Locals-How do you feel about Rock Creek Cattle Company? (Missoula: real estate, rentals)

[Wet Rocks]

If a guy from Arizona that likes to wade in the rivers on wet rocks, chasing trout was to move up there to go to work for Rock Creek Cattle Company, outside of Deer Lodge, would he be welcomed or shunned? I mean, say he's a nice guy and minds his own business, of course.

Sometimes, the local community doesn't much care for developments like this. Was thinking about moving up there and working on the place. I like to fly fish, but it's not easy finding a combination of good work, affordable housing and good fishing all in one area. Wouldn't mind Sheridan, and Twin Bridges would be good but as AQHA put it, it's just gotten too expensive. I should have made the move 5 years ago. Darn it!!

I read either JoeJoe or maybe it was GiftShoppe that has relatives in Deer Lodge, but haven't seen anyone from Deer Lodge post here.

Just wondering what the local climate was on the development. I found one newspaper article that was a year old.

Thanks

[GiftShoppeGuy]

Originally Posted by Wet Rocks

If a guy from Arizona that likes to wade in the rivers on wet rocks, chasing trout was to move up there to go to work for Rock Creek Cattle Company, outside of Deer Lodge, would he be welcomed or shunned? I mean, say he's a nice guy and minds his own business, of course.

Sometimes, the local community doesn't much care for developments like this. Was thinking about moving up there and working on the place. I like to fly fish, but it's not easy finding a combination of good work, affordable housing and good fishing all in one area. Wouldn't mind Sheridan, and Twin Bridges would be good but as AQHA put it, it's just gotten too expensive. I should have made the move 5 years ago. Darn it!!

I read either JoeJoe or maybe it was GiftShoppe that has relatives in Deer Lodge, but haven't seen anyone from Deer Lodge post here.

Just wondering what the local climate was on the development. I found one newspaper article that was a year old.

Thanks

I'm just not a real big fan of what Foley is doing down there:

http://www.rockcreekcattlecompany.com/htmlsite/news.html (broken link)

[Wet Rocks]

That's kind of what I figured. Thanks GSG.

I have read the article you linked. Maybe I'll call that reporter and get an update.

I only ask because I once went to work on a ranch for a rich guy and found out later it was a big mistake. Couldn't open a bank account, couldn't get served in the diner and that kind of stuff after they found out who I worked for. Don't want to do that again, but I sure do like that river!!

It's a catch 22, I know. I

[AQHA]

I'm not familiar with that place but I would think that if you are just looking for a nice place to settle down and have some fishing close by that it would fit the bill pretty nicely. Its in a nice area. You're only an outsider until you move here, once here you are one of us.

[GiftShoppeGuy]

I really don't have a problem with folks moving here...... as a matter of fact, I encourage them to. This is a wonderful place to live, play and work.

It's when we get folks like Bill Foley, that try to separate folks by prefered exclusivity, that I don't care for.

I don't care for those who would attempt to separate Montanan's by class or social standing....... "for a profit".

"....It's not every man who gets to handpick his neighbors....Bill Foley isn't every man..."

"...While Foley said the people who buy into his idea may be different from the folks who call the nearby town of Deer Lodge home, the new neighbors will be low-key and very capable of enjoying Montana's Western heritage...."

These folks will "have to be low key"... because they have got absolutely no idea of what Montana's Western Heritage even is.

Bill Foley is the type of person that makes us put bumper stickers on our cars that say...

"Welcome To Montana!
Now Go Home"

The types of folks that Foley wants to attract to his "little club", are the ones that would just as soon turn their noses up than to look at us.......Montana doesn't need or want folks such as these moving here... We don't have a whole lot of use for folks that aren't capable of being real. We don't have a lot of time for insidious, high minded people.

[Reziac]

[reads site, eyes map] Good gods, that's a HUGE chunk of the neighbourhood.

I have an idea!! Turn everyone in the prison loose. Foley and gang will be gone real quick.

[pray4fire]

...and so will the rest of us. What kind of statement is that. Who'd stay if the place was overrun by inmates.

Wet Rocks,

There are lots of outsideres here all the time. They come and they go. People move here to start over and bring their good and bad qualities with them. A lot of them don't stay long as they find the transistion to rural Montana too tough.

One of the tough things is this... around here people like life the way it always was. There isn't a lot of forward thinking and communication is mighty slim from the folks making decisions. True, there are community forums and open meetings but lots of locals feel left out in the dark.

In Law Enforcement we have some serious troubles. I won't go into all the details but let's just say it has been ugly for several years. Further complication is the way Montana Law enforcement works. There's just nowhere to go above the county law in the smaller counties.

As far as fishing goes, the local Clark Fork is pretty mild in the immediate area and like many other Montana river's is polluted and warnings still exists to avoid eating your catch. Unfortunately, this isn't a local problem. You'll run into this all over the place.

Deer Lodge itself has lost substantial population in the years since the 2000 census (somewhere around 3-500) and is one of the oldest population centers in the state, with Anaconda and Dillon trailing very close behind.

Wet Rocks, it may sound like I'm down on Deer Lodge, Powell County, and Montana but I'm really 'bully' on the place. It's an incredible place full of obvious beauty and there's a lot of potential for the growth that needs to come this way.

Yep, you should have come five years ago but Deer Lodge/Powell County is one of the places where you might still score a deal on property. Rentals are a little harder to find these days but there's still some places to stay.

Foley, well Foley has done some nice things around here. He's made substantial financial contributuions to the local economy and hospital. His development is at least some part of the reason that local real estate has increased 13% in the last 12 months.

The local reaste market is full of opportunies right now. Two acres lots are available in a new rural subdivision and houses of all shapes and sizes are available at only slightly inflated prices.

Our new neighbors at Foleys place are really unlikely to spend much time in Deer Lodge. We're economically challenged and Helena and Missoula will offer much more to their liking. I can also imagine that many of them will only be around during tourist season and holidays.

Come on up Wet Rocks and enjoy a decent job in a decent place.

[JoeJoeMan]

Hum....Rock Creek Cattle Company.........I hadn't heard of that one......what is that song ringing in my head ? ......"Cal-li-for-nian here we come, right back where...do re me fa so la te do . ."

It's ironic but these things are nothing more than an eye-sore on the very beauty that they come to enjoy and take part in. And somehow this notion of "it'll be a real working ranch" is suppose to legitimize it somehow.
Let me take a stab at it and say that I think the very reason alot of small people (like myself) of modest means, take such a harsh disliking to the bigger folks is because they have a bad habit of pushing themselves, their ideas and their money around in such ways that they take away and ruin the very small and simple things in life that us smaller people have found enjoyment, beauty and solice in. And then to add insult to injury they accuse you and convince your peers that if you don't like it, well, why you are afraid of 'change'.
Five, ten, 50, 100 years from now......no one is going to be saying "Darn we shoulda' build more golf courses".......................no what they'll be saying is "Why did we build all the crap here"

Wet Rocks, if the outdoors, beauty and nature are truely in your soul, don't ever become a part of their schemes, for when you begin to exploit the very things you love you will not love them long. Best wishes to you,