The Extreme History Project

The Extreme History Project Headquarters is open on Saturdays from noon to 5pm. Come in and browse our Used Book Shop. In celebration of Women’s History Month, we have a large selection of books dedicated to Women’s history in our used Book Shop, but also new books as well. We are located in historic Downtown Bozeman, MT at 234 E. Mendenhall Street.

March 14, 1pm at The Extreme History Project Headquarters – Unfinished Handcrafts Club. Do you have unfinished handcraft projects sitting around the house? Need a little help to finish them? Or maybe just someone to keep you motivated to finish? On Tuesday, March 14, 1-3pm, we will be launching a club for Unfinished Handcrafts and their owners. At the first meeting, we will decide organizational details such as meeting times and group name. Any sort of textile project that does not require machinery is welcome – hand quilting, needlework, hand sewing, rug punching or hooking, embroidery, knitting, or crocheting, etc. Projects may be historical or modern. Members are encouraged to bring a project for “show-and-tell.” Meet at The Extreme History Project headquarters located at 234 E. Mendenhall Street in Bozeman, MT at 1pm.

March 23, 6pm at The Museum of the Rockies – John Russell will present, The Gallatin Valley Female Seminary.

Religious academies, designed to counter vices like saloons and brothels prevalent on the frontier, were established throughout the American west in the 1870s. One was the Gallatin Valley Female Seminary, administered by the Presbyterian church “to give Christian education to the young people of Bozeman.” John Russell will discuss the history of the Seminary, and touch upon some other private education school efforts in the Bozeman area. John C. Russell received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Montana State University in 1978. He has worked as a broadcast journalist, and most recently as director of the Gallatin (County) Historical Society. John’s book on Bozeman pioneer Nelson Story, “Treasure State Tycoon, Nelson Story and the Making of Montana” was published in 2018 by the Montana Historical Society and is available at local bookstores. This event is free and open to the public and sponsored by the MSU Women’s Center and the Yellowstone Theological Institute.

Hope to see you at one of our events soon!

Heartfelt thanks to our community and family of supporters for helping make 2022 a red letter year for us — or should we say,  a red carpet year!

We hope to do it all again, and more in 2023 but we need your help to make that happen. Please consider The Extreme History Project during your end-of-year giving. A gift of $25, $50 or more would help us with our mission to Make History Relevant. Click here to donate.

To recap 2022, we launched our lecture series in January with an on-line presentation outlining the whys, wherefores, and impact of historic preservation.  Subsequent lectures, coupled with our Dirt on the Past podcasts, covered a wide spectrum of topical subjects, such as Indian Boarding schools, Genetic History of the Americas, and Montana Highway Tales.

Our book club kicked off in February with a timely and relevant book entitled Clara’s Journal and the Tale of Two Pandemics.  Revolving around the theme of women’s lives in the American west, our bimonthly book selections stimulated spirited discussions among participants. Throughout the year, we hosted authors Molly Rozum and Laura Arata for in-house book readings and signings, co-sponsored Michael Johnson’s talk and signing of his new book, A Black Women’s West, capping off with a virtual presentation featuring New York Times bestseller and award winning author Jane Kirkpatrick.

Partnering with several other organizations, including MSU’s Ivan Doig Center, we celebrated Women’s History month in March with a variety of pertinent presentations and book readings, such Birthing the West by Jennifer Hill, focusing on the impact of women’s efforts in fomenting change in their communities.

Our walking tour guides were back in full swing this summer entertaining residents and visitors with the engaging histories of the places and people who shaped Bozeman. Our new Galligator Trail walking tour, exploring the old railway line that once ran to Gallatin Gateway, proved to be a big hit. We offered a number of special tours as well. Authors of the book Where in Bozeman led a tour pointing out many unique and hidden features highlighted in their book. We cohosted tours for both the Lehrkind and Story family descendants.

August found us strutting our stuff at the Sweet Pea parade.  Dressed in period attire as notable Bozeman historic figures, we braved the soggy weather to stroll down Main Street tossing candy and meeting and greeting the spectators. 

And rolling out the red carpet, The Story of Us: The Women Who Shaped Montana, a documentary highlighting the accomplishments of four women who helped shape Montana, premiered in Helena with additional showings in Bozeman, Butte, Missoula and Virginia City.  Montana PBS also included this film, a collaboration between North by Northwest and The Extreme History Project, as part of their Thanksgiving day programming.  Plans for episodes 2 & 3 of the documentary are already in the works!

After a two year hiatus due to Covid, we raised the dead and, as our Halloween special, held our ever popular History After Dark event.  The “ghosts” of John Bozeman, Nelson and Ellen Story, madam Lizzie Woods and a myriad of other characters recounted their colorful and sometimes tragic lives.

Other projects included two workshops, Cemetery History and Symbolism and an instructional workshop put together for the Bozeman Preservation Advisory Board on how to document historical properties.  We have been providing research assistance to the city of Bozeman in an ongoing survey of historical homes and sites for several years.

All of this is in addition to maintaining our in house gift shop and used book shop and hosting special events like our puzzle exchanges and our annual Victorian Holiday Open House.

As you can see, we are a small non-profit with a big agenda and even bigger goals.  We have been able to accomplish our mission of bringing history to the community in large part because of your generous donations and support.  As they say, “it takes a village.”  Every dollar given is put into research and resources needed to create fresh, exciting, pertinent programming.  Thank you for being the fuel that drives us forward and inspires us to achieve more every year. Thank you in advance for your continued support. Click here to donate.

We have some fun events coming up this holiday season

November 24 – The film, The Story of Us: The Women Who Shaped Montana airs on Montana PBS Thursday (Thanksgiving) at 7pm. This short film follows the inspiring stories of three Montana women, Sarah Bickford, Maggie Smith Hathaway and Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail. Tune-in and learn how they helped enrich and shape the Montana we know today. Extreme History collaborated on the creation of this film with funding provided by The Greater Montana Foundation, Humanities Montana, The Montana History Foundation and the Montana Film Office.

November 26 – Small Business Saturday Sale at The Extreme History Project headquarters. All gift shop items, new books, and used books will be 10% off! Come on down to shop for all the history lovers on your list. We are located at 234 E. Mendenhall Street in Bozeman and we’ll be open from noon to 5pm.

November 29 – #GivingTuesday! Our mission is to make history relevant but we can’t do that without your help! This Giving Tuesday we ask for your support. We are a small non-profit with a big agenda and even bigger goals. We have been able to accomplish our mission of bringing history to the community in large part because of your generous donations and support. As they say, “it takes a village.” Every dollar given goes into research and resources needed to create fresh, exciting, pertinent programming. Thank you for being the fuel that drives us forward and inspires us to achieve more every year. Click here to donate!

December 3 – Extreme History Holiday Market and Open House! Join us for cocoa, hot apple cider and sweet treats during the Bozeman Christmas Stroll from 4:30 to 7:30. Our gift shop and used book shop will be open for your shopping pleasure. Find a gift for the history lover in your family, or something just for you! We are located at 234 E. Mendenhall Street in Bozeman.

We hope to see you at one of these events this holiday season! We are grateful for our wonderful community (that’s you), and we look forward to celebrating this holiday season with you!

Do you love to put together puzzles during the holidays – we sure do! If you have puzzles you would like to exchange, come on in to The Extreme History Headquarters (234 E. Mendenhall in Bozeman, MT) and drop off your gently used puzzles and pick out a new one for free! Our used Book Shop and Extreme History Gift Shop will be open during that time as well so you can start your holiday shopping early. We look forward to seeing you there! Saturday, November 5 from 10am to 5pm. we are located at 234 E. Mendenhall in Bozeman, MT.

Join us for this spooky night of fun on Friday October 14! Click here for tickets.

Encounter the ghosts of Halloween past on this self-guided tour of downtown Bozeman where you’ll meet notable people from Bozeman’s past. Ready to encounter the ghosts of Halloween Past?
Take a step back in time and meet the colorful characters who shaped Bozeman.
For one night only, The Extreme History Project is bringing such notables as Nelson Story, Lizzie Woods, and John Bozeman back from the grave to tell their stories. Hear about their exploits and learn about life in this area as Bozeman struggled to become a town. Your self-guided journey will take you down Main and Mendenhall streets to meet “soiled doves,” salacious madams, mystic mediums, and other bold inhabitants of this western town. Tales of ghosts, murder and mayhem, frontier justice, brothels, and more will be told by our resurrected dead. This year’s tour will introduce some intriguing new cast members to delight you with their sagas.
This tour is offered Friday night, October 14th, at 7:00, 7:10, 7:20 and 7:30 pm. Tickets are $20.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Join us for a presentation with John Russell at the Museum of the Rockies at 6pm!

September 15 – George B. Herendeen – Custer Scout from Bozeman. In-person event at The Museum of the Rockies. 6pm

George Herendeen (1846-1919) was a Bozeman pioneer, cowboy, prospector, explorer, and a lead scout for George Custer’s 7th Cavalry at the Little Big Horn. In the aftermath of Custer’s defeat, accusations flew against his two subordinates, Captain Frederick Benteen and Major Marcus Reno, accusing them of cowardice and failure to obey orders. These two army officers became the scapegoats for Custer’s annihilation. In 1879, the U.S. army held a court of inquiry for Major Reno that would include testimony from dozens of survivors of the Last Stand, including Herendeen. Local historian John Russell will look at Herendeen’s testimony and how it was interpreted by both Custer supporters and detractors.

Can’t believe The Extreme History Project summer walking tour season is almost done . . . but it’s not over yet! Here is what we have for you this week!

Tuesday, August 30 at 6pm. We are offering our NEW TOUR, Along the Gallagator for the last time this season. Meet your tour guide at the south end of the Bozeman Public Library Parking Lot. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Wednesday, 6pm. Eclectic Communities: Bozeman’s North Side. Meet your guide at Beall Recreation Park located at 415 N. Bozeman. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Thursday, 6pm. Business and Pleasure: Bozeman’s Historic Red-Light District. Meet your tour guide at 234 E. Mendenhall. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Sunday, 1pm. Tents to Town: Bozeman Historic Main Street. Meet your guide at 234 E. Mendenhall. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Sunday, 4pm. Ghosts of Bozeman’s Past: Bozeman’s Historic Sunset Hills Cemetery. Meet your tour guide at the entrance to Sunset Hills located at the south side of Lindley Park. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Look forward to seeing you on a tour!

Before the end of the season, which is quickly approaching, and find out WHERE HISTORY HAPPENED.

Murders, Madams, and Mediums: Bozeman’s Dark Side – Click here for more info and to purchase tickets
When: Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm AND Saturday, August 27th at 3pm.
Where to Meet: The Extreme History Project, 234 E. Mendenhall Street

Ghosts of Bozeman’s Past: Sunset Hills Cemetery – Click here for more info and to purchase tickets
When: Sundays at 4pm
Where to Meet: Entrance to Sunset Hills Cemetery, located off of East Main Street directly south of Lindley Park

Business and Pleasure: Bozeman’s Historic Red Light District – Click here for more info and to purchase tickets
When: Thursdays at 6pm
Where to Meet: The Extreme History Project, 234 E. Mendenhall Street

Tents to Town: Bozeman’s Historic Main Street – Click here for more info and to purchase tickets
When: Sundays at 1pm
Where to Meet: The Extreme History Project, 234 E. Mendenhall Street

NEW TOUR – Along the Gallagator: History of the Railway, South Tracy, and More! 
When: August 30 at 6pm
Where to Meet: The south end of the Bozeman Public Library (626 E Main Street) parking lot

Seeking Fortunes: Bozeman’s Historic China Alley – Click here for more info and to purchase tickets
When: August 24 at 6pm
Where to Meet: 234 E. Mendenhall Street

Eclectic Communities: Bozeman’s North Side – Click here for more info and to purchase tickets
When: August 31 at 6pm
Where to Meet: The Beall Recreation Center, located at 415 North Bozeman Avenue.