The annual Mullan Road Conference returns to its birthplace as the original gathering was held when the John Mullan statue in St. Regis was rededicated in 1989.

It came to be when the St. Regis Community Club asked descendants of John Mullan to come after the freeway no longer went through the town.

It was so well attended that it was decided to host this shindig each year. The conference was held in Mineral County through 2005 with the first out-of-county meeting held in Helena in 2006.

From that time, it has been hosted From Walla Walla, Washington to Fort Benton, Montana.

Mullan was an American soldier, explorer, civil servant and road builder. After graduating from the United States Military Academy in 1852, he joined the Northern Pacific Railroad Survey.

He extensively explored western Montana and portions of southeastern Idaho, and led the construction crew which built the Mullan Road in Montana, Idaho, and Washington Territories between the spring of 1859 and summer of 1860.

It was a harrowing experience spending the winter, with his men almost starving, near DeBorgia and constant issues with the Native Americans.

“A Long Winter at Cantonment Jordon” is this year’s theme with events scheduled from Friday, Sept. 9 through Sunday, Sept. 12, yet several pre-conference activities have been prepared.

Friday evening, registered attendees are invited to the Trestle Creek Golf Clubhouse in St. Regis for a ‘meet and greet’ with beer and wine available for purchase from the clubhouse bar.

Saturday begins at 9 a.m. with a hearty welcome by the Mineral County Commissioners followed by a moment of remembrance for 9-11 on its 20-year mark.

The morning and after lunch attendees will be delighted with presentations that are certainly going to interesting. The Senior Citizens Center is where lunch and dinner will be served, catered by Superior Meats. (Be sure and mark in your registration if you want beef or pork for the dinner.)

On Sunday if the woods aren’t closed due to fire restrictions, Jim Cyr will be the chaperone on a tour of some of the original road that he has located east of St Regis.

“We have lined up some terrific speakers including Keith Petersen whose book on John Mullan is the definitive history of Mullan,” shares Kaye Strombo with the Mineral County Historical Association.

“We have asked Bill Weikel to present his program of showing and talking about the instruments used on the road building. He has a great collection of original instruments.”

Registration is due by Sept. 1 with information at www.facebook.com/mullanroad2014, or www.mineralmthistory.com.

The 2022 conference will be in Fort Benton.