We hear that comment very often from tourists that are visiting from all across this great nation. They are totally amazed that such a small town like Jordan, MT can have such an AWESOME museum. Many visitors are history buffs, family's looking for ancestors, dinosaur enthusiasts, and road travelers that need a break. We seem to offer something for everyone. Even our gift shop has good books, t-shirts and caps, fun things for kids to do.
A part of the Montana Dinosaur Trail, museum displays represent the massive contributions that Garfield County has made to the science of paleontology.
In the Cretaceous sediments of the badlands along the Missouri River, paleontologists have made some of the first and most important fossil finds in modern history. Each summer there are various digs occurring in the area. If you would like to watch or participate in a dig, check with one of the museum guides or call Judy Lervick at 557-2226.
We want to thank our community of Jordan for supporting the local museum. All of you have helped make it something to inspire pride! STOP BY AND SEE.
You just might know the woman who wore the vintage wedding gown.. Our friend "Harry", the triceratops skull took a winter vacation with Peter Neuman, Western Geo. Science Research. He is back in the museum in a beautiful new display. A big thank you to John and Cathy McKeever and Peter for giving "Harry" his proper home. He looks great and "Harry" is ready to tell his interesting story.
A Fiberglass replica of a triceratops, which may have weighed 12 ton and stood ten feet tall in real life, stands in its diorama along the north wall of the Museum. Harley Garbani from the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History dug up the original on the Frank McKeever ranch about 25 miles northwest of Jordan in 1965.
A one-room school house sits beside the museum and is completely frunished with everything form old test books to the water pail and double desks from old schools in the area.
Early day Jordan Jail
We have new donations to see: Old Jordan graduation announcements, miniature sheep wagon, covered wagon, beaver slide and buck rake. Do you know what a soogun is and what it was used for? Come on in and check it out. We would also like to thank our friends for their donations: Walt Saylor, Doris Barclay, Virginia Murnion, Bev Murnion and Leah Cole.
Some of the displays at the museum include a bedroom, parlor, dining room and kitchen decorated by local ladies' clubs, drug and hardware store collections, a blacksmith shop, early photography, World War I uniforms, animals of the area, and an almost complete file of old Jordan Tribunes. An addition to the west side of the museum houses antique farm machinery.
A recent addition to our museum is the Pioneer Room with its Wall of Fame featuring people who came to the area during the homesteading days. The room also contains binders telling their stories and books pertaining to local people and events.
Quilt blocks made in the 1920's found at the Boughton Place and Donated by Judy Coldwell.