Bozeman’s Best Friend: History Tails of Local Hounds

Rachel Phillips

Bozeman is, and was, a dog-loving community. For centuries before the town even existed, dogs were essential helpmates and companions to Native people living, hunting, and passing through the Gallatin Valley. More recently, when farms and ranches…

“I never intended to be a teacher.” Bessie Gee’s Story

Rachel Phillips

Occasionally, people embark on a rewarding, life-long career that was never part of their original plan. Educators like Margaret “Bessie” Gee fall into this category. Bessie was born in 1900 to Maude Morgan and Hugo John Gee on the family…

In Search of Popcorn Johnnie

Rachel Phillips

The Gallatin History Museum research library contains thousands of family history files, photographs, records, newspapers, and books that pertain to the history of Gallatin County and southwest Montana. One of these books, Gallatin Century of…

The Ground Squirrel Bounty Hunt of 1887

Rachel Phillips

“The following pages contain a list of all parties bringing squirrels to this office with the date, total number of squirrels and names of witnesses.” ~ Charles A. Carson, Probate Judge Among dozens of nineteenth and early twentieth…

An Emptiness No One Else Can Fill: The Stories Behind the Memorials

Rachel Phillips

May usually marks the changing of seasons and is a signal for us to begin summer activities and adventures after a long Montana winter. It is also a suitable time to stop and remember those we have lost as we celebrate Memorial Day. While cemeteries…

A Brief History of Kirk Hill

Rachel Phillips

Nature Trails For the Self-Instruction of Interested Persons

A Brief History of Bozeman Movie Theaters

Rachel Phillips

And that's the way we went to the movies

Bozeman’s Legendary Ice Rinks & Sledding Hills

Rachel Phillips

Leather Straps and Loose Runners

Bachelors’ Party on Bozeman Creek

Rachel Phillips

Reprinted from the Montana Daily Record, Saturday, December 19, 1903 With additions by Rachel Phillips

Favorite Holiday Fare from Bozeman Days Gone By

Rachel Phillips

Food is one of the highlights of the holiday season. Many families have a favorite meal, dish, or dessert they look forward to each year. Today, it is a snap to hop in a car, drive to one of our many grocery stores, and find the ingredients needed…

Architectural Apparitions: Downtown Bozeman Ghost Signs

Rachel Phillips

You can find ghosts in some of the nooks and crannies in downtown Bozeman, if you know where to look. Ghost signs, that is. Wikipedia defines a “ghost sign” as “an old hand-painted advertising sign that has been preserved on a…

Gary Cooper | Artist, Prankster, Horseman and Actor

Rachel Phillips

Connoisseurs of classic American film may recognize the young man pictured here on the right with the mischievous look. Though not a true Bozeman native, actor Gary Cooper was a Bozeman resident for two years and graduated from Gallatin County High…

A Slight Taste of Disaster: Gallatin County’s 1925 Earthquake

Rachel Phillips

It was a typical summer Saturday evening in Manhattan, Montana. Some families gathered around the dinner table as other folks made their way to the dance at Legion Hall. In Three Forks, the McDonald clan welcomed Belgrade relatives for dinner to…

We Sang Our Song: Early Bozeman Poets

Rachel Phillips

The art of writing poetry has a long history in Bozeman. Early local amateur poets created work inspired by people, events, and places in Gallatin County, or to amuse their friends and neighbors. The Gallatin History Museum archives contain several…

Beneath Our Feet: A Full History of the Bozeman Tunnel

Rachel Phillips

The first Northern Pacific passenger train steamed into Bozeman on March 21, 1883 to much celebration and fanfare. It represented Bozeman’s shift from an isolated frontier town to a city with great potential for growth, now connected to the…

Trees, Bells, or Spiders? A Look at Downtown Bozeman’s “Colorful Holiday Attire”

Rachel Phillips, by Seth Ward

Each year after Thanksgiving, Bozeman’s Main Street is transformed into a holiday wonderland. Most popular among the downtown decorations are the giant garland cascades hanging over the Willson, Tracy, Black, and Bozeman intersections. For over…

The Schlechten Family Bozeman Photography Icons

Rachel Phillips

For many who grew up in mid-twentieth century Bozeman (or those familiar with local history), the name “Schlechten” is synonymous with photography. The unusual name brings to mind portraits, landscapes, and everything in between. Though…

Joseph Lindley and His Park

Rachel Phillips

These days, when one thinks of the Sweet Pea Festival, Lindley Park usually comes to mind. While the celebration is itself a Bozeman icon, so too is the popular city park that has been the Sweet Pea Festival’s home for the last 43 years. The…

Riding High: Memories of Yellowstone Travel by Horse

Rachel Phillips

In today’s world, traveling in Yellowstone National Park usually includes plenty of time sitting in traffic jams. For the last one hundred years, cars have dominated park transportation, but prior to 1916, sightseeing depended on the help of…

Spirit and Industry: The Montana State College Class of 1918 and Their “M”

Rachel Phillips

One of Bozeman’s most well-known and visible icons would undoubtedly be the College “M” emblazoned on the side of Mount Baldy in the Bridger Mountains. Easily visible for miles, this oft-photographed landmark is an integral part of…