"Homesteader's Days is an annual event in Hot Springs, and is held the second weekend in June of each year. It is a family fun weekend including street games, live music on Main Street, a two-day rodeo, food and craft street vendors, a kiddie parade on Saturday, a grand parade on Sunday, art and craft shows, and much more. Join us the second weekend in June for this traditional event which honors the original homesteaders in the Hot Springs area."
Click Here for History of Homesteaders Day
Click Here to Read Information about Booth
Click Here to Open & Print Application
for Booth
Click Car Show Poster
Click Rodeo Poster
Click for Larger View
Click for Larger View or to Print
Click Here to Open & Print Application
Below
HOMESTEADER' S DAYS
JUNE 7, 8, 9 2013 OUR 64TH YEAR!!
1. APPLICATION and FEES must be
received by June 1,2013.
2. Mail to: Homesteader Days• c/o
Symes Hotel PO Box 651, Hot Springs, MT. 59845. For Questions,
call 406-741-2361 or e-mail:
symes@hotsprgs.net.
3. If
you are a FOOD VENDOR, please -send us, with the application, a copy
of your food handling permit. Food
Vendors cannot operate without
this permit.
4. Will you need electricity? PLEASE let us
know before the opening date. It is in limited supply and must be
planned for.
5. Weather is sometimes windy and rainy at
this time of year. Please bring any protection you might need.
6.
Please check in at the Symes Hotel front desk, whether you are
checking in Thursday, or Friday. They will show you the map with
your assigned space.
7. If you have been a vendor at
Homesteader Days before, and have a preferred spot, please indicate
on your application, and we will try to accommodate.
8.
COSTS FOR 2013: Fee per day: Friday, and Saturday: $25.00 for
each 10x12 foot booth size, each day.
Sunday:$15.00 for each 10x12 ft. booth
size for the day.
9. ONE TIME COST FOR ELECTRICITY: $15.00
lO. The Symes Hotel is located at 209 Wall St. N.
Once you have turned off the highway and are on Hot Springs Road
(which turns into Broadway) you will come to at intersection. At the
stop sign you will see across the street, The Valley Bank, and the
Post Office. Turn R, it will be Spring St.. Make the very First L,
(1st Ave N) J go two blocks and The Symes will be right in front of
you!
*COST Per Day:
Friday, June 7: $25.00 for 10x12 foot booth
Saturday, June 8: $25.00 for 10x12 foot booth
Sunday, June 9: $15.00 for 10x12 foot booth
We look forward to SEEING
YOU!!!!!
Click Here to Open & Print Application
Below
More about Homesteader's Days Click Here
Year ago, century
before last, Lewis and Clark identified the Indians that they were
visiting with as "Flatheads". The winter camp of the Salish Indians
was on the banks of the large, Flathead Lake. In truth, the tribe
of the Flathead is Salish, Kootenai and Pend D'Orielle. And, many,
many years ago, the Flathead Indians pitched their camp of teepees
close to the many bubbling springs thatcame up, through the earth.
They recognized the water as soothing, and curative. They called it
"Good Medicine".
And so, when the
Homestead Act took place in 1910; the tribes chose their allotments
of lands first, and then the homesteaders were allowed to choose
their plots of 80, or more acres. From Niarada to Lonepine to Camas
and Hot Springs, Homesteaders and Tribesmen alike, ranched and
farmed and developed this area of the Western Flathead Reservation.
By 1910, Hot
Springs (once called Pineville, due to the wide variety of pine
trees in the region), had its own Post Office, and was developing
into a healthy community in large part due to the many hot springs
that promised health and healing. The 28 day cure promised life
changing events, and brought commerce to the area, as many
"housekeeping cabins" were built, along with several grand hotels
(The Symes and Alamedas are still thriving today), that promised
deluxe accommodations along with the physical improvements they
would benefit from, via the hot springs.
The town of Camas
was at one time more developed than Hot Springs. By the 1920's
most commerce had moved to Hot Springs, in part because the majority
of the beneficial “springs" existed in Hot Springs. In the 1930's
the town boasted several car dealerships, hair dressers,
restaurants, several grocery stores, a movie house, a men's
clothing store, a government funded/constructed bath house, with
eight tubs, two steam rooms and rooms for massage.
Homesteader Days
began in 1949, at the time that the largest bathhouse was erected
and dedicated by the Confederated Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation. It remained active and maintained by the Tribes until
the 1980's, when it fell Into disrepair and was determined safe to
use. To bridge this gap between the closed bathhouse, many areas
with naturally occurring hot springs improved upon their sites. "Big
Medicine" is the spot where tribal member, Leroy O'Bennick maintains
the well known mud baths and hot mineral baths. There is Rose's
Plunge (Rose is a Tribal Member), Alameda's and The Symes Hotel with
outdoor AND indoor soaking available.
Join us as we
celebrate the beauty of the reservation, (some people call it the
town that time forgot... , the naturally occurring Hot Springs and
all of the PEOPLE, Indian and White, that have treasured this land
and maintained it alive as a wonderful tribute to our pioneering
spirits.
Norah Potts
May 5, 2012
