Jan. 13 – On this day in Montana History in 1978 Montanans awoke to learn of the death of U.S. Sen. Lee Metcalf. He was praised as a fair-minded but tough man of the people. His legacy of protecting wilderness lands and rivers for future generations continues to this day. The words of one of Metcalf’s best friends, Sen. Jennings Randolph of West Virginia, summed up the feelings being expressed across the nation: “He was a tireless champion of preserving and protecting our nation’s natural heritage for succeeding generations to use and enjoy. This gentle man from Montana loved the Earth and all its living creatures.”