P a g e 4 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r Cornue Homestead Part 2 Here is the 2nd and final part of the Cornue story. My photographs for this portion are from my August 2015 visit to Montana. In several of the photographs you will see an old John Deere tractor. This tractor was in the field during my first visit to the homestead and I really don’t know how I missed seeing it back then. I think I was too busy with the Model-T Ford and the old wagon. On this 2015 visit the Ford body was gone. That area of the homestead had been cleaned up and planted with hay. I was sorry to see that the old car was gone. And if anyone is wondering if us photographers entered into any of these old buildings? The answer would be YES, almost every one of them. Here now is Part 2: Photo by Shawn Shawhan Photo by Shawn Shawhan “In 1912 about the only kind of recreation in the homestead country was the neighborhood dance. If someone had a cabin 12 feet by 25 feet, it was large enough to have a dance in. The bed was taken down (there was usually only one room) and put outside as well as other furniture - which wasn't much. The news of the affair was spread by grapevine and they did a good job, too, as all came within a radius of fifteen miles. The young people came by horseback, but young married folks with small children hitched the team to the buggy or the farm wagon and stopped along the way to pick up the neighbors.” “It was understood that each lady took a cake or sandwiches for lunch, and the bachelors provided the coffee. The cabin was lighted by kerosene lamps. Early in the evening, the men stood around outside and exchanged local gossip and within the house the women did the same.” “When the fiddler arrived, they began to tune up and the boys came inside to claim their partners. People were isolated, so this get-together was really an occasion. We had no cars, electric power, or telephones. Thus everyone entered into this dance wholeheartedly. It was democratic. The girls danced with whomsoever asked them whether sixteen or sixty, saint or sinner. There were no strangers. Some boys wore hobnailed shoes, some chaps, some dress suits, some overalls — dress made no difference. Every girl was a lady, and due respect was paid to her.” “Buffalo Gal, Comin' Through the Rye, and Skip to my Lou were favorite tunes and when the fiddler struck up a square dance tune, the rafters nearly came down. Photo by Shawn Shawhan
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