Livestock returns to Museum

New chicks at KBPV
C. Davis photo

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village (KBPV) General Manager Tracy Glen appeared before Town Council on the evening of April 11 to request permission for a return of livestock to KBPV this year.  After a bit of discussion, council agreed to allow it.

Glen said the donkeys that were featured at the Village resulted in "only two complaints that were directed to me, and on those two I made the decision not to have the donkeys again this year."


Instead, KBPV will feature lambs, chickens, and ducks.  Chickens have proven to be quite popular over the last three of seasons, but ducks will be a new addition to the menagerie.  Sheep were a big hit with the younger crowd last year. "We had visitors from out of the country last year, they've never seen a sheep, they've never touched a donkey,  they don't even ever get to see a chicken that close, they don't know where eggs come from...and it was amazing that people don't know these things," Glen said.

"It's always supervised when kids are on the ground."

In a letter to Council Glen said "In 2011 the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village saw an increase in visitor attendance by 54%. This phenomenal increase is partially due to the heritage animals on the grounds. Community members bring their families and out of town relatives to see the Village animals again and again. The school programs here at KBPV use the various animals as part of the children’s heritage experience."


"Several families kept flocks of birds behind their homes on Kettles Street," the letter goes on to say. "The four ducks will be kept with the young lambs in the existing corral. The corral will be duck-proofed to ensure safety of both animals and our visitors. These new additions will be loved by all and will cause no problems to the surrounding community. In years past it was common to see several different types of livestock living in backyards here in our fair town."

The animals are loaned to the museum, and most of the food is donated by local citizens.  The chicks have already arrived but aren't quite ready for company yet.  The rest of the animals are expected to arrive around May 1 and will return to their winter homes again in October.

Glen also asked council to remember local citizen Stu Lepard, who was a regular attendee at Council and many other community events.  Stu passed away on April 10 last year.

Corrected for accuracy.