Erik Sletten noted the three milestones for projects, including the groundbreaking at the beginning and ribbon cutting at the end, and the topping out ceremony, which is his favorite because it celebrates the builders and craftspeople. It's a time to recharge, rest, and reflect on a project, and comes at a major milestone in a construction project.
Topping Out Ceremony
We did it!
On May 17, the Montana Historical Society, along with Sletten Construction and Cushing Terrell architects, held a "Topping Out" ceremony that celebrates setting the highest steel beam in place. The ceremony started with an honor song and blessing by Smokey Rides at the Door, a Blackfeet tribal member. Dignitaries said a few words about their roll in the project and the significance of it.
MTHS Director Molly Kruckenberg said the heritage center will be more than a building that is the home of the big history of the Big Sky state.
“It will be a community space that invites conversation between generations. It will be a place that inspires visitors to explore our past and to learn from it,” she said. “It will share the stories of all Montanans, to provide meaning for today and vision for tomorrow."
Hundreds of students at 15 schools across Montana signed the beam, which toured across Montana two weeks prior to the ceremony. Attendees at the May 17 event also signed the beam.
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