The story of Three Forks, Mont.

Last week, my wife and I spent three days in Three Forks, Montana, at the Sacajawea Inn. Three Forks is a charming little town and the Inn is a splendid example of arts and crafts architecture. Celia and I, having lived in an arts and crafts house for the last 35 years, are partial to such structures, and we greatly enjoyed this hotel.

But what captivated me about the place was its history. The to...