The Whitehall Ledger - Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana

The year was 1930. Even with all the hubbub going on further east over the stock market crash of the year previous, the jazz scene in Milwaukee was going strong!

Now known as Bronzeville, the jazz district would later host greats such as Duke Ellington and Herbie Hancock; less well-known perhaps, but no less remarkable, was little Harriet Smith, now known as Hattie Smythe.

When Harriet's parents passed away within less than a year of each other, Harriet was just turning 18. This was in 1922 and little Hattie, really not so little anymore, was shuttled off to New Lisbon, Wisconsin to live...