4th at The Fort – Historical Museum at Fort Missoula

Something for everyone at this year’s 4th at the Fort!

On Saturday, July 4th, the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula and the Rocky Mountain Museum of Military History will partner to celebrate 250 years of INDEPENDENCE.

We are thrilled to host our community for a family-friendly celebration. Our 4th at the Fort Celebration hosts 5,000+ visitors. Entry is by donation which means community members and visitors have access without financial barriers.

Festivities begin at 10:00 am and include:

Live Music:
10:30 am to 12:00 pm – Missoula City Band
12:15 pm to 1:45 pm – Deron Wade
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm – Calamity Cowboy

Wagon Rides

Hellgate Mineral Society Gem & Mineral Sale
This family friendly event is designed to introduce kids and adults to the fun and fascinating hobby of rock, mineral, and fossil collecting.
Why is it called a “Tailgate Sale”? Because club members line up their trucks and cars, open their tailgates, or set out a table, and shares their passion with visitors.
Club members will have rocks and minerals priced for the beginning collector with many under $10 and will be available to “talk rock” with current and future rockhounds.
The Hellgate Mineral Society also has a kid’s club that is part of the Future Rockhounds of America program. Kids age 8-18 learn about all aspects of Earth Science while earning badges, patches, and pins along with qualifying for annual scholarships.

Old-fashioned Children’s Games
Beer Garden and Food Trucks
Tours of the Lookout
Schoolhouse
Drummond Depot
Trolley Barn
Internment Camp

KEYNOTE SPEAKER MOLLY STOCKDALE: 
Molly Stockdale has enjoyed more than 30 years working in a variety of museums and historic sites from Philadelphia to Lolo. As the Executive Director of Travelers’ Rest Connection for the last 11 years, she has expanded programming and exhibits related to the Corps of Discovery, the Séliš-QỈispé people, and the natural history of the crossroads at Travelers’ Rest. Among Molly’s favorite jobs at Travelers’ Rest: leading field trips and selecting authors, elders, historians for the annual Winter Storytelling speaker series. Molly is grateful for partnerships with other agencies and organizations like Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, the Lewis & Clark Trail Alliance, and many others. Currently, Molly serves as President of the Destination Missoula Board of Directors and is Vice Chair of the Montana250 Commission which is planning commemorative events for the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence. She also served on the planning committee for Missoula’s 150th anniversary in 2015. Molly holds a bachelor of arts from the University of Pennsylvania and a master of public management from Carnegie Mellon University.

Norman Rockwell’s “Four Freedoms” on display inside the Museum:  
During his State of the Union address in 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt described his vision for extending American ideals throughout the world. Moving beyond simply winning the war against the Axis powers, his speech discussed various rights and freedoms for all. His “Four Freedoms” proposed four essential human rights as universal freedoms that all people deserved during and after wartime.Inspired by FDR’s words, American illustrator Norman Rockwell turned those abstract values into images of everyday American life. He illustrated the concepts of freedom using the experiences of his family, neighbors, and community. The images initially appeared on the covers of The Saturday Evening Post, one of the country’s most popular magazines. Eventually they became the centerpiece of the Department of the Treasury’s campaign to raise funds for the war effort through war bonds. More than $133 million war bonds and stamps were sold. Four million prints of Rockwell’s “Four Freedoms” were made for schools and institutions.Two of the values, the “Freedom of Speech” and the “Freedom of Worship,” are found in the Bill of Rights of the U. S. Constitution. The “Freedom from Want” was inspired by the sacrifices and lack the American people felt during the Great Depression (1930s). The “Freedom from Fear” gave them something to hold onto after America’s entry into World War II. After the war, all four were embedded in the Charter of the United Nations.85 years later, we can appreciate the role the “Four Freedoms” illustrations had in inspiring the American people during a time of war. The values represented called for a commitment to democracy, human rights, and civic responsibility in a time of great sacrifice, loss, and trauma.

Visitors will enjoy a historic sawmill demo, antique engine displays, historical surveying, craft vendors, and community booths hosted by some of our favorite organizations.

Donations help cover the cost of the event and support the activities of the Friends of the Historical Museum, the Rocky Mountain Museum of Military History, and Future Farmers of America.

Related Events

• 

  Seeley Lake 4th of July Weekend

  July 5 @ 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
• 

  47th Annual Whitefish Arts Festival at Depot Park

  July 5 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
• 

  Seeley Lake Outhouse Races

  July 5 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm