Before I write about the Illinois River (and how ironic it is that there is a river in Oregon called Illinois)

Permit me to discuss our adventures in Hamilton, Montana...

Since those happened first anyway.

My husband's father's ancestors have roots in the Hamilton, Montana area and probably other diverse places of the world as well--but for all intents and purposes, they lived in this small town in the early 20th century.  They built a house overlooking a staggering vista on about 40-80 acres of land (correct me if I'm wrong).  This house is rumored to have been designed by Frank Lloyd Wright himself, as he was indeed incredibly popular at the time, and has--in fact--designed some other prominant houses in the Hamilton area.  The rumors and assumptions are plausible.  Although there is no real record of this particular house actually having been designed by the man himself.

*Having seen it myself, I doubt wether it was truly designed by him, but there are elements of design that are distinctly Frank Lloyd Wright, the architectural windows and built in wood furniture.  The layout inside is much more like a victorian style house, however, with large boxy rooms and a rectangular house print (if you don't know--Frank Lloyd Wright hated anything to do with Victorian style anything).

In this area, early 20th century, there was a big push west into new and relatively uncharted territory--particularly to try and develop it as farm land.  Hamilton, Montana became the place for McIntosh Apples, among other produce.  However, the winters here (as any rexburgites can testify) are murder.  Picture arctic winds and weather being pushed and stuck right on top of your area of residence the majority of the year.  I tell you this because this is the primary reason my husband's direct ancestors decided to leave the Hamilton area--the home they built and the orchard they tended.

It was approximately 1910 and the frost came early that year.  The apple trees in the orchard all split and the Taylor's knew that year they would probably not get a whole lot to live off.  So they left.  And since then the house in Hamilton that overlooks beauty for miles has had many different inhabitants and quite the reputation even today...

Read more soon.  The story gets better.