
The weekend includes the
Dirty Shame Show,
a musical variety show in the vaudeville tra-
dition and still a rite of passage for many of Scobey's young women. There is a parade
and plenty of food and celebration, and appropriately dressed pioneer guides will walk you
through some of the town buildings.
