The Paugh Regional History Hall in the Museum of the Rockies on the campus of Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana has displays dealing with various aspects of Montana history. Photographs of some of these displays follow:
Montana’s history, and its present, involves a fascination with guns.
Clean Clothes:
According to the display:
“One wash required about 50 gallons (400 pounds) of water, hauled from the well or nearest water source, sometimes miles away. The stove was stoked with wood or coal to heat a boiler full of water and soap. Women boiled the white clothes for half an hour, stirring and agitating constantly.”
Fur Trade:
Shown above are some typical trade goods.
The fur trade was driven in part by fashion, particularly hats. According to the display:
“A variety of hats were made from felt derived from beaver pelts. They were fashionable for both men and women in Europe and the America’s from 1550 to 1850.”
Shown above are tobacco twists which were commonly used as a trade item.
Mining:
According to the display:
“Between 1850 and 1950, millions of dollars worth of minerals were extracted from Montana’s mountains and hills.”
Quonset Hut Museum:
From 1956 to 1959 the Montana State College History Museum was housed in three Quonset huts.