Missoula Held 24th Annual Stories and Stones Event
The Missoula City Cemetery hosted a living history event featuring portrayals of notable local figures.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Civic
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The Missoula City Cemetery hosted its 24th annual Stories and Stones event this weekend. The program featured performers in period costumes sharing the life stories of historical figures at their gravesites.
Why it matters
This annual gathering serves to resurrect untold or forgotten narratives of individuals buried in the cemetery. It offers the public a unique way to engage with the city's past through immersive, live storytelling.
The event marked its 24th year of operation in Missoula. It highlighted historical figures such as Ella Stucky, who worked as a public health nurse from 1917 to 1929, and Frank Woody, who was elected the city's first mayor in 1883.
The players
Frank Woody
He was the first mayor of Missoula after being elected to the position in 1883.
Ella Stucky
She was the first public health nurse in Montana and served the community from 1917 to 1929.
Villa Cool
She worked as a stenographer and deputy for the Missoula County Superintendent's Office before her death at age 22.
Sarah Elizabeth Woody
She was a local resident who married Frank Woody in 1871 and experienced the loss of five children.
The details
Storytellers assumed the identities of the deceased by dressing in period clothing and standing at respective gravesites. The presentations covered various figures, including Villa Cool, a stenographer who died at age 22 after being hit by a train, and Sarah Elizabeth Woody, who married Frank Woody in 1871.
Timeline
Frank Woody arrived in the valley in 1853.
Sarah and Frank Woody married in 1871.
Frank Woody was elected the first mayor of Missoula in 1883.
Ella Stucky served as a public health nurse from 1917 to 1929.
The 24th annual Stories and Stones event took place on October 4, 2026.
Industry Dynamics
The Missoula event follows a pattern set by the Living History Museum movement by using costumed interpreters to engage the public with local heritage. Such programming reflects a broader shift toward experiential education within local municipal cultural tourism.
Residents and visitors could access local history through an immersive, in-person format at the city cemetery. The event provided a unique opportunity to learn about the lives of past community members outside of traditional classroom or museum settings.
The takeaway
Local history programs like Stories and Stones bridge the gap between archival records and personal connection. Residents can preserve community identity by participating in events that honor the lived experiences of those who founded the city.
Further reading
Learn more about local programs and municipal initiatives in Missoula Civic.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NBC Montana.
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