Every Wednesday night at 6:00, The Extreme History Project takes visitors on a tour of Bozeman’s historic breweries and saloons. Bozeman’s first saloons opened within the initial years of Bozeman’s founding in 1864. These were not the rough and tumble saloons of the western mining camps though, where down-and-out miners drank their sorrows away on a less-than-delectable type of whiskey known as “rotgut.” No, here in Bozeman we had establishments like the Palace Saloon. With its “handsome bar [and] beautifully papered and pictured walls,” the Palace was known to be the finest drinking establishment west of Chicago. Bozeman’s saloons were not immune to violence. One night in 1885, Bozeman residents heard three shots fired in rapid succession and when they arrived at the Palace, Neil Lane lay dead on the saloon floor, shot by his business partner following an argument about a prostitute named “Beavertooth.” Hear this story and others as your guide takes you through a tour of Bozeman’s historic saloons. Along the way, you’ll learn about the buildings that once housed these infamous saloons and come to understand how drinking culture in the United States has changed over time. Our next Spirits, Suds, and Saloons tour leaves from The Extreme History Project Headquarters at 234 E. Mendenhall on Wednesday, August 14 at 6 pm!
To sign up for a tour, click here!
The Spieth and Krug Brewery on Bozeman’s Main Street
The Extreme History Project 