| In the summer of 1936, a sheep herder fell ill and headed to Ft. Benton, Montana, for treatment. His dog, Shep went along. When the herder died a few days later, his body was crated up and sent back east to relatives. Shep followed the box to the Ft. Benton train depot and watched anxiously as his master was put on board and taken away. Shep tried to climb on board, but they pushed him onto the station platform. No one remembers the name of the shepherd........ But, everyone remembers Shep, because, for the next five and a half years, Shep kept vigil at the station, greeting the four trains that arrived everyday, waiting for his master to return. Old Shep's story exemplifies the devotion and faithfulness of dogs everywhere. Shep's story was carried in newspapers throughout the country and overseas. Occuring in the shadows of World War II, this story took on added significance for those who mourned the departure of loved ones and hoped for their safe return. Two and a half years into his vigil, Shep was featured in "Ripley's Believe It Or Not", and became a depression era sensation. Fan mail poured in. School children sent Christmas gifts. Rail travelers took long detours off the mainline, just to stop in Ft. Benton and see this devoted dog meet their train. |
| Old Shep became and still remains a patron saint of loyalty, patience, undying love and friendship. Eventually, tragedy struck. On January 12, 1942, a little more then a month after the attack on Pearl Habor, an old and deaf Shep failed to hear the 10:17 train, then slipped on the icy rail trying to get away. Because of his popularity, Shep's obituary was carried on both wire services, Associated Press (AP) and United Press International(UPI), along with the war news, and two days later his funeral was attended by hundreds, with an honor guard and pall bearers. "Eugology On The Dog", orginally written for a fellow brave dog, Old Drum, was read by the town minister. Shep was buried on a lonely bluff looking down on the train station. The Great Northern Railroad put up a simple monument of a wooden cut out of Shep. Just beneath, white stones spelled out *SHEP*. Lights illuminated the display at night and conductors pointed it out to passengers. Eventually, though, the passenger line stopped coming through Ft. Benton, the lights went out, and the grave fell into disrepair. In 1988, Paul Havery did a program on Old Shep, and a new generation of Shep fans, repaired and refurbished the grave. The Shep cutout is now painted steel, and the lights are back up. The site is well maintained by the Kiwanis Club and the Ft. Benton Community Improvement Society, and a small parking area and walking trail have been added behind the monument to make getting to the grave site easier. In 1992, the 50th anniversary of Shep's death, Ft. Benton decided that their noble dog deserved better. They raised $100,000 for a larger -then- life Bronze statue of Shep by selling the 40,000 bricks that went into it's base at $25.00 a piece. |
| In June, 1995, a bronze statue of shep, with both feet on a train rail, and created by Bob Schriver, Montana's most noted sculpturer, was erected on Ft. Benton's levee. On one end of the levee is a memorial to Lewis and Clark and at the other end, the beloved Shep. The money was raised, not only by selling bricks, but also miniature statues of the 30 foot momument |
| The committee asked Blackfoot Indian, singer and composer, Jack Gladstone to compose a song for the dedication ceremony. This beautiful song you are listening to is that song and sung by Jack Gladstone. |
| "The committee planning the memorial bronze requested that I write a song for the dedication ceremomy. I jumped at the chance, because it was a song I had wanted to write for some time. In the story, I recognized a sparkle and a sadness in my own heart for a sheperd/lab friend that I had recently lost. In writing the song, I was coming to terms with my own loss and celebrating the special friendship I had shared with Major" ~Jack Gladstone~ Please visit Jack Gladstone's website by clicking on his photo. |
