The northern Rockies have been discovered by a new group of immigrants, many seeking a quieter, less stressful life away from the crowds, pollution, and crime of city life. But these newcomers are quite different from the settlers who discovered this region a hundred or more years ago. Those people were homesteaders, putting down roots, raising families, and building communities. The much greater wealth and mobility of today's Americans have brought a different crowd. Many come only for a particular season. A growing number make their livings long-distance, often via a computer modem. Cities with scenery and recreation are thriving -- Missoula, Jackson, Bozeman -- and new residents are bringing some cosmopolitan tastes. Once they're here, these newcomers often resist growth -- trying to shut the gate behind them.
Whether Wyoming and Montana can build year-round economies with tourism as the engine remains to be seen. The natives know the value of patience and withholding judgment, and in many cases that's what they're doing in regard to the newcomers and the new economy -- they know that if you wait 5 minutes the weather will likely change, and so may a lot of other things.
