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Committee concurs on memorial highway honoring Little Shell elder Jim Loud Thunder Gopher
Summary
The committee unanimously concurred on House Bill 448 to establish the Jim Loud Thunder Gopher Memorial Highway in Cascade County; family members and tribal representatives testified in support and MDT provided a small fiscal estimate for signs.
The Senate Highways and Transportation Committee voted unanimously to concur on House Bill 448, a bill to name a section of road in Cascade County the Jim Loud Thunder Gopher Memorial Highway.
Rep. Jane Weber introduced the bill and said descendants and tribal officials requested the designation to honor Jim Loud Thunder Gopher, an Ojibwe community leader connected to Hill 57 and civic organizing in Great Falls. Multiple family members and tribal representatives traveled to Helena to testify in support.
Mary Gopher Parenteau (enrolled member, Little Shell Tribe) described Loud Thunder’s local leadership, including organizing and maintaining cultural ties and historical artifacts such as a flag brought from Canada. Richard Perra and Daniel Pocha testified about Loud Thunder’s cultural work, his role in sustaining community ties on Hill 57, and the educational value of recognizing the leader with a memorial highway.
Representative Tyson Running (Montana American Indian Caucus) and representatives of Western Native Voice and several tribal communities offered additional support, saying the designation would honor a leader whose work helped maintain culture and civic participation. Jasmine Krotkov, a former downtown representative, testified that a named highway offers a public pedagogical value: a highway sign prompts passerby curiosity about the person honored.
John Swartz of the Montana Department of Transportation testified informationally that the fiscal note for installing two signs was approximately $3,300 and that MDT could cover that cost under its existing operational budget.
After public testimony the committee moved to concur on the bill. The committee took a voice vote; the chair announced the motion carried and later recorded that Sen. Kasmar and Sen. Logie were "aye by proxy." The transcript indicates the concurrence passed unanimously.
The bill will move forward with a committee member identified to carry it on the Senate floor.
