Montana 4-H History

A bit of Kentucky fried history: "Colonel" Harlan Sanders was an avid supporter 4-H in the 1960s and 70s, and was a major sponsor of 4-H college scholarships. He often provided lunch for 4-H'ers at award ceremonies. Here he is congratulating a poultry project winner in a televised event at National 4-H Congress in the 1960s. Thanks for the National 4-H History Preservation Program for this historical tidbit!
Montana 4-H

When the Cooperative Extension Service was established in 1914, Montana hired Augusta D. Evans as the first full-time state 4-H program leader. Traveling from Illinois, she stopped in Forsyth, Montana. There, before her first day of work, she gave a demonstration and formed a girls’ canning club, Montana’s first 4-H club. Evans worked in Montana for just two years, and in that short time, she logged more than 18,800 miles, established at least 440 clubs across the state, and enrolled about 2,700 youth in 4-H. While there were certainly community youth leaders and county agents before her, Evans was the first in a long and great tradition of Montana 4-H leaders.

In this letter published in the July 8, 1915 issue of The Livingston Post, she directly addresses girls enrolled in Montana canning clubs. She provides advice on growing and harvesting peas, and provides canning information. What stands out to me about this message is her closing paragraph:

“Keep up the good work. Remember, perseverance wins. Your motto is “To Make the Best Better.”

4-H alumni will instantly recognize the phrase. To Make the Best Better would be recognized as the official 4-H motto 12 years later in 1927, and remains to this day.

Augusta Dillman Evans, 1885–1970, was inducted into the National 4-Hall of Fame Hall of Fame in 2008.

Read more stories and updates on the Montana 4-H History Project here: https://mt4hhistory.com

National 4-H History Preservation Program
Montana 4-H Foundation, Inc.

I'm pleased to announce that the Montana 4-H History Project was awarded a $1,000 grant! This grant will support the continued development of our efforts to bring more Montana 4-H history to light.
National 4-H History Preservation mini-grants were awarded to five state projects in amounts of $500 to $1000. This is an inaugural program launched by the National 4-H History Preservation Program in cooperation with the National 4-H Council.
The grant was written by Luke Duran of the Montana 4-H History Project, and submitted and received by Teri Antilley, Director and State 4-H Program Leader at Montana State University's Montana 4-H Center for Youth Development. Very grateful to Teri for submitting this grant proposal.

Grants were awarded to:
• Follow the Clover, University of Geogia
• Preserving the Alcona County 4-H Legacy, Michigan 4-H Foundation
• Show-Me 4-H History, Missouri 4-H Foundation
• Montana 4-H History Project, Montana 4-H Center for Youth Development
•North Carolina 4-H History and Learning Center Oral History, North Carolina State University.

The mini-grant award money will primarily be used in two ways: to pay for web development components to improve and expand the Montana 4-H History website; and to produce and purchase a retractable popup banner and printed outreach materials for an anticipated statewide Montana tour in 2027. This tour will be a series of public presentations taking the story of Montana 4-H history to communities across the state.
Visit the Montana 4-H History project website at: https://mt4hhistory.com

-------
The National 4-H History Preservation Team, with support from National 4-H Council and generous donors, congratulates these awardees. As 4-H prepares to celebrate its 125 anniversary, preserving, sharing, and expanding our history is more important than ever.
For more information on National 4-H History Preservation Team, find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/4H.History/ or on the web at https://4-hhistorypreservation.com
Learn more about the National 4-H Council here: https://4-h.org/about/leadership/national-4-h-council/

Photo: Image from “Everything You Need to Know About the History of the 4-H Club,” an article by Natalie Schulmann published in Country Living magazine, February 2018. Photograph by Brian Woodcock.


Montana 4-H
Lewis & Clark County 4-H
National 4-H History Preservation Program
Montana 4-H Foundation, Inc.

Celebrate National Library Week! After being closed for a number of years during renovations, the Library & Archives at the Montana Historical Society is now open for research! I can personally attest to the wonderful, helpful staff who grace this place, and put you in touch with Montana history. In my research on Montana 4-H history, library staff helped me to check out the 4-H record book of Louise Hanson, a 4-H’er in the Lewis & Clark County Merrimaids 4-H club, who was active in the 1940s and early 1950s. Her record book was chock full of photos and 4-H ephemera that help fill in the story of 4-H life from 75 years ago.
So many great libraries, visit one this week! Learn more about the Larry Len and Leanne Peterson Library & Archives here: https://mths.mt.gov/Research/Visit/
Library photo by Kurt Keller, MTHS


Montana 4-H Foundation, Inc.
National 4-H History Preservation Program

Today I met a very cool, interesting gentleman who is generously loaning me some bee boxes and apiculture equipment for the Montana 4-H History museum exhibit I’m working on. I really learned a lot! We agreed we are both introverts, but enjoy conversation. It reminds me that community is where it’s at—talk to your neighbors, find common points of interest, share goodwill and kindness. Thanks Cam!
The exhibit is scheduled to go on display in December 2026 at the Montana Historical Society.

Montana 4-H
Montana 4-H Foundation, Inc.
National 4-H History Preservation Program

Today I had the pleasure of visiting the brand-new Montana Historical Society Library & Archives to research some of the 4- ephemera that is in their collections. I’m very grateful to Nalani, Anneliese and Roberta for helping me out. I discovered some exciting gems: three vintage 4-H club charters! These were formal, beautifully-designed documents that were issued by the USDA from 1919 up until World War II. Charters were signed by the US Secretary of Agriculture. Club charters issued after the war years look a lot less formal.

These three documents recognize three 4-H clubs from the town of Suffolk in Fergus County: the Salt Creek No Weeds Corn Club, the Grunt and Grow Pig Club, and the Salt Creek Corn Club. These clubs were chartered in 1928 and 1932.

This research is part of the Montana 4-H History project I have started. My goal is to curate a museum exhibit and assemble a public presentation on the history of Montana 4-H. Learn more at: https://mt4hhistory.com

Meeting minutes reported in The Lewistown Democrat-News on August 22, 1931:
The Salt Creek Corn club held their picnic at the Hininger picnic grounds Saturday, August 15. All the club members and most of the parents were present. The boys cooked and served roasted corn from their fields to the picnickers. At the business meeting, a club camp was discussed, it was also decided to send a judging team to Great Falls. Two demonstrations were given, Lawrence Sawyer and Jack Wickens on “Field Selection of Seed Corn,” and Lyle and Leslie Clow, “The Curing and Storage of Seed Corn.”

The Salt Creek Corn Club charter: Montana Historical Society Library & Archives. SC2012, box A1

National 4-H History Preservation Program
Montana 4-H Foundation, Inc.

Did you know? Taylor Hall at Montana State University in Bozeman is the home of Montana 4-H Built in 1896 for just $4,000, it is the oldest building on campus.
Today I had the pleasure of sifting through historic documents and photos at the Montana 4-H Center for Youth Development in Taylor Hall. Thank you to staff Sadie Woller and Tracey Robecker for their enthusiasm and help! I’m steadily assembling information and artifacts for an upcoming museum exhibit and presentation on Montana 4-H History, and today felt like discovering hidden treasure!
Learn more about this project at: https://mt4hhistory.com

National 4-H History Preservation Program

A world-class museum exhibit!
Together, let’s celebrate the rich history of Montana 4-H! For more than 100 years, 4-H youth across Montana have pursued projects, invested in their communities, and faced both challenges and successes to make the best better. And behind them, there have been countless Montana volunteers and families supporting their efforts. It’s time to honor the efforts of both youth and adults who have contributed to the fabric of Montana’s 4-H Country.

We’re in the planning stages of a high-quality museum exhibit at the new Montana Heritage Center that will tell the story of 4-H, from its beginnings in the early 1900s to today. Together, we’ll share this vital story all the way to today’s chapter, demonstrating how 4-H is just as vibrant and valuable 2026 as it was more than a century ago. The exhibit will go on display in January 2027 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of 4-H.

Do you have historic 4-H artifacts that could enrich our museum exhibit? We would love to see what you have. We’re seeking items from all decades. Artifacts can be temporarily loaned for this exhibit, or even donated to a permanent 4-H archive and collection at the Montana Historical Society. We need to have a complete inventory of artifacts by June 1, 2026 so that museum fabricators can assemble the exhibit display materials. Please visit the Montana 4-H History website to learn more about this exciting project, and to share your potential artifacts with our efforts at https://mt4hhistory.com

Image: “a new day-a new way (1972)..” Special Collections, USDA National Agricultural Library.