“Whoever the last true cowboy in America turns out to be, he’s likely to be an Indian.”
-William Least Heat-Moon
Legacy of the Indian Cowboy
Hell's Half Acre started in 1939, in the beginning, it was just a few chutes built by the Mad Plume boys. Agnes (Chewing-BlackBones) Mad Plume owned many horses. Richard and Agnes Mad Plume's sons, Edward "Shorty", Frank, and Lawrence Mad Plume, would work together to break the horses. One day Shorty and Frank had a disagreement, so they then made a bet to resolve the matter. They were to run in two horses each, whoever stayed on the longest, wins. The story varies on who won but from that bet, Hell's Half Acre was born.
Since the beginning, Hell's Half has remained a place where all are welcome. The Hell's Half type didn't fit most other places, they were always rough around the edges. Hell's Half was a place for cowboys who wanted to blow off some steam, so you'd often find a cold beer and the occasional rumble. Back then, it was a place of gathering. A place where rough around the edges is just the way things are. Families and friends alike would gather at Hell's Half. The concept was simple; if you had something that would buck, you could always find eager, Indian cowboys at Hell's Half.
A Tribute to our Matriarchs
There's an old saying about the Blackfeet that goes, "Be wary of the Blackfeet, even their women are warriors." In our ways, women are seen as equals, oftentimes they hold leadership positions. Perhaps the most famous Blackfeet woman of all time, Running Eagle (Pi'tamaka) still serves as a role model for women of all ages. Running Eagle (Pi'tamaka) was a Native American woman and war chief of the Blackfeet Tribe known for her success in battle. True to Blackfeet style, Mad Plume women have always played a critical role in all that we do. Not only do our women run things, they are known to hang in there with the best of them. Be wary of the Mad Plumes', even their women are cowboys. At Hell's Half, cowboy is an all encompassing term because if you grew up in Two Medicine, you grew up tough. The Mad Plume family comes from a long line of humble men and strong women. This is probably why Mother's Day is one of our biggest events of the year!
