Heritage Museum signs completed

The final installation work on a $5,000 outdoor sign grant -- awarded by the Montana History Foundation in Spring 2017 -- has been completed at the Libby Heritage Museum.

A press release from the museum thanked the foundation, their donors and Heritage Museum volunteers.

When the Montana History Foundation chose to award the grant to the Heritage Museum, most of the paper, glass and wood outdoor signage at the Museum had severely deteriorated or no longer existed, according to the release.

The grant enabled the museum volunteers to historically research, order and install 111 new small outdoor historical artifact or building signs and three large historical interpretive signs that are weather-resistant, white and black aluminum bonded, and will last for many years to come.

Each new small sign names the historical artifact or building and describes how it was used, according to the release. Some also contain the year it was used.

Each new large interpretative sign for the areas of Agriculture, Lumber, and Mining contains related historical photographs, descriptions of events and a descriptive timeline for the Libby area.

The release offers special thanks to Baumbach Signs of Kalispell, who donated 20 small signs, and local partners Montana Machine and Fabrication, ACE and Big Sky Lumber, who discounted the purchase of repairs and supplies.

The release also thanks Fastsigns of Whitefish, who created 91 small signs, and Signs Now of Kalispell, who created the three large interpretive signs, for their low bids that made the grant money go further.

Mark your calendars: The Museum’s “41st Opening Day Celebration” will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2019. This will be an excellent time to visit the Museum, view the new outdoor signage, enjoy the activities, and have lunch in the Cookhouse.

The Montana History Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, based in Helena, that raises money and provides funding for history and preservation projects across Montana. The MHF seeks to preserve the legacy of Montana’s past and with an eye on the future, the Foundation’s central goal is to generate public support to save the rich cultural heritage and historic resources of Montana.