Behind Fort Peck Dam’s Success: The Team You Never Knew About

Fort Peck Dam is one of Montana's most famous and massive landmarks that included a critical contribution to which history never gives much recognition.

Angela Montana, digital editor and writer for the Montana Outdoor Radio Show, shared a fascinating look at a behind-the-scenes crew that "fueled" all the other hard working members of this amazing project. This is for that Hidden Workforce.

WHO'S MINDING THE STORE?

As Angela sees it, if you think grocery store chaos is bad today, imagine running the US Army Corps of Engineers commissary and warehouse at Fort Peck back in the late 1930s. According to a post by the Corps, it took a full crew of hardworking folks to keep the place operating, because this wasn’t just a grocery store. This commissary was the beating heart of the entire Fort Peck Project, storing everything from everyday essentials to the kind of flour needed for a perfect pumpkin pie.

A FINE DAM STEWARD

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says that while we don’t have an exact job description for Mr. F.J. Renning, his title “Steward” gives us a pretty good idea. We can see him managing officers’ quarters, keeping mealtimes running like clockwork, setting tables with military precision, helping cooks in the galley, and making sure the dining experience didn’t just happen, it happened well. And yes, he did it all while sporting a tie. Because apparently, even in warehouse life in wild and woolly 1930s northeast Montana, style mattered.

By December 1938, both government plant and hired labor crews were running the commissary together, keeping the supplies flowing and the project humming.

READ MORE: Young Farmers and Ranchers Lead The Charge Against Hunger In Montana

Today Fort Peck Reservoir is an outdoor recreation lovers' mecca. And it's been cool to share a fun glimpse of Fort Peck history that reminds us just how many hands and how much work went into building something this big.