White, Thain, 1913-1999

Thain White was the owner of the Lookout Museum of Flathead Lake near Dayton, Montana. He had an avid interest in the archaeology and the history of the Indians of Northwest Montana and their interactions with the invading caucasian immigration.

From the description of Papers, 1960-1978. (Eastern Washington State Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 42687104

Historian, Flathead Lake, Montana.

From the description of Papers, 1959-1976. (Washington State University). WorldCat record id: 29853361

Thain White was born and raised in Rollins, Montana. White spent his early years helping his father, Ernie White, raise sheep at White's Columbia Sheep Company. It was during these years that White acquired a strong interest in the history and archeology of his native state. This interest resulted in decades of Montana historical research and writings.

In 1949, Thain and Ernie White began the Flathead Lake Lookout Museum in Lakeside, Montana. Located on the west shore of Flathead Lake, the museum is dedicated to exhibitions and collections concerning regional and primitive artifacts. Two generations of the White family maintained the museum facility until 1972, when the O'Neil Jones family purchased the museum.

During his years as museum director, White undertook a number of research projects concerning the Montana area and the Flathead Valley in particular. He conducted a variety of excavations at battlegrounds from the Indian Wars of the 1880's and homestead sites such as Chimney Coulee. He also focused much of his research on railroads and stage companies existing in Montana at the turn of the century. Much of White's work was done in partnership with Montana State University (now University of Montana) Professor of Anthropology Carling I. Malouf. White documented his research and many of his articles were published together with Malouf by the Flathead Lake Lookout Museum.

Mr. White died on April 29, 1999.

From the guide to the Thain White Papers, 1915-1983, (Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library Archives and Special Collections)

Thain White was born in Milburn, Illinois on January 26, 1913, the son of Ernie and Hazel White. In early childhood, the family moved to Rollins, Montana, where Ernie White established a sheep farm called the Columbia Sheep Company. While working for his father and later on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation and in Glacier Park, Thain developed an interest in the history and archaeology of Montana. He conducted archaeological digs with Carling Malouf, Gordon L. Pouliot, and Duane Hampton, developing precise documentation for the sites. Among the sites he explored were the Big Hole Battlefield, the Bear's Paw Battlefield, various Mullan Road and Lolo Pass sites, and others.

In 1949 Thane and his father established the Flathead Lake Lookout Museum at Lakeside to display artifacts of local interest. The Museum also sponsored Thane's research and many of his research papers bear the imprint of the museum. In later years he lived at Dayton, where he died April 30, 1999. He was survived by his wife Fay White.

From the guide to the Thain White research collection: Native Americans and early Montana history>, 1866-1995, (Montana Historical Society Research Center)