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LISTEN UP all you historians, anthropologists, archaeologists, IVORY TOWER ACADEMICS. We hereby confiscate the dusty detritus of your bookshelves, file cabinets and hard drives in order to BRING HISTORY TO THE PEOPLE!
It is that time of year again, time to Give Big! Please consider adding The Extreme History Project to your giving list this year.
We need history and a connection to our community’s past now more than ever. By understanding where we’ve been, we can better understand what’s happening today. Help us continue our mission to make history relevant. Contributions big and small are welcome and go a long way in helping us to provide you with quality historical programming, bringing history alive.
Together we can tell the story of our place, not only the traditional narrative but one that includes all the voices in the story. We ask for your support and we thank you for giving big to history. It’s easy, just follow this link. Thank you for your support of The Extreme History Project and Give Big.
Have you had a chance to check out our new podcast, The Dirt on the Past? If not, be sure to have a listen and subscribe wherever you find your podcasts. If you would like to listen from our website, click here. We interview archaeologists, historians, and other heritage professionals about their research and why it matters today. Thanks and hope you can join us for more . . . Dirt on the Past!
Like everyone, The Extreme History Project has been faced with many challenges because of Covid-19. Unable to provide our usual full range of programming due to safety concerns, we made adjustments to our walking tours in keeping with mandated restrictions, continued to provide our lecture series via Zoom instead of in person, and introduced several new and informative events to support our educational mission.
This year the nation commemorated the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment giving women voting rights. To highlight this pivotal legislation, we displayed an exhibit detailing the suffrage movement, curated another exhibit providing a snapshot of historic reproductive and contraceptive practices during the 19th century west, and facilitated a committee called The 19th Amendment: Expanding the Arc of the Suffrage Story, a coordinated effort of individuals and organizations in the Gallatin Valley who worked to change the narrative of the women’s suffrage story including the histories of indigenous women and women of color. Many of our lecture series presentations this year also dealt with women’s issues and women’s place in the historical narrative.
To further our outreach and maintain a dialog with our community, Extreme History started a Book Club with book selections relevant to the Montana experience. Supplementing that effort, we launched The Dirt on the Past podcast in which experts in a variety of fields discuss their research.
2020 has proven to be especially memorable and we have been witness to many firsts. What we do now becomes the history of future generations and informs our actions affecting that future. The Extreme History Project’s goal is to seek out and examine that history — good, bad or ugly — and share that knowledge with you. Knowledge is power, as is truth.
We are gearing up for 2021 and have been brainstorming new, exciting projects. To that end, we do ask for your help in achieving our mission. Your donations enable us to keep our research ongoing and our programming pertinent. Every dollar provides the vital resources needed to continue our service. Sometimes it really does take a village!
Learn how to uncover the history of a house or historic building! Every building has a history and a story to tell. In this virtual workshop, you’ll learn how to uncover the history of a house or historic building, whether it is 50 years old or 150 years old. Experts will share their knowledge on research techniques and you’ll be instructed on how to read Sanborn maps, research city directories, uncover information in deed records, and much more! Join us for this virtual workshop from 10am to 3pm on Saturday, November 7th via zoom. The cost of this workshop is $45 which includes a packet of resources and information which you will receive via email. Hope you can join us for this interactive and engaging workshop! To purchase a ticket, click here. For questions please contact us at info@extremehistoryproject.org.
Entrance Gate at Sunset Hills Cemetery – Photo courtesy The Gallatin History Museum
Sunset Hills Cemetery by Crystal Alegria
Cemeteries are places of solace and beauty, they are places you go to contemplate, grieve, and appreciate. As a historian, I go to these places for all those reasons but also to learn about the people who came before, those who built the community I now live in and call home. The values of a community can be seen in the cemetery, on the headstones and in the monuments, in the layout, and engraved on the stones. You can see and understand what people held sacred through epitaphs and inscriptions. Cemeteries are like outdoor museums. The headstones hold secrets contained in the symbolism etched on their stone surfaces. If we take the time to look and learn, we come away from our local cemeteries with knowledge about the people themselves, but also the community values they shared. (photo of gate)
Our local cemetery, Sunset Hills, is located on a hill over-looking the town of Bozeman, Montana. Today it is a beautiful park-like cemetery with a multitude of trees, lilacs blooming in the spring, formal boulevards, and manicured lawns. It started off as a convenient spot, atop a hill to bury Bozeman’s dead with little thought to the beauty and tranquility of the location.
There are early newspaper accounts that mention the cemetery as a stark and barren hill, with cattle grazing amongst the tombstones, rubbing up against them and knocking them over. An article from the Avant Courier newspaper in 1879 decried the need for a fence saying, “. . . the final resting place of the dead remains . . . unprotected from the bands of horses and cattle running at large on the adjoining foot hills.”[1] It goes on to say, “We are aware that several family lots are properly enclosed by neat picket fences but the condition of the remainder, which is by far the greater portion of the grounds, is little more than a standing disgrace to the people of Bozeman.”[2] As mentioned, some early graves had white picket fences to prevent destruction from wildlife and cows. A photo published in The Anaconda Standard from 1901 shows these picket fences surrounding graves. It also shows the grass as un-mowed and tall. It has a wild beauty to it but from our 21st century eyes it is shocking to see a cemetery so unmanicured.
The Anaconda Standard Newspaper shows the grave of Mary Blackmore, along with other graves surrounded by picket fences.
In the early years there was no irrigation in the cemetery. People would bring water up the hill in buckets and pales to water the few plants and flowers that marked their ancestor’s graves. There is an account in 1891 from The Bozeman Daily Chronicle that comments on the view “Seen From the Hill.” The article describes the sleepy town of Bozeman on a May day in 1891, “Farmers dotting the landscape for miles. They seem to be very busy putting in crops. . . Several Bozemanites arrayed in summer suits and straw hats. The dust flying over the city and an old sprinkler going to decay. The schoolboy playing “hookey” and trapping gophers on the Ellis reservation. People carrying water to the cemetery in buckets, tin cans, etc.”[3]
Cemeteries are also a place to self-reflect, to think about your own life and those who came before. If you would like an introduction to Bozeman’s historic section of Sunset Hills Cemetery, please join us for a walking tour this month. We are offering tours on October 4 and October 11 at 4pm. Due to small tour size we suggest you register by clicking here!
One of our favorite cemetery books at Extreme History is Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters. Here is a small piece from this classic.
Where are Elmer, Herman, Bert, Tom and Charley,
The weak of will, the strong of arm, the clown, the boozer, the fighter?
All, all are sleeping on the hill.
One passed in a fever,
One was burned in a mine,
One was killed in a brawl,
One died in a jail,
One fell from a bridge toiling for children and wife —
All, all are sleeping, sleeping, sleeping on the hill.
Where are Ella, Kate, Mag, Lizzie and Edith,
The tender heart, the simple soul, the loud, the proud, the happy one? —
All, all are sleeping on the hill.
One died in shameful child-birth,
One of a thwarted love,
One at the hands of a brute in a brothel,
One of a broken pride, in the search for heart’s desire,
One after life in far-away London and Paris
Was brought to her little space by Ella and Kate and Mag —
All, all are sleeping, sleeping, sleeping on the hill.
Where are Uncle Isaac and Aunt Emily,
And old Towny Kincaid and Sevigne Houghton,
And Major Walker who had talked
With venerable men of the revolution? —
All, all are sleeping on the hill.
They brought them dead sons from the war,
And daughters whom life had crushed,
And their children fatherless, crying —
All, all are sleeping, sleeping, sleeping on the hill.
Where is Old Fiddler Jones
Who played with life all his ninety years,
Braving the sleet with bared breast,
Drinking, rioting, thinking neither of wife nor kin,
Nor gold, nor love, nor heaven?
Lo! he babbles of the fish-frys of long ago,
Of the horse-races of long ago at Clary’s Grove,
Of what Abe Lincoln said
One time at Springfield.
[1] The Bozeman Avant Courier, Thursday, May 29, 1879.
[2] The Bozeman Avant Courier, Thursday, May 29, 1879.
We have BIG NEWS! We are so excited to debut our new PODCAST, The Dirt on the Past; A Podcast of The Extreme History Project! We’ve been thinking about this podcast for a LONG time and decided to make it happen! The podcast is hosted by Crystal Alegria, the Director of The Extreme History Project and Nancy Mahoney, a downtown Bozeman business owner and member of The Extreme History Project’s Board of Directors. Crystal and Nancy will converse with professionals in the fields of history, archaeology, and anthropology to bring you cutting-edge research and why it matters today. Extreme History is partnering with Gallatin Valley Community Radio (KGVM 95.5). A big thanks to Steve Durbin of KGVM for recording and editing. You can find The Dirt on the Past on Apple Podcasts (aka itunes, please subscribe!) or you can listen directly from either the Extreme History Project website, CLICK HERE or catch it on KGVM 95.5. Thanks, and keep listening for more . . . dirt on the past!
We are excited to announce that The Extreme History Project has a new pop-up exhibit, “From Boudoir to the Brothel: Reproductive Health in 1900’s Montana” now on display! This exhibit showcases the history of women’s reproductive healthcare in Montana through the lens of two women who lived in Bozeman, MT during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Rachel Lindley and Libbie Hayes. Lindley was a member of Bozeman’s social elite and Hayes managed a house of prostitution. Jennifer Hill PhD, the Director of the Women’s Reproductive History Alliance curated the exhibit and is an expert in the field of women’s reproductive history and a pioneer in the field of digital humanities. To view the exhibit visit The Extreme History Project at 234 E. Mendenhall Street in Bozeman, MT or visit the virtual exhibit by clicking below. Extreme History is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 10am to 3pm. This exhibit will be on display for the remainder of 2020 and into 2021.
On August 26, 2020 we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution. This amendment prohibits the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of sex.
In Montana, men voted in favor of equal suffrage on November 3, 1914. But nationally, many women had to wait until the passing of the 19th Amendment to have the vote. For more on the Montana suffrage story, click here.
At The Extreme History Project, we have partnered with many other local organizations to commemorate this important anniversary. The group, which is called, “The 19th Amendment: Expanding the Arc of the Suffrage Story” is a coordinated effort of individuals and organizations in the Gallatin Valley, Montana who are working to change the narrative of women’s suffrage. We recognize that the fight for women’s voting rights, culminating with the 19th Amendment, was a key achievement for white women’s rights, but we also recognize that many indigenous women and women of color were excluded from both the process and the outcomes of the fights for suffrage. We are committed to using this anniversary as an opportunity to include these voices and their stories of suffrage, or lack thereof, and to highlight the continued threats to women’s rights today. To follow this groups events, please like the Facebook page by clicking here.
In commemoration of the 19th Amendment anniversary we are raffling off a “Suffragist Quilt” made by Extreme History volunteer, Susan Sewell. The quilt will be raffled on August 26, 2020. The colors and design of the quilt are based on the sashes worn by suffragists over their white dresses during parades, meetings, and protests. “Purple is the color of loyalty, constancy to purpose, unswerving steadfastness to a cause. White, the emblem of purity, symbolizes the quality of our purpose; and gold, the color of light and life, is as the torch that guides our purpose, pure and unswerving.” The quilt is approximately 60 x 72 inches, the material is 100% cotton batiks. It is Machine washable & dryable (warm/cool water, delicate cycle suggested). It will “pucker” when washed and dried – that is an attribute of quilts, not a defect. The quilt pattern is called Rail Fence or Split Rail Fence. A very traditional quilt pattern. This is a unique Montana-made piece that commemorates a significant historical event. Its beauty will bring you joy and warmth on cold winter nights as you remember the women who worked hard to achieve the national vote for women. Raffle tickets are $5 each or 5 tickets for $20. You can purchase raffle tickets at Extreme History headquarters (234 E. Mendenhall in Bozeman which is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 10am to 3pm) or you can put a check in the mail to us at P.O. Box 5019, Bozeman, MT 59717. Or you can venmo us at @ExtremeHistoryProject. Proceeds from the raffle tickets will go to educational events on women’s history.
Watch The Extreme History Project Facebook page for more upcoming events and opportunities to commemorate this important anniversary year!
For a recap of this important fight for suffrage watch The Vote on PBS. Here is a link to Part 1 and Part 2.
We are offering a free walking tour of Bozeman’s historic black neighborhood in honor of Juneteenth on June 19! Due to the popularity (it is currently full) of this tour we will offer more throughout the summer so watch this space for additional dates/times or follow us on Facebook or join our mailing list for updates.
Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day or Liberation Day. It is a holiday celebrated annually on the 19th of June throughout the U.S. to commemorate the end of slavery. On June 19, 1865 general George Granger publicly announced federal orders in Galveston, Texas proclaiming that all people enslaved in Texas were free. Although the Emancipation Proclamation had formally freed enslaved people almost two and a half years earlier on January 1, 1863, and the Civil War had ended with the defeat of the Confederate States in April of 1856 it took until June 19th, 1865 for the proclamation to reach and be read in Texas. This holiday is now widely celebrated throughout the United States.
Bozeman’s historic African American community is nearly invisible until you begin to examine the historic census records, newspaper accounts, and city directories. Only then do Bozeman’s Black citizens come into focus. One name leads to another and soon a tight knit and thriving African American community emerges during the late 19th century. Working as machinists, laborers, laundresses, housekeepers, and porters, Bozeman’s African American people contributed to the building of our city through their labor, religious activity, child rearing, social clubs and community participation. Our walking tour, “Family Matters: Bozeman’s Historic African American Community” explores the lives of these founding families and uncovers a history that has been silent for over a hundred years.
In commemoration of the 19th Amendment anniversary we are raffling off a “Suffragist Quilt” made by Extreme History volunteer, Susan Sewell. The quilt will be raffled on August 26, 2020. The colors and design of the quilt are based on the sashes worn by suffragists over their white dresses during parades, meetings, and protests. “Purple is the color of loyalty, constancy to purpose, unswerving steadfastness to a cause. White, the emblem of purity, symbolizes the quality of our purpose; and gold, the color of light and life, is as the torch that guides our purpose, pure and unswerving.” The quilt is approximately 60 x 72 inches, the material is 100% cotton batiks. It is Machine washable & dryable (warm/cool water, delicate cycle suggested). It will “pucker” when washed and dried – that is an attribute of quilts, not a defect. The quilt pattern is called Rail Fence or Split Rail Fence. A very traditional quilt pattern. This is a unique Montana-made piece that commemorates a significant historical event. 
Its beauty will bring you joy and warmth on cold winter nights as you remember the women who worked hard to achieve the national vote for women. Raffle tickets are $5 each or 5 tickets for $20. You can purchase raffle tickets at Extreme History headquarters (234 E. Mendenhall in Bozeman which is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 10am to 3pm) or you can put a check in the mail to us at P.O. Box 5019, Bozeman, MT 59717. Or you can venmo us at @ExtremeHistoryProject. Proceeds from the raffle tickets will go to educational events on women’s history.
The Extreme History Project 