Members of the Fort Union Muzzle Loaders Association are working on constructing a new flagpole after the one built nearly 25 years ago collapsed in 2007. Muzzle Loaders Association member Paul Bauer is one person who helped to build the flagpole that collapsed. Built in 1985, that pole consisted of two pieces of wood with metal clamps to keep the two pieces together. It also had a weather vane on the top.
"It was the first reconstruction piece of Fort Union. We share a sense of pride in the history of the area," said Bauer.
Bauer said the flagpole collapsed in August 2007 while the flag was being raised on a windy day. After the pole broke, it was discovered it had partially rotted from the inside where the two pieces were joined together.
Bauer said after the pole broke, members of the Muzzle Loaders began talking about what to do. The answer wasn't difficult. "We as club members began talking to Andy Banta and he was very open to working with us on this. Funds were raised through Friends of Fort Union," said Bauer.
Banta is superintendent for Fort Union and said he began talking with association members soon after it collapsed, after which things began to take shape.
"It took awhile to get project funding and basically to get the logistics in place," said Banta.
Banta said the materials for the 72-foot tall flagpole, 8 feet of which goes underground, cost about $10,000. Transporting the new two-piece cedar flagpole from Bauer's front yard to the fort puts the overall cost at roughly $25,000.
Banta said the newest pole was purchased from the Lower Yellowstone Electric Co-op.
Dave Finders, founder and treasurer of the Muzzle Loaders, said he and other members think they did a decent job on the original pole, but the difference between the first and second is substantial.
"We built the first one in 1985 and it was kind of a piecemeal thing, but it lasted about a quarter century," said Finders.
Finders said they put a lot more work into this one, starting their efforts in March and they are almost done.
"This time we are doing it so that it's able to last a whole lot longer," said Finders.
Bauer agreed with the difference being a lot more thorough work. He said between nights and weekends, members have dedicated over 200 hours working on the new pole together.
"It's a whole new construction almost. The only pieces we're using from the original are the metalwork and the weather vane. We started in upper mast reshaping. There's some cables, minor details like safety rigging we're finishing up now," said Bauer.
Bauer said the flagpole may not look like something too complex, but creating the clamps to hold the two pieces together, shaping the top half of the pole and putting sealant on it are time consuming. He said the members also learned a lot over the years since making the first pole.
"We used some better techniques on it this time around. One of the guys is a master cabinet builder, one a welding expert, another is a machinist. We brought a bit more life experience to it this time," said Bauer.
Bauer said the group hopes to be done with the pole by the end of the week and then move it to Ford Union by May 29. A formal dedication of the new pole is June 20 as part of the 27th annual Fort Union Rendezvous.
For more information about Fort Union, visit its Web site at www.nps.gov/fous/.
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