Onion River Exploration Project: The Life and Times of Al Urness

Grand Union Hotel, Fort Benton, Montana

Day 9 (12/17/14)

As I read through the e-mails people have sent me about Al Urness I am taken not only with the extraordinary life of this man but also the extraordinary time in which he lived. When I read about him drifting in to town with either his Kayak or on the bus only to be taken in by the locals I am amazed. I was lucky enough to have lived during the end of the hitch hiking era and even then more often than not shortly after arriving in a new town we would be greeted by the local constabulary to check our credentials and question us of our intentions. The thought of being taken in by locals didn’t even cross our mind. When I mention to my students now about my hitching adventures you would think I had crawled unarmed into a lion’s den. As much as possible I am going to let the people themselves tell the stories. One of the first people that I heard from was Mr. Terry Garvin from Russellville, Ark who writes:

We will take some photos of the pieces we have. When we moved to Ft Benton MT in 1979 we moved into the Grand Union Hotel (built ca late 1800s). The third floor had been converted to apartments; 70 yr old Al lived next door. Al befriended us; he loved Southerners (we were up from Mississippi.) He shared meals with us on many occasions. Al had been in Ft. B for some months already which he said was unusual for him. For decades he moved every few months. Up and down the Missouri. Google Grand Union Hotel Montana and you can see the building. Al's apt was 3rd floor, three center windows. When we arrived, he was set up in a room off the lobby and was 90% finished on a 4' x 8' painting of a riverboat on the Missouri. He painted on masonite not canvas. The owners may have the painting on display or in storage. Al finished the painting while we were there. My wife was/is a painter. Al gave her an easel (handmade and well designed); we still have it. He gave her many brushes (handmade from whittled wood, horse hair, and metal from tin cans). He worked in oil and mixed all his own colors from five big tubes of basic colors. He taught her to mix colors for herself.

Latter Terry writes:

I contacted the current manager of the Ft Benton Grand Union Hotel. She is new to the area and has no knowledge of Al or his work. But she will ask some people there who may have information. His riverboat painting may be in the town museum. Maybe she will contact me. I'm still digging for old pictures to share.

Again, I hear from him and this time he sends a picture:

Apologies for the poor quality of the jpeg. This will give you a taste of Al's style and subject matter.

Painted on Masonite. Done in 1980.

He saw this dead cypress in Shaw, Mississippi and reproduced it on more than one occasion to "pay the rent" or gift to someone.

One of your contacts mentioned Al doing a sketch/head shot. He did that for us also. He did a pencil profile of my father in law (while he was napping) and a quick profile of our 2 year old.

Al rode with us from Mt to Mississippi and spent about ten days with our families before catching a Greyhound for old haunts further south.

In our last correspondence he sends a picture of some brushes made by Al for his wife and this note:

Handmade brushes that Al Urness gave to my wife 30+ years ago; and she still uses them! Al made his own tools. The handles are very thick, carved from scrap wood. The bristles are horse hair. The metal collars are cut from tin cans. He was generous with his stories, with his materials, and with his knowledge.

Terry Garvin

Again I am taken by Al’s ability to win over new found friends. It seems it was his giving nature, charisma and his willingness to share his knowledge that left people with such pleasant memories of his passing’s.