Fortine author Darris Flanagan on May 19 will describe a time when locals would sit on hills in the Eureka area and watch the headlights of revenuers chasing rum-runners. 

Based on research for his book, "Bootlegging Adventures in Northwest Montana," many of his tales come from first-hand accounts. It's part of a presentation for the Northwest Montana Westerners. The Eureka area was a hot spot for bootlegging, Flanagan notes. Canada had done away with prohibition in 1920, the same year it was adopted by the United States. Export houses were quickly set up north of the border to tap into the new market. Not only was Northwest Montana's sparsely populated and wooded terrain particularly attractive to smugglers, but coal trains heading back from Canadian mines made it even more porous.Booze came across the border mostly by automobile, but also by boat, airplane, and even oversized coats. The profits were immense. Local officials were soon on the take and farmers were renting out their barns to hide shipments headed south.Not all the liquor came from Canada. Many entrepreneurs set up stills to turn out moonshine. But, as Flanagan notes, it took a careful balance of temperature and timing to avoid contaminating homemade booze with wood alcohol.

Rum-running involved a second journey south to the markets in Butte and elsewhere since initially there was no road between Eureka and Libby, and few back roads in the Olney area. Many smugglers relied on disposable stolen cars. The illicit business continued until prohibition was revoked in 1933.

Flanagan graduated from the University of Montana and taught in Fortine, Dayton and Somers. He has authored more than 16 books on Northwest Montana history. The presentation is at the monthly meeting of the Northwest Montana Westerners, a local history group. The talk starts at 7 p.m. on the second floor of the museum, at 124 2nd Ave. East in Kalispell. Cost is $5 for the general public, with members and youths under 16 admittedfree.