Family History

I think Missoula is reconnecting to it's roots. Used to be the city's personality was that of the modern, liberal, hip city in Montana, a well deserved reputation, but now several businesses display large historic black and white photo's from early in the century. Maybe it's a way to impress the tourists with the Western History thing. Anyway, while stopping off for dinner at MacKenzie River Pizza we sit in a booth with a photo of the brick streeted downtown showing the cable cars. Funny the Wilma Theatre looks exaclty the same today as in the photo. So when we're getting set to leave I spy the photo over the next booth which is dated "1930's" with the caption "The Circus Comes to Town". As I look at the parade converging on Higgins Avenue, it occurs to me that it may not just be Missoula history I'm looking at, but my own family's history as well. My ex-husband Bob's grandmother actually came to Missoula with the circus and stayed behind when they loaded up and moved on to the next town. Very little is known about her except that she met her husband and had Jeanie, Bob's mom, in September 1939. So my children's great grandmother may actually be somewhere in the photo with the circus. While I had heard this family tale of great grandma's history and had no reason not to believe, somehow seeing the picture solidified it in my being, a Wow it's really True moment.