Bozeman, Montana

In the previous post, I mentioned that a man named John Bozeman created a path through the Sioux lands in the 1860's that led miners and pioneers from the Oregon Trail to the gold mines of the Montana Territory.  What I didn't tell you is that John Bozeman left Georgia in the late 1850's, and set out west to make his fortune in the gold mines of the West.  Failing as a gold miner, Bozeman decided, along with another pioneer named John Jacobs, to begin leading pioneers to Virginia City, Montana, where a massive gold rush was occurring.  The problem with his trail was it passed through the Sioux lands, and shockingly they were not really excited about this intrusion.  Despite the danger, Bozeman led multiple wagon trains along this path necessitating the building of U.S. Army forts, and Red Cloud's War erupted in the Great Plains of the Dakota Territory.  Bozeman would eventually be one of the founding fathers of the town that would be named after him, but sadly would be killed in 1867, likely by a Native American attack, but possibly by a jealous friend.  The other thing I didn't tell you is that John Bozeman is my great-great-great-great grandfather.  When he left Georgia, he left behind his wife and children, one of whom would become my great-great-great grandmother.  Growing up I used to hear stories from my grandmother about her famous ancestor, and never one to mince her words she let me know what she thought about him, which wasn't very good.  Wendy and I set out for the city that bears his name hoping to learn more about my ancestor, and to discover another location we have never visited together.  What we found was an amazing mountain town full of high class shops, wonderful restaurants, and some of the best kept secrets in museums in the West.  If you are looking for a stylish place to visit out west, and a place to base your travels out of, Bozeman is the perfect location for everyone.

Getting to Bozeman is easy, it's located along I-90 between Butte and Billings.  You didn't know Westerners were such big fans of alliteration did you?  There is an airport that you can fly into which is serviced by Alaska, Delta, and United airlines.  For us, we rented a car in Rapid City, South Dakota, and took a drive.  While we stopped many times along the way for meals and sightseeing, the direct trip if you are driving on the interstate is about eight hours.  We decided to cut the trip in half, and spent the night in Sheridan, Wyoming, a very fun town that we wish we could have visited for a longer time.  When you get to Bozeman you have several options.  Bozeman is over a 150 years old, but like a lot of cities, the town has moved towards the interstate with development in recent years.  There are countless major chain hotels of all quality along I-90, but there are also several independent or boutique hotels in the downtown.  No matter where you stay, don't worry, the downtown is only about a mile from the interstate, so you can walk there from your hotel if you want.

Since our trip to Bozeman was to learn more about my ancestor, we spent a lot of time doing things that most travelers would have little interest in.  Our first day was unexpectedly spent in the Montana State University Library archives reading the hundreds of documents they had stored about John Bozeman.  What was intended to be a brief stop to see one or two documents, turned into a day long adventure reading actual letters John Bozeman had written a century and a half ago.  The next day we visited the Gallatin History Museum.  This museum also had dozens of files about John Bozeman, including a letter my great-grandmother had written to the museum years before I was born.  Housed in the former jail, the museum has some wonderful exhibits on pioneer life in the West including what life was like for 19th Century soldiers, settlers, and prisoners.  Upstairs they had a recreation of a 19th Century home, and a theater that showed multiple movies about the history and archaeology of the state.  In the rear of the first floor of the museum, they had the knife John Bozeman used to carry.  The best site to visit, and one for any traveler coming through Bozeman, is the Museum of the Rockies.  The Museum of the Rockies is a hidden gem in the West, containing one of the best dinosaur collections in the nation.  They have the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex skull in the world on display, and more triceratops skulls then I knew existed in the world.  They also have a hall dedicated to the life of the pioneers who conquered this land.  This exhibit includes actual wagons driven by settlers, tools used to make their homes, and, interestingly for me, the actual gun and pocket watch John Bozeman had on him when he was murdered in 1867.  Walk outside of the museum and see the working historic farm they operate on a daily basis.  The farmers working there are growing crops like the settlers of more than a century ago, and even includes an actual blacksmith who was hard at work on his coal forge making horse shoes.  The thing you absolutely cannot miss while you are there is the planetarium.  Included with your ticket price, they have a different show every hour, and you can watch as many as you want.  We watched two, and they were wonderful.  Kids in the crowd were in awe of the "space travel" they were experiencing, and so were many of the big kids.

Another reason for people to visit Bozeman is for the food.  When I came out here a decade ago there were plenty of restaurants, but what has happened in the last decade is remarkable.  All along Main Street are hip bars, brewpubs, and restaurants.  The one everyone has to visit when they come to town is the most famous of the local restaurants, Montana Ale Works.  Built in what was obviously an old train station, this fun restaurant had dozens of local microbrews on tap, and the food was outstanding.  The next night we visited another local brewpub at the Bozeman Taproom.  Where the Montana Ale Works felt like the place to be for 30 & 40-somethings, the Bozeman Taproom had a much younger feel.  Don't worry, you will still love the place and the more than 40 beers they had on tap.  While the food was great, what made it fun was the live music and free popcorn for everyone.  If it's a nice night go hang out on the rooftop bar that overlooks the downtown area.  Our final night in town we headed out to what is probably the coolest place we visited.  Copper Whiskey Bar and Grill is also located on Main Street, but you have to be looking for the sign to find it.  Located in the basement level of an old building, Copper is unbelievably stylish and feels like a place where the classiest people in town stop by for a drink after work.  Like the others, they had plenty of local brews on tap that were delicious, and fun local liquor drinks for those who were looking for something a little stronger.

If museums and restaurants aren't what you are looking for, Bozeman is overflowing with antique shops, book shops, and artisan shops making handmade paintings, woodwork, and just about any art you can imagine.  We are heading out in the morning to Yellowstone National Park, and are sad to be leaving Bozeman.  The people of this town have been wonderful, inviting, and we hope to be back soon to see them again. 

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