“In 2021 I went to St. Ignatius, Montana and in one of their small side buildings I saw this photo and the description read “Burning of Jocko church, with Mary Ann Combs in foreground, 1960.” Mary Ann Combs was the last survivor of the Salish people who walked from Bitterroot Valley to Jocko Valley with Chief Charlo. Combs passed away in 1978, her service was held at the rebuilt Jocko church and buried at the Jocko Cemetery.

I couldn’t find any other information about how the fire started. To me, the painting holds a bit of a mystery and each viewer will find a different meaning behind this small town history.”

~ Paige Pettibon