First Bell: Bill Johnson Explains the Origins of Red Lodge

By Ben Woods

In this episode, we find Pat and Matt down at Red Lodge on Jimmy Buffet night, snarfing chicken burgers and swapping polar bear tales from the Big Knife, Yellow Seal and Churchill Bay trips. Under the questionable leadership of Henry “H-Dawg” Cordeal, the Seniors still haven’t decided on a theme for the carnival, so Pat and Matt give Zach a call on the Red Lodge payphone.

Fortunately, Zach is with Bill Johnson, a charter member of Red Lodge, who joins the boys inside the iconic log building to answer some questions about its early years. Who built Red Lodge? Where did the Red God come from? Has the Pop Shack always been there?