[Mark McCombs]

Question to those in the Kalispell/Whitefish area:

As a child in the 60's and early 70's I went fishing in many lakes in NW Montana including a few just West of Whitefish called; Beaver, Little Beaver and Dollar lake.
On the shores on Beaver lake in a couple spots was a deposit of what I can only describe as a white clay that extended into the water. I spent many hours as a youngster playing with that clay, making various figure and forms.

I would like to ask if anyone has use a locally produced (white) clay from the area?


48°25'54.50"N
114°24'54.74"W
Coordinates to where we used to launch the boat and comp on the deposit.

[Marcia Selsor]

When I started teaching in Montana I got a little faculty grant to research local clays. I was not near Kalispell area but rather near Billings. I became fond of the Pryor Red clay in the Pryor Mountains. France's Senska told me about clays in other places like the Lewistown dump and Bear Creek trail.
Brian Persha told me about a black slip similar to Albany slip that fired shiny black at ^10. So there are all types of. Lay in the area.
Marcia

[Cass]

i dont know anyone working in local clay, but i know who would know....David Smith, ceramics head at Flathead Valley Community College....if you really want to know

David Smith <dsmith@fvcc.edu>

(406) 756-3993