Our Lady of Belltower Catholic Church

Belltower is a white outcropping of rock in southeastern Carter County Montana. The formation used to look like a bell tower, but because of many years of erosion, it has worn down to almost a pointed rock. When my grandparents homesteaded near this landmark in June of 1910, it was visible for many miles in all directions. Many homesteaders chose a location near Belltower so they could "find their way home."

Many of these homesteaders were Catholic Luxembourg immigrants. At that time, there was no church in the area. My grandparents, Peter and Marguerite Goeders, volunteered to have Mass celeb...