A basement room of the museum has been turned into an 1800’s mountain man display. The display items were donated by Natalie Pauly of Ashton. Her father, Alan Wanner, who passed away in 2021, always said he was born in the wrong time in history. He loved the mountains, hunting, fishing, and going to rendezvous. In another time, he would have been a Mountain Man known as “Bear Hair”.
“He loved the pageantry, challenges, primitive ingenuity, and friendships that grew from the rendezvous he participated in – sharing his passion with others who understood and respected the gravity of a time when living off the land and earning healthy relationships with natives and new settlers meant life or death”, My father would have been beyond grateful to know his treasures would continue to bring joy, education, and fascination beyond his time here.” Natalie Pauly.
The 30’ x 40’ display contains numerous examples of mountain man clothing, taxidermy of local animals, weapons (knives, cannons and a black powder rifle), tools, beaver hides, trading beads, etc.