What is a native Montanan (Missoula, Hamilton: environment, zoning, work)

[Arleigh-20]

I live in the "Beautiful Bitteroot Valley" in southwestern Montana.I have
read so many angry post from "Native Montanans" about people from California moving here and destroying the pristine countryside with their
thoughts and actions.
I have been here for six years, Native of the the Pacific Northwest and this is what I see.
I see truck farms, metal dumps,wrecking yards, torn up land from Hamilton
to Missoula. Could these eyesores be from people out of state, who bring tons of wrecked cars and tractor parts, and salvage yards with them when they move here?
I think not. I would bet that the majority of junkyards and land abuse, are as native to montana, as the wolves were, before the "Native Montanans" almost blew them to extinction.
There is most likely only a handful of native Montanans who can date back as far as 100 years. Like the rest of the USA, Montana is a melting pot. Before any Europeans dating back to Louis and Clark can claim any right to Montana, they had better think about it long and hard, and realize who the true native Montanans are.

[mark6052]

nice way to make friends. so all the yards in calif are in very neat condition? why did you leave it? what did you do to make it better before you moved out? part of the reason the locals resent new folks is because they come here and start to bad mouth everybody. If you read the negative posts you would understand that is the number one reason we dont like outsiders.

[UseJeff]

I grew up in Montana and actually found Arleigh's post pretty funny. It nails it on the head to a point, but I think Mark makes a key point as well. Most of the towns are pretty dingy in general, as well as the surrounding areas. The funniest part is when people move in expecting the air to be so pristine and clean... takes a drive and an increase in elevation to find that stuff

Montana was beautiful to me because of the mountains, and the general attitude of the people. I think both make a good point, but I definitely agree with Marks assessment of why people don't like the outsiders. People in CA don't grow up just saying hello to strangers on the street, but in any of the smaller towns in MT it's commonplace. The good people adapt to the lifestyle and treat the new natives (post L&C) with respect...

[mark6052]

I agree that junk cars in the yard are an eyesore. and jokingly its a status simble to others. I just dont understand those that come here and cant explain what they did to make the state they left better. they whine they couldnt change anything and just ran away to MT. but you dont understand those that are trying to stop the influx and growth. hmm...All I ask is; what are you going todo here to make it better? hint, I dont need the progressive thinking you ran away from.

[Arleigh-20]

If you read my post again, it will tell you that I am from the
Pacific Northwest, this does not include Calif. I lived in Mt. and worked as
a logger in the early eighties. Moved back to Aberdeen untill the mills and logging went up in smoke.
There were many Montanans looking for work in Aberdeen and staying there.
Yes some Californians come with an attitude problem, but they, and all the people that are coming here from various states, have knowledge what happened to there areas, do to lack of zoning laws, and uncontrolled
Growth. Population growth is a given.When the USA had 100 million people,
there was plenty of room. Guess what, We are running out of room. I suggest we try to understand and get along.
Sorry to offend any one, But the Bitterroot is a mess.
A

[jimj]

Originally Posted by mark6052

I agree that junk cars in the yard are an eyesore. and jokingly its a status simble to others. I just dont understand those that come here and cant explain what they did to make the state they left better. they whine they couldnt change anything and just ran away to MT. but you dont understand those that are trying to stop the influx and growth. hmm...All I ask is; what are you going todo here to make it better? hint, I dont need the progressive thinking you ran away from.

Ok, so you want to know what they did to make things better? How about they passed laws via city and county ordinances that make it illegal for people to have junk cars,dump oil and other haz mat in the ground,store trash, have delapidated houses,let their yards grow to 6 foot tall weeds,have all sorts of animals roaming loose and throw trash everywhere.
What one would consider common sense has had to be regulated because people didn't care enough about others around them and were stuck on the "me" line of thought, the "this is my land" with no thought that others may have to look at it or smell it.

Now, those states have laws that have run amok, there are laws that control pretty much everything you do day to day because people were unwilling to do so for themselves for the most part but the place is still out of control!

Montana is a different animal, people here don't want all the laws,regulations or to be told what to do. People that come here keep hearing about how beautiful it is, clean air,clean water wonderful vistas and FREEDOM. Where it has run into problems is while the attitude here about no regulations,few laws, the "we just want to be left alone" ideas are great in THEORY it requires common sense and people actually thinking about how and what they do affects the people around them (the good neighbor idea). So, new people move here, see some of what's going on and object to it and start clammering for just what the locals hate LAWS.
Then, there's the people that move here and immediately put up fences and shut out what used to be open range (thinking they are protecting something) but in effect locking out what used to be prime hunting grounds and building what some would consider eyesore houses because they are so huge. This logically ticks off the locals. Then you have what I call the "nuts" who come here and think that they are doing a good thing by bringing their "ideas" here but are seen as radical environmentalists because they have no care about local traditions,thoughts or wishes so we're back to "me" thinking.
I have more thoughts but have to get the kid off to school......

[Arleigh-20]

Well said jimj,
This country will never again be the wide open place it was even 30 years.
No states are what they used to be. The.... me,me,me...slogan for all who live in this valley had better be revised, for, as jimj said, the present attitude by all, amounts to tighter and tighter restrictions. If the ranchers and farms and the smaller residents of the Bitteroot were truly proud of where they live,then I suggest we all take a look around, Haul the accumulated garbage and scrape iron to the dump,and take pride in this valley.

[JoeJoeMan]

Arleigh-20 wrote:

There is most likely only a handful of native Montanans who can date back as far as 100 years.

Wow I'll have to wait 40 years before I'm 100...........

Old Montana say......."after you spend 25 winters, you're a native"

Actually I much prefer to see all those 'native' junk cars and crap piled up by the high way rather than a new housing development or espresso stand...
I actually feel comforted when I see all those junk cars in someone's yard, it makes me feel like it's still good ol' montana. Especially after yesterday when driving out to one of my old fishing holes - what did I see - my heart sank - on the beautiful chunk of land just around the corner from the old bridge - a new housing development going in - one MacMansion already plighting the country side and a bunch of new streets already laid out and in place. I'll bet you a dollar to a donute hole 9 out of every 10 people that drive by there say --- "oh crap, not more "
But like you say, "we're all americans" - so have at it - it's the american way !

[jimj]

Originally Posted by JoeJoeMan

Arleigh-20 wrote:
Actually I much prefer to see all those 'native' junk cars and crap piled up by the high way rather than a new housing development or espresso stand...

Is there a way we could fix both of those issues???? There's the question! I've got to agree with the coffee stand thing... We have at least 4 within a 1/4 mile of each other, how much go-go juice do we need?

[rickers]

Housing developments are bad enough but how would you like to live next door to this clown.
See link to these picassa photos of the junk pile in our town. The guy's name is Jessie Harris and the town seems to be afraid of him, he just ignores orders to clean up this mess. These pictures ore only of the alley, the front is just as bad just more junk cars and a few less tires ! Oh yea he's also a freaking doper. Is this a "native right" ?

Picasa Web Albums - Rick - Jessie Harris... (broken link)

Please call our town and ask why they don't have the guts to deal with this health and fire hazzard !
Town of Hot Springs, Montana . Area code 406- 741-2353
Thanks for your help.