Voices from the Past

June 20, 1974

Rue Sells Business to Frances Hill

Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Rue, lifetime residents of Powder River County, have purchased a home in Big Timer and will move there this summer. Mrs. Rue will move when their furniture is moved, probably in July, and Rue will remain in Broadus until the latter part of August.

Rues have sold their ready-to-wear store and the Rue’s store building to Mrs. Frances Hill. Mrs. Hill has worked in the store for Rues for 20 years and has been manager and buyer for the past five years. Change of ownership becomes effective Sept. 1, according to Lloyd Rue. The Rue home is also to be sold.

Rue’s Clothing and Western Shop was opened in 1949 by Mr. and Mrs. Rue. Prior to that they worked for the Broadus Merc. They went to work in the Broadus Merc in 1938 and in 1942, Rue and Lawrence Thompson purchased the business. Rue bought Thompson’s interest in the Merc in 1945 and continued to operate it until 1952 when he sold it to Greek Sullivan. From 1949 to 1952, the Rues operated both stores.

For a number of years the Rues housed their museum pieces on the second floor of the clothing store. These have all been moved to McLeod where their son, Vic, displays them in his big store. The move to Big Timber will bring the Rues to just 16 miles from Vic and his family who own and operate McLeod Resort.

Lloyd Rue was born on a ranch about 20 miles from Broadus and has lived here all his life. Frank (Mrs. Rue) was born in Cody, Wyo. but has lived in Powder River County all her life. Rue served as mayor for Broadus for three terms. He served on the Fair Board for seven years and was president of the Powder River Commercial Club for two terms. Mr. and Mrs. Rue were both active in local civic affairs and were influential in organizing such celebrations as the Montana State Centennial activities in Broadus.

June 24, 1999

New Owners Take Over P.R. Veterinary Clinic

DVM Randy and Katie Ward and family have taken over ownership of the area’s oldest animal health clinic, the Powder River Veterinary Clinic, from retiring vet Bert Stoddard.

Stoddard opened the clinic in the late 1960s and served as the areas only veterinarian for the next several decades and with his knowledge of and dedication to his work filled a deep void with his always-available services. Stoddard, for the next 30-plus years, faithfully served both the agriculture industry and small animal owners as well.

The Ward couple moved to Miles City eight years ago. Randy went to work for Dr. Russ Leach. After the clinic was sold he continued to work for the new owner, Dr. Davison, for about a year, before the opportunity arose to own his own business in Broadus.

When asked what brought him and his family to Broadus, the new vet replied with a smile and twinkle in his eye, “Opportunity. I was getting along really good but when this opportunity presented itself we decided now was the best time to do it, while I’m still relatively young.”

New Tongue River Dam Dedication July 1

The newly remodeled Tongue River Dam and recreation area will be dedicated Thursday, July 1, at 10 a.m. The dedication ceremony at the dam site will include talks by Montana Gov. Marc Racicot, Northern Cheyenne Tribal leaders and other government officials. The ceremony is open to the public and refreshments will be served following the dedication.

The Tongue River Dam was rehabilitated some 60 years after it was originally put into service. Rehabilitation efforts were undertaken to alleviated dam safety concerns and raise the reservoir elevation four feet to provide new storage of water for the Water Rights Compact among the state of Montana, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe and the U.S. Government.

Major components of the recently completed construction include six miles of new road, a new spillway, a new outlet works tunnel and major rehabilitation of the auxiliary outlet works.

For more information, or special accommodations relating to a disability, please call Allen Kuser in Helena at (406)444-0525.