SigMT

SiG MT 55 e Jesuits moved near to the Bird Tail Bue in 1866 from the earlier location on the Missouri River south of Ulm and built several structures. With continued Blackfeet conflicts against the whites, the mission was abandoned and not occupied full time until 1874. By 1878 the Jesuits had completed the log church's first section. ey were determined to fully develop the mission and began constructing more cabins aached to the church to form an L shape. By 1881 three more small cabins were added, and in 1882 the bell tower was constructed in the corner of the L shaped structure. In addition to construction projects, the Jesuits started a boys' school, traveled to Fort Shaw to provide religious services, and took missionary trips to the Blackfoot reservation. e Canadian Red River Rebellion brought several fleeing Metis people to Central Montana in the early 1880s. e Metis group, including their leader, Louis Riel, found their way to St Peter's. Riel was hired as a teacher at the boys' school that now included over twenty Metis boys. He was called back to Canada in 1884 to lead another rebellion. Riel was captured and hanged in 1885. e Metis persisted in the Bird Tail area, and several descendants remain in Central Montana. e Jesuits saw the need to add nuns to benefit the mission's growth and to establish a girls' school. ey convinced Bishop Brondel of Montana to send nuns to St. Peter's. e Lady Blackrobes arrived in October 1884. Five Ursuline nuns and novitiates led by Mother Interior of the church with the alter constructed by Brother Claussen in 1878. Drone photo of the church at St Peter's Mission.

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