Trek into the rugged heart of Montana with Joseph "Skookum" Joe Anderson, a sharp-eyed prospector whose boots carved trails from Stillwater’s creeks to Picket Pin’s iron claims. We sift through his diaries, letters, and the secrets he guarded like gold, revealing a life of grit, rivalry, and frontier hustle. Episode 11 of our "They Gazed on the Beartooths" series uncovers the legacy of a man who shaped Stillwater County’s mining history, in partnership with the Museum of the Beartooths. Like, subscribe, and share to keep these tales prospecting forward!

Thank You to Penny Redli, Executive Director - Museum of the Beartooths

https://www.museumofthebeartooths.com

**Chapter Timestamps:**

00:00 Introduction: Skookum Joe’s Frontier Legend

02:00 Obituary Unveiled: A Prospector’s Final Rest

09:00 Diaries of a Wanderer: Snow, Sweat, and Stillwater

15:00 Encounters with Legends: Leforge and Hamilton

20:00 Pack Horse Trails: A Prospector’s Rugged Life

26:00 Picket Pin Road: Building a Miner’s Path

34:00 Secret Claims: The Lost Lode Mystery

41:00 Letters to O’Donnell: A Partnership in Ink

53:00 Heartache and Legacy: Skookum’s Final Days

1:01:00 Mining’s Last Echoes: Stillwater’s Enduring History

1:08:00 Wrap-Up: Preserving Skookum Joe’s Story

Join us as we continue the saga of Thomas Leforge—Horse Rider—on *The Big Fat Podcast*, digging deeper into his life at the Absarokee Crow Agency. Episode 10, Part 2 of 2 in our "They Gazed on the Beartooths" series, explores Chief Blackfoot’s enigmatic burial, the Crow’s shift to farming, and the artifacts that whisper of a frontier in flux. From Mexican Joe Creek to the scouts’ road to Little Bighorn, we uncover Stillwater County’s ties to a pivotal American tale, in partnership with the Museum of the Beartooths. Like, subscribe, and share to keep these stories alive!

Thank You to Penny Redli, Executive Director - Museum of the Beartooths

https://www.museumofthebeartooths.com

**Chapter Timestamps:**

00:00 Introduction: Back at Absarokee Agency

01:00 Chief Blackfoot: A Psychic’s Tale

07:00 Absarokee Unveiled: Building a New Agency

14:00 Adobe Bricks: Crafting History by Hand

17:00 Teacher’s Scalping: A Crow Classroom Clash

22:00 Mexican Joe Creek: A Name Born in Battle

27:00 Shane Family: Roots of a Crow Legacy

33:00 Crow Scouts Enlist: The Road to Little Bighorn

44:00 Artifacts Unearthed: Beads, Buttons, and Bones

57:00 Leforge’s Fate: Survivor’s Guilt and Beyond

1:01:00 Fort Custer: A Post-Battle Outpost

1:08:00 Wrap-Up: A Living History in Stillwater

Saddle up for a wild ride into Montana’s untamed past with Thomas Leforge, a white man who became "Horse Rider" among the Crow. On The Big Fat Podcast, we trace his journey from a settler’s son to a Crow warrior, charging through militia mutinies, vision quests, and the thunderous Battle of Pryor Creek. Episode 9 Part 1 of 2 about Thomas Leforge, in our "They Gazed on the Beartooths" series, uncovers a frontier life woven with courage, kinship, and chaos, in partnership with the Museum of the Beartooths. Like, subscribe, and share to keep these epic tales galloping!

Thank You to Penny Redli, Executive Director - Museum of the Beartooths

https://www.museumofthebeartooths.com

**Chapter Timestamps:**

00:00 Introduction: A White Crow Indian’s Tale

01:00 Thomas Leforge: From Ohio to Montana

07:00 Militia Days: Rough Riders of 1867

14:00 You Should Know: The Wild West’s Lawless Edge

17:00 Adoption by the Crow: Becoming Horse Rider

20:00 Mitch Boyer: A Frontier Friend

25:00 Mission Creek: First Crow Agency Under Siege

29:00 Dead Indian Drippings: A Gruesome Meal

34:00 Relocating the Agency: Stillwater Bound

39:00 Battle of Pryor Creek: Warriors Prepare

46:00 The Daring Line: Horse Rider’s Challenge

53:00 Victory March: Return to Absaroka

58:00 Second Crow Agency: A New Home Unveiled