Early settlers called the Gallatin Valley the 'valley of the flowers,' and John Bozeman dubbed it the 'Garden of Montana.' In this lively narrative history, profusely illustrated with nearly 300 photographs, etchings, and maps, author Phyllis Smith brings to life the rich and colorful past of the fertile valley and its urban hub, the city of Bozeman, Montana.
By the time picture postcards came into popular use shortly after 1900, Bozeman was almost 40 years old and prospering, and the Gallatin Valley was becoming settled. The region is well documented in the 20th century by postcards, many of which are published here for the first time. Initial chapters include Bozeman's downtown, Sweet Pea Festival parades, the Bozeman Round-Up, the state university, and the town's continuing expansion. The second part looks at the Gallatin Valley, from Three Forks to Belgrade, and south to Gallatin Canyon.
From the acclaimed author of Ninety-two in the Shade and Cloudbursts—the stories of Gallatin Canyon are rich in the wit, compassion, and matchless language for which Thomas McGuane is celebrated. Set mostly in famed Big Sky Country, McGuane brings us an "astonishing" (The New York Times Book Review) collection in which place exerts the power of destiny. A boy makes a surprising discovery skating at night on Lake Michigan; an Irish clan in Massachusetts gather around their dying matriarch; a battered survivor of the glory days of Key West washes up on other shores. Several of the stories unfold in Big Sky country: a father tries to buy his adult son’s way out of virginity; a convict turns cowhand on a ranch; a couple makes a fateful drive through a perilous gorge. McGuane's people are seekers, beguiled by the land's beauty and myth, compelled by the fantasy of what a locale can offer, forced to reconcile dream and truth.
Surrounded by dramatic mountain ranges, Bozeman is an impressive city with a remarkable past. The land that would become Bozeman and the Gallatin Valley was cherished by Native Americans for its fertile soil, plentiful water, and bountiful hunting grounds. During the 1800s, pioneers traveling on the Bozeman Trail hailed the lush valley as a welcome oasis. While gold lured many to the region, it was the abundant natural resources and the beauty of the landscape that persuaded them to settle here. Although miners once flooded the area in search of riches, many found their fortunes in the black gold of coal, in agriculture, or in local businesses. Bozeman owes its existence to the dogged determination of the first settlers, and it managed to retain that hardy pioneer spirit even as it evolved into a modern town. Present-day Main Street and downtown still showcase the historic architecture of early Bozeman and preserve its unique legacy.
