This sign hangs over the entrance to Main Street in Ronan, Montana. This town (and also ours) is on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Thus, the unfamiliar-to-an-English-speaker words that you see!
"Originally settled by Salish residents in 1883, this town was called Spring Creek for the local warm springs that flow into the nearby Flathead River. Residents changed the name to Ronan Springs in 1893 as a tribute to Maj. Peter Ronan, who served as the Flathead Indian Reservation agent from 1877 until his death in 1893. Ronan experienced a sudden boom when the federal government opened the Flathead Indian Reservation to non-Indian homesteading in 1910. (Copyright 2009, Montana Historical Society: Montana Place Names from Alzada to Zortman, Montana Historical Society Research Center Staff)"
Information is from https://cityofronan.org I want to explore it more, as I'm sure there is much I don't know about this place that is a frequent destination for us!
Many thanks for your visits, comments, and favs. All are very much appreciated!
"The Salish Tribe also referred to as the Flathead, were a large and powerful division of the Salishan family, to which they gave their name. They inhabited much of western Montana centered around the Flathead Lake and valley. They were called the Flathead Indians by Lewis and Clark when they came upon them in 1806. Though the name is often said to derive from the flat skull produced by binding infant’s skulls with boards, this is a myth. The tribe never practiced head flattening, but instead, were called “flat head” because the tops of their heads were not pointed like those of neighboring tribes who practiced vertical head-binding. The Flathead called themselves Séliš (pronounced SEH-lish) which was anglicized as Salish, meaning “the people.”
A great project, Barb: learning more about the history of this town. I am curious about the fact that this town and yours are on a reservation. I don't know what that means in terms of governance, etc. You may not know either- I am just curious.
December 4th, 2024
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Here is an interesting link and a small quote from it:
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/salish-tribe/
"The Salish Tribe also referred to as the Flathead, were a large and powerful division of the Salishan family, to which they gave their name. They inhabited much of western Montana centered around the Flathead Lake and valley. They were called the Flathead Indians by Lewis and Clark when they came upon them in 1806. Though the name is often said to derive from the flat skull produced by binding infant’s skulls with boards, this is a myth. The tribe never practiced head flattening, but instead, were called “flat head” because the tops of their heads were not pointed like those of neighboring tribes who practiced vertical head-binding. The Flathead called themselves Séliš (pronounced SEH-lish) which was anglicized as Salish, meaning “the people.”