It turns out that Livingston is a sort of fly fishing mecca and rose to fame after the film "A River Runs Through It" was filmed here. According to the locals I spoke with at various drinking establishments, the notoriety that came with the movie, brought a bunch of "NY types and LA types" who bought property and raised property values significantly. Most of the locals are pretty bitter about the property value thing, but don't seem to mind working for the coastal types as caretakers or skilled labour, and they certainly enjoy telling stories about which celebrities go to which bars and how they like that they aren't bothered by "folks 'round here".
The weather cleared enough to wander around town, by it was still chilly and the rain was a constant threat. I discovered an eclectic place with retro signage, ghosts of the West, and more casinos and liquor stores per capita than anywhere else I've ever been. All of this and a Moose lodge nestled in the snow capped mountains.
And for those sensitive-types out there:
