06/06/2026
This post has been a long time coming, so I'm sorry if it is a long one. Many of you have pointed out that I've been very quiet on this page, and the truth is I've spent the last six months doing some deep soul-searching. As I always have here, I want to be transparent and speak from the heart. Rather than let the rumor mill keep turning, I want to tell you exactly what happened that led to the falling out I have had with the Hays family.
On December 11, I received a message through this page that opened the possibility of some of my grandfather's most prized pieces of artwork returning to Frontier Town. I had known the owner of these pieces for years and had stayed in touch with him since the early days of this page. I had hoped and prayed for this day. The following day, I spoke by phone with a member of his family, who would be taking over the estate.
By that point, I was already feeling uncertain about where I stood with the Hays family. Communication had broken down, and I felt increasingly unsure about my place in the future of Frontier Town. During that conversation, I expressed those concerns and shared my hope that, if these pieces returned to Frontier Town, they could remain recognized as part of the Quigley family legacy while being displayed there.
I struggled with how to approach what I knew would be a sensitive conversation. In fact, I was actively looking at flights to California because I wanted to have that discussion face-to-face. I was terrified of hearing "no" and being forced to confront a reality I had been trying to avoid. But I believed that if I could speak honestly and from the heart, there might be understanding.
Then, on December 15, my father passed away. The conversation that had been weighing so heavily on my mind suddenly became the least important thing in my life.
Where I went wrong was in how I communicated the situation afterward. I told the Hays family that the owners wanted the artwork to remain in the Quigley family rather than being honest that it was my own wish. That was my mistake. I should have had the courage to stand behind my own feelings and make that request directly. Looking back, I do not believe it would have changed the outcome, but it is what ultimately led to our falling out.
I also had invested so much of myself emotionally into supporting the dream of Frontier Town's restoration that, without fully realizing it, I brought more pressure and emotion into the situation than I intended. My excitement and optimism came from a genuine place of love for Frontier Town and its history, but I understand now how that intensity may have felt overwhelming to others.
Over the past six months, I've had a lot of time to reflect.
For 18 years, I chased the dream of reopening Frontier Town and restoring what so many of us remember from the 1950s through the 1990s before it left our family's ownership. But spending time on the property this past year, and slowly removing the rose-colored glasses I had worn for so long, gave me a much clearer understanding of the enormous reality of that undertaking.
For years, Frontier Town existed partly as a memory and partly as a dream for me. Dreams tend to fill in the missing details. They don't include engineering reports, code compliance, rotting foundations, utilities, insurance, ADA requirements, fire suppression systems, structural inspections, and the endless costs that come with aging buildings. When I was trying to purchase Frontier Town, I was operating largely on hope and a dream. I now understand just how difficult and expensive a full restoration would be and more than once, I've found myself very grateful for unanswered prayers.
Losing my father also changed my perspective in profound ways. It forced me to step back and look at what truly matters in my own life. I realized that I would not have wanted to spend the sweetest years of my life with my amazing husband and our three young boys consumed by stress, debt, and a responsibility this massive. Life is short. Time with the people we love is precious. I already have a business I truly enjoy with opportunities to travel the world, and wonderful friends and family I want to be more present for.
There is something else I want to say.
I truly believe that if anyone can get Frontier Town up to code, it would be Kirby. He has the resources, skill set, and determination to take on a project of that magnitude, and I sincerely hope he is able to bring his vision to life.
At the same time, I have had to accept that Frontier Town will never again be the place it was in my childhood, or the place that lives in so many of our memories. My grandfather built Frontier Town to honor Montana's pioneers, as The Quigleys were part of the pioneering history of this state, and that heritage was woven into Frontier Town from the very beginning. Our family didn't just build Frontier Town, we helped give it its heart. For me, when the Quigley family was no longer part of Frontier Town, something irreplaceable was lost. The buildings remain, and new chapters will continue to be written, but the connection to the family whose history, vision, and love shaped Frontier Town can never quite be recreated.
So I am choosing to carry the memories, the stories, and the moments that shaped my childhood with gratitude. I sincerely wish the Hays family success as they continue making Frontier Town their own. As Crystal recently said, it is now their family’s passion project, and we wish them the very best in that endeavor.
With that finally off my heart, I have two exciting announcements:
First, we are currently filming a documentary about my grandfather, John Quigley, and the history of Frontier Town, produced by Les Cramer of Cramer Productions. Les was one of the last people to document my grandfather before he passed away, so I feel incredibly grateful knowing this story will be told with authenticity, care, and heart.
We are looking for people who knew my grandfather and may be interested in being interviewed for the project. If you know someone who might like to participate, or if you would like to support the project, please reach out. We would love to hear from you.
Finally, this page will continue sharing the rich history of Frontier Town. The photographs, newspaper articles, stories, and memories mean so much to all of us. While the future may look different than I once imagined, the history and spirit of Frontier Town are still worth preserving and celebrating.
And that's exactly what I intend to do.
