In his research, Montana Historical Society Museum technician Vic Reiman learned why it was a bad idea to sit on the upwind side of a stagecoach when the driver was chewing tobacco. He shares that and other gems in his discussion of emigrant travels to Montana in the 1860s, especially via the trails north from the Emigrant Road in southern Idaho and, later, from the railheads at Corinne and Ogden, Utah.

By 1864, with a variety of strategic roads leading to and from the Gallatin Valley, the region served as the primary agricultural center of southwestern Montana. Montana Department of Transportation historian Jon Axline looks at several of these important roads leading into Montana Territory, including the Montana-Utah Road, the Mullan Road, early toll roads, and, of course, the Bozeman Trail.

Like its counterparts around the nation, Montana State University’s Agricultural Extension Service celebrated its one-hundredth anniversary last year. In 1914 Congress passed the Smith-Lever Act for the purpose of “extending the knowledge and research being conducted at the Land Grant Colleges and the Ag Experiment Stations to farmers and other residents of the nation.” Today, MSU’s extension service operates seven research stations around the state and offers programs focusing on youth development (including the iconic 4-H program), crops and livestock, community development, gardening, home and family, and energy. In this “Real Voices” panel, retired extension agents discuss their memories of the extension service, the difference the service has made to Montana communities, and the role the service can play as it enters its second century.

What can food tell us about Montana history? Montana’s foodways reflect the dynamic relationship between immigrant cultures and new environments. Drawing upon the Montana Historical Society’s impressive cookbook collection, Dr. Mary Murphy, professor in Montana State University’s Department of History and Philosophy, explores the ways in which the serious examination of food dishes up new ways of thinking about our shared past.

What can food tell us about Montana history? Montana’s foodways reflect the dynamic relationship between immigrant cultures and new environments. Drawing upon the Montana Historical Society’s impressive cookbook collection, Dr. Mary Murphy, professor in Montana State University’s Department of History and Philosophy, explores the ways in which the serious examination of food dishes up new ways of thinking about our shared past.

Though not exclusively linked to Montana’s storied past, the 1862 Morrill Act—which allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges—and the 1887 Hatch Act—which established agricultural experimental stations—have significantly influenced Montana’s social and economic history. Montana State University president Dr. Waded Cruzado, a passionate champion of the land grant’s tripartite mission of education, research, and public outreach, explores the ways in which these acts have impacted, and will continue to impact, life in the Treasure State.

Though not exclusively linked to Montana’s storied past, the 1862 Morrill Act—which allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges—and the 1887 Hatch Act—which established agricultural experimental stations—have significantly influenced Montana’s social and economic history. Montana State University president Dr. Waded Cruzado, a passionate champion of the land grant’s tripartite mission of education, research, and public outreach, explores the ways in which these acts have impacted, and will continue to impact, life in the Treasure State.

Marsha Fulton—cofounder of Bozeman’s Extreme History Project—reveals the role of Spiritualism in nineteenth-century Montana. Her talk traces the growth of Spiritualism as a movement that offered communication with the deceased as a balm for an inconsolable nation aching from the human toll of the Civil War. Fulton examines stories, events, and practitioners to trace the progress of Spiritualism across the Treasure State in the latter half of the nineteenth century.

Marsha Fulton—cofounder of Bozeman’s Extreme History Project—reveals the role of Spiritualism in nineteenth-century Montana. Her talk traces the growth of Spiritualism as a movement that offered communication with the deceased as a balm for an inconsolable nation aching from the human toll of the Civil War. Fulton examines stories, events, and practitioners to trace the progress of Spiritualism across the Treasure State in the latter half of the nineteenth century.

Courtney Kramer from the Bozeman Historic Preservation Office provides an overview of Bozeman’s history. Awarded to Bozeman as a runner-up prize for the 1892 state capital vote, Montana State University has provided a stable economic base while shaping the community’s physical development and communal attitude.