During the summer of 1936 a sheepherder fell
ill while tending his flock and was brought
to the St. Clare Hospital in Fort Benton,
Montana. A nondescript sheep dog had
followed the herder into town and soon set
up a vigil at the hospital's door. A kind
hearted nun who ran the hospital kitchen fed
the dog during those few days before the man
died. The herder's family in the East
requested that his body be sent back home.
On that August day the undertaker put the
body on the east-bound train for shipment to
his waiting relatives.
As the gurney was
rolled out onto the platform, a big gaunt
shepherd dog with watchful eyes appeared out
of nowhere and watched as the casket was
loaded into the baggage car. Attendants
later recalled the dog whining as the door
slammed shut and the engine slowly started
to pull away from the station, then head
down, turning and trotting down the tracks.
On that day the dog, later named Shep, began
a five-and-a-half year vigil that was only
broken by his death.
Day
after day, meeting four trains daily, Shep
became a fixture on the platform. He eyed
each passenger hopefully, and was often
chased off as a mongrel but never completely
discouraged. Neither the heat of summer days
nor the bitter Montana winter days prevented
Shep from meeting the next train. As Shep's
fame spread, people came from everywhere to
see him, to photograph him, and to try and
make friends and possibly adopt him. All of
the attention was somewhat unwelcome; after
checking the train he often retired quickly
to get away from those who came to see him.
Most people missed the point that Shep was a
one-man dog. The bond he had formed with the
herder many years before was simply the most
important thing is his life. Food, shelter
and attention were now provided by the
railroad employees. That was all he wanted,
except his master's return. Shep was an
older dog when he came to the station house
in Fort Benton. Throughout his vigil the
long nights under the platform and the cold
winter had taken their toll. Stiff-legged
and hard of hearing, Shep failed to hear old
235 as it rolled into the station at 10:17
that cold winter morning. He turned to look
when the engine was almost upon him, moved
to get out of the way, and slipped on the
icy rails. Shep's long vigil had ended.
The Shep Memorial
With renewed interest generated by the
fiftieth anniversary of Shep's death, the
community of Fort Benton organized a
committee to produce a lasting memorial to
their famous dog. The West's most renown
sculptor, Bob Scriver, was contracted to
create a heroic-sized bronze statue of Shep.
Etched bricks and miniature bronze statues
were sold to finance the project, at a cost
of about $75,0000.00. From photograph's and
a Shep "look-alike," Scriver developed an
imposing resemblance to Shep, expectantly
standing with ears cocked, tail up, and his
two front paws on the rail. He gazes
longingly down the track awaiting his
master's return. A beautiful site along the
levee of the Missouri River was selected for
the memorial. Located in the park across
from the Grand Union Hotel along Front
Street, Shepherd's Court quickly became the
town's focal point. The large bronze statue
was placed on a rough granite stone from a
local quarry. The stone is low enough to
permit even small children to stand beside
the faithful dog - for petting and for
pictures. A thirty-foot brick octagon
surrounds the statue, where over eight
hundred people have already placed a
memorial brick to a loved one or to a
beloved pet. There is room for seventeen
hundred bricks in the completed Shepherd's
Court. The statue is a fitting tribute to the
faithfulness of man's best friend, and a
reminder of the wonderful story of
Shep, Forever Faithful.
Video Courtesy of the Fort Benton Chamber of
Commerce
For
information on purchasing a memorial
brick to be placed in Shepherd's Court contact:
The Shep Committee, c/o The River &
Plains Society PO Box 262 Fort
Benton, Montana 59442-0262. Phone
406-622-5316 or
email them or
click here to print the Shep
brochure and order form
