The Tinsley House - Museum of the Rockies
The Tinsley Family
Lucy Nave and Will Tinsley emigrated with their
families from Missouri to Montana by covered
wagon during the Civil War in 1864. They became
acquainted in the mining town of Virginia City,
Montana where Will worked for the Wells Fargo
Stage Company, and Lucy ran a dressmaking
business with her two sisters.
After they were married, January 1,1867, they set
up housekeeping in a small homestead cabin one
mile south of Willow Creek, Montana. They
were among the earliest homesteaders in the
state. In their little cabin they had four girls and
four boys before moving into their new seven
room log home in 1889, the year Montana became
a state. The family occupied the house until the
1920's. In 1987 the Museum of the Rockies
acquired the house and moved it to its present site
on the Museum grounds. After extensive renovation,
done mostly by volunteers, the house was opened
to the public in 1989, Montana’s Centennial year.
Read MoreLucy Nave and Will Tinsley emigrated with their
families from Missouri to Montana by covered
wagon during the Civil War in 1864. They became
acquainted in the mining town of Virginia City,
Montana where Will worked for the Wells Fargo
Stage Company, and Lucy ran a dressmaking
business with her two sisters.
After they were married, January 1,1867, they set
up housekeeping in a small homestead cabin one
mile south of Willow Creek, Montana. They
were among the earliest homesteaders in the
state. In their little cabin they had four girls and
four boys before moving into their new seven
room log home in 1889, the year Montana became
a state. The family occupied the house until the
1920's. In 1987 the Museum of the Rockies
acquired the house and moved it to its present site
on the Museum grounds. After extensive renovation,
done mostly by volunteers, the house was opened
to the public in 1989, Montana’s Centennial year.
