Historical Conflict Between Law and Justice

Throughout history, and in today's times, there has always been conflict between the pursuit of law and order and citizens' concepts of justice. Ideally, the two virtues should be served by a single authority but in the early days of Montana Territory, they climaxed in an ultimate test.

Earnest citizens had to secretly unite to organize a vigilante committee and hunt to ground the ruthless band of outlaws headed by, none other than, Territorial Sheriff Henry Plummer who represented the only source of law and order in Montana's gold fields.

This colorful chapter in Montana's pursuit of statehood was its first taste of real justice and its influence has had a lasting impact on Montana's concepts of law and order. The Montana Vigilance Committee was officially organized on September 23, 1862, and to this day, has never officially disbanded.