The Great Falls History Museum and Research Center debuted their new exhibit on Saturday titled Feisty Women, celebrating five women that made a significant impact on Great Falls through their tenacity and determination.
The exhibit highlights the stories of Annie Busby, one of the first women homesteaders in North Central Montana, Mary Fields, the first African American woman to work as a star route mail carrier, Alma Smith Jacobs, head librarian at the Great Falls Public Library and first African American Montana State Librarian, Nancy Cooper Russell, who coordinated her husband Charlie Russell’s art shows, and ‘The First Lady of Montana TV’, Norma Ashby Smith.
Ashby Smith says, “I'm really in awe to be included in women of this nature. I interviewed one of them, Alma Jacobs. I had an opportunity to meet our former librarian and loved her to pieces. And of course, I've been a huge fan of Nancy Russell.”
Norma spent over two decades with KRTV hosting ‘Today in Montana’. She says, “One thing I'm really proud of was having met JFK, it was in 1963 when he came to Great Falls, and two months later he was killed, so that was really a big honor for me.”
Norma also founded the C.M. Russell Art Auction in Great Falls, which is coming up on its 56th year, and continues to serve the Great Falls community. She says, “I hope that they'll continue this and recognize other women that have made a difference in the lives of this area, of our city, and the women in our county. I'm just happy to be a part of this, this year.”
The exhibit is the result of a partnership between the history museum and Great Falls Tourism, who also premiered their Feisty Women of Great Falls documentary at the event, which can be found on their YouTube channel after March 8th.
In partnering with the History Museum, Great Falls Tourism wanted to connect the past of Great Falls to local events and businesses that people can visit today, like Annie Busby and Annie’s Tap House, and Nancy Cooper Russell with the C.M. Russell Museum.
Rebecca Engum, director of Great Falls Montana Tourism, says, “We set out to create stories that emotionally connect visitors and viewers with Great Falls on a deeper level, giving them a meaningful reason to choose Great Falls as their next travel destination.”
You can learn more about these five feisty women at the Great Falls History Museum, located at 422 Second Street South.
