On the 158th anniversary of the sinking of the Bertrand (Saturday, April 1, 2023), DeSoto will host a series of special events, including living history presentations and a special presentation by historian Russ Gifford. Mr. Gifford will present his talk, “Steamboat Travel on the Missouri” at 2 p.m. in the visitor center’s multipurpose room.
Living history reenactors will also be present throughout the visitor center from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m., giving a sense of what life and travel could have been like for the travelers, salesmen, and others aboard the Bertrand on their way to new opportunities in the Montana Territory. The museum curator and volunteers will also be present from 12-2 p.m. in the museum cargo viewing area, highlighting artifacts and answering questions regarding the collection.