The Extreme History Project: The Dirt on the Past

In this episode of The Dirt on the Past podcast, we sit down with archaeologist and author Doug MacDonald to discuss his fascinating new book, Land of Beginnings: The Archaeology of Montana's First Peoples. Doug takes us on a journey through Montana's deep past, discussing where the first Montanans came from, migration routes, the Lindsey Mammoth site, the Anzick site, DNA research, and so much more. We delve into the evolving methods of studying ancient sites, and the cultural significance of this history to modern Indigenous communities. Join us for an engaging conversation that sheds new light on the deep human story rooted in the land we now call Montana.

In this episode we are joined by renowned archaeologist Ian Hodder to delve into his extensive work at Çatalhöyük, a 9,000-year-old Neolithic site in Turkey. We explore the burial practices that shed light on social hierarchies, the role of food in shaping community identity, and how the unique architectural layout of Çatalhöyük reflects its complex social structure. Ian Hodder discusses the symbolism and ritual life of this early society, offering insights into one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in the world. Ian Hodder is a British archaeologist known for his pioneering work in post-processual archaeology, which emphasizes the interpretation of cultural meaning in archaeological findings. He is a professor at Koç University in Istanbul and directed the Çatalhöyük Research Project for 25 years, transforming our understanding of early human settlements. Çatalhöyük, one of the largest and best-preserved Neolithic sites, is known for its densely packed houses, art, and evidence of early communal living. The site provides key insights into the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture, with elaborate burial practices and rich material culture reflecting a sophisticated, interconnected society.

We sat down with Anthony Wood to talk about his research focus on Black history in the west. We talk about his new research along with his book, Black Montana: Settler Colonialism and the Erosion of the Racial Frontier, 1877–1930. We dive into storytelling, history-making, and the stories that we tell about ourselves and what those stories and historical narratives can tell us about the past. Anthony Wood is a historian of the American West. His work looks at race and place-making during the 19th and 20th centuries. He completed his PhD at the University of Michigan earlier this year and now serves as the senior historian on a new National Park Service project to survey and collect a comprehensive history of African Americans in the Parks of the Intermountain Region. His 2021 book, Black Montana, was a finalist for the Great Plains Distinguished Book Prize. His next writing project develops his dissertation, "Forty Years within the Veil: The Black West and Counternarratives of Race and Place in the Rocky Mountains.

Join us as we speak with author Sally Thompson about her new book, Disturbing the Sleeping Buffalo: 23 Unexpected Stories That Awaken Montana's Past.  The past still lingers along old trails, and among the people who live here today. Some, such as anthropologist and storyteller Sally Thompson, are better equipped to notice the traces of history lurking in place names and written in cairns, carved in tree bark, etched into prairie boulders, or resting among well-knapped spear points. In Disturbing the Sleeping Buffalo, Thompson unearths new information and startling insights into Montana's untold history in twenty-three true stories. Along the way, she shares the challenges of groundbreaking research and the joys of finding hidden treasures. These stories connect past and present, bringing into focus a common heritage among many peoples in an uncommon land. We explore a few of the 23 stories Thompson documented in her book, along with backstories, insight and revelations about her long career as an anthropologist in Montana and the west.  You can find Disturbing the Sleeping Buffalo at your local book store or order through Farcountry Press.

Join Nancy and Crystal as they discuss the history of pockets! We delve deep into the fascinating history of pockets, exploring how these seemingly mundane accessories have shaped human lives and society over centuries. Drawing insights from Hannah Carlson's "Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close" and Barbara Burman and Ariane Fennetaux's "The Pocket: A Hidden History of Women's Lives, 1660–1900," we uncover the evolution of pockets from their humble beginnings as tie-on accessories to their symbolic significance in fashion and gender roles. From the practicality of early pouches to the complex social messages conveyed by pocket size and placement, we unravel the intimate relationship between humans and their pockets, shedding light on a hidden aspect of history that speaks volumes about culture, identity, and everyday life.

April is Archaeology Month in Montana! In honor of this, join Nancy and Crystal as they discuss a significant archaeological site located in southwest Montana called the Barton Gulch site. The oldest occupation of the Barton Gulch site is dated to 9400 BP.  Nancy and Crystal discuss the remains of earth ovens found at Barton Gulch, and talk about the possibly uses for these ovens and the plant remains recovered during archaeological excavation. The presence of these ovens and other cooking features implies that the people who lived and cooked at this place had detailed procedures for preparing plant and animal remains. Join us for this discussion and to learn more about this important archaeological site and many others, read "Six Hundred Generations: An Archaeological History of Montana" by Carl Davis. 

Join us as we talk with Museum of the Rockies (MOR) Curator, Michael Fox, about historic photographs and cameras in the MOR collection. We look at two historic cameras dating to the late 19th century and 1930s time period. We then dive into a series of historic photographs that capture the historic west through photographic imagery. Historic photographs are an important way for historians and archaeologists to learn more about the past, providing a primary source of information about how people lived, showing how their lives and how they were similar or different from our lives today. They can answer questions we may have, but they can also cause us to ask more questions like why was this photo taken, who took it, why did they take it? But, by looking very closely at photos, we can see information and evidence that can answer our questions.

Join us as we talk with Mark Sullivan, a #1 New York Times bestselling author who wrote The Last Green Valley about a family, the Martels, that flee the Ukraine in 1944 to arrive and eventually settle in Bozeman, MT. We discuss the families harrowing journey as they, along with thousands of others make the Long Trek. Join us for this important conversation with Mark Sullivan. Mark Sullivan is the acclaimed author of twenty novels, including Beneath a Scarlet Sky, which has been published in thirty-seven languages, and All the Glimmering Stars, which debuts in May. He has also written the #1 NYT bestselling Private Series with James Patterson and received numerous accolades for his writing. He grew up in Medfield, Massachusetts, and graduated from Hamilton College with a BA in English before working as a volunteer in the Peace Corps in Niger, West Africa. Upon his return to the United States, he earned a graduate degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and began a career in investigative journalism. An avid skier and adventurer, he lives with his wife in Bozeman, Montana.

Join us as we talk with Museum Educator Ashley Hall about her career as a museum educator at the Museum of the Rockies, her research on Sauropod feet and her books including Fossils for Kids: A Junior Scientist's Guide to Dinosaur Bones and Ancient Animals, and Prehistoric Life on Earth and Prehistoric Worlds: Stomp Into the Epic Lands Ruled by Dinosaurs (due out at the end of March 2024).   Ashley is a dynamic paleontologist, naturalist, and museum educator. Originally from South Bend, Indiana, she grew up loving dinosaurs from an early age and was inspired by holiday trips to Chicago's Field Museum to pursue a career in natural history. Ashley earned her Bachelor of Arts in anthropology (focus: Zooarchaeology) and animal behavior from Indiana University, Bloomington. After graduation, she spent nearly a decade working as a science educator for various educational institutions in southern California, including the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and the La Brea Tar Pits. During this time, Ashley also served as the assistant curator of paleontology at the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology in Claremont, California. While with the “Alf,” she managed the fossil collection and participated in fieldwork including Late Cretaceous dinosaur excavations in the Grand-Staircase Escalante National Monument in Utah and Miocene mammal reconnaissance paleontology in the Mojave Desert's Rainbow Basin. Ashley relocated to Ohio where she worked as a naturalist for the Cleveland Metroparks reservation system before taking a position with the Cleveland Museum of Natural as the adult programs coordinator.  When Ashley is not educating the public in person, she is an active science communicator on social media. Ashley has presented several invited workshops on communicating science through social media at professional, scientific meetings, including the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology and the Association for Materials and Methods in Paleontology annual conferences. Her scientific research has focused on sauropod claw morphology and function and the evolution of birds from deposits at the La Brea Tar Pits.

We talked with Historian Sarah Keyes about her new book, "American Burial Ground: A New History of the Overland Trail." We delve into the history of the Overland Trail, discussing the 6,600 migrants who perished along the treacherous journey westward, their final resting places often marking the landscape of Indigenous land. Keyes' explains how the graves of these migrants emerge not just as tragic markers of a treacherous journey but as pivotal sites that shaped the course of U.S. expansion into the West. With death at the forefront, the Overland Trail transforms from a tale of triumph to one of profound struggle, where Indigenous resilience and resistance intersect with white settlers' ambitions. Keyes' reimagining of this historic touchstone challenges conventional narratives, revealing a complex history of migration, dispossession, and the indelible imprint of death on the American landscape. We highlight two artifacts from the Museum of the Rockies collection including a spur, that possible belonged to trailblazer, John Bozeman and a Log Cabin design quilt made before the Civil War and transported west to Montana Territory by the Lucy Nave Tinsley family. Join us for this important conversation.     To purchase a copy of American Burial Ground, follow this link. https://www.pennpress.org/9781512824513/american-burial-ground/.  

Join us as we talk with the author of True West: Myth and Mending on the Far Side of America, Betsy Gaines Quammen. We discuss her book and what she learned about America as she spent time in small towns and big cities throughout the West, talking with people about their beliefs on land, politics, liberty, and self-determination. Betsy tells us about some of her conversations, and what she learned about the West's enduring myths and complex history from militia members, Montana ranchers, and grassroots organizers.   Dr. Betsy Gaines Quammen is a historian and writer. She received a PhD in environmental history from Montana State University where she studied religion, history and the philosophy of science. Her dissertation focused on Mormon history and the roots of armed public land conflicts occurring in the United States. She is fascinated with and examines the intersections of extremism, public lands, wildlife, and western communities. She is the author of American Zion: Cliven Bundy, God, and Public Lands in the West and True West: Myth and Mending on the Far Side of America. Betsy lives in Montana with her husband, writer David Quammen.   

Join us as we discuss the Hagen Site, a National Historic Landmark located on a bluff above the Yellowstone River north of Glendive, Montana. This archaeological site is significant because it documents the establishment of a permanent village by a people in transition from the Eastern Woodlands to a Plains bison culture. We dive into the Museum of the Rockies collections to view artifacts from the Hagen Site including pottery, lithic material, bone tools and fish bones.

Join us as we talk with Michael Fox, the curator of history at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, MT about John Bozeman. Bozeman is the namesake for the town of Bozeman, Montana and instrumental in creating the Bozeman Trail, an overland route in the Western United States, connecting the gold rush territory of southern Montana to the Oregon Trail in eastern Wyoming from roughly 1863 to 1868. Crystal, Nancy and Michael discuss John Bozeman's life and death and view artifacts related to John Bozeman from the Museum of the Rockies collection including his revolver, powder horn, letters, and his gold pocket watch. To watch this on YouTube, follow this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gwg1awH-Z6c.  Here's more resources to learn more about John Bozeman: The Bloody Bozeman by Dorothy Johnson John M. Bozeman, Montana Trailmaker by Merrill Burlingame

Join us for a discussion on historic red-light districts in Butte and Bozeman, MT with guest Chelsea Hogan. Chelsea is the Museum of the Rockies Director of Education and Programming and she is the co-producer of the Museum's Haunted Mountain Theatre. We discuss how Haunted Mountain Theatre is incorporating a story about a Butte Madam into their show this year. We also discuss historic red-light districts in general, specifically those in Butte and Bozeman, MT. This is the first episode of our The Dirt on the Past Podcast: Museum Edition where we will also feature artifacts from the Museum of the Rockies collections. If you would also like to watch this on your YouTube channel, follow this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N73xdwUV9s&t=612s. 

Join us this week as we talk with Kerri Maher about her new novel, All You Have to do is Call. This story honors the heroines of the Jane collective, a group of women who provided safe, clandestine health services in the pre-Roe v. Wade era. We discuss the book, but also dive into the history of this time and the real women of the Jane Collective in the early 1970s. Kerri Maher is the USA Today bestselling author of The Paris Bookseller, The Girl in White Gloves, The Kennedy Debutante, and, under the name Kerri Majors, This Is Not a Writing Manual: Notes for the Young Writer in the Real World. She holds an MFA from Columbia University and lives with her daughter and dog in a leafy suburb west of Boston, Massachusetts.  

Join us for our conversation with historic preservation architect, Lesley Gilmore on the National Register of Historic Places process. We discuss what it takes to nominate a property for listing, the rigorous evaluation process, and the immense value that this recognition brings. We also highlight some misconceptions of the National Register process and listings. Have a listen and we hope this episode inspires you to get involved in preserving your local heritage. Thank you to the Montana State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for sponsoring this episode!  

Join us as we talk with Pete Brown about all things Montana SHPO! Pete Brown has been Montana's State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) since 2019. His work at the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) began in 2002 when he served as the Historic Architecture Specialist. We talk with Pete about his job as SHPO and what that entails on a daily basis. We also talk more broadly about the National Historic Preservation Act, historic preservation in Montana, the Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO), and current initiatives and projects. Join us for this conversation and learn more about the importance of preserving our cultural heritage.     Thank you to the Montana State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for sponsoring this episode of The Dirt on the Past. The Montana SHPO works together with all Montanans to promote the preservation of our state's historic and cultural places, from archaeological sites to homestead farms. The Montana SHPO is responsible for protecting Montana's historic places and paleontological resources under the Montana Antiquity Act and assisting Federal Agencies when assessing the impact their actions will have on Historic places under the National Historic Preservation Act. We are grateful for all they do to protect and preserve our State's cultural heritage. To find out more about the Montana State Historic Preservation Office, check out their website at https://mhs.mt.gov/Shpo/. 

Join us as we discuss women who followed medieval mercenary armies with Dr. Danielle Mead Skjelver. During the late medieval period, it was not uncommon for women to travel with mercenary armies, either as wives or as camp followers. These women often provided essential support services to the soldiers, such as cooking, cleaning, and nursing. Some women also took on more active roles, such as selling goods or even participating in battles. Dr. Skjelver has found in her research that these women had more agency and autonomy while engaged with these military campaigns. Dr. Danielle Mead Skjelver is a Professor of History at the University of Maryland Global Campus, which was founded to serve the U.S. Military. Skjelver serves as lead editor of History of Applied Science and Technology. The first of its kind, this open access textbook is digital, living in nature, and global in approach and authorship. She has produced scholarship on the intersection of gender, language, and power in 16th-century Europe. Join us for this fascinating discussion and learn more about the lives of women in late medieval Europe!

Join Nancy and Crystal as they discuss the most recent Montana Archaeological Society Annual Meeting, highlighting presentations and awards. The Montana Archaeological Society (MAS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, study, and understanding of Montana's rich archaeological heritage. The society was founded in 1958 and is made up of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, including professional archaeologists, students, and interested members of the public. One of the key activities of MAS is its annual meeting, which brings together members from across the state and beyond to share their research and insights. The meeting features a series of presentations, posters, and workshops, as well as opportunities for networking and socializing. In addition to its regular events, MAS also sponsors archaeological research projects and provides funding for student scholarships and research grants. The society is also involved in outreach and education activities, working to increase public awareness and understanding of Montana's archaeological heritage. The Montana Archaeological Society is a vibrant and active organization that plays an important role in promoting the study and preservation of Montana's rich archaeological heritage. If you are interested in archaeology or Montana's history, joining MAS is a great way to get involved and learn more. To join, visit the website at mtarchaeologicalsociety.org.   

Join us as we talk with Tim Urbaniak about his new book, Men of the Cave: The Excavation of Empty Gulch. We discuss the 1937 archaeological excavation of Empty Gulch, now known as Pictograph Cave State Park. This project was financed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and employed a group of men, and one woman, to excavate this significant archaeological site. We discuss the key players including Oscar Lewis, William Mulloy, Mel Sayre, and others involved in this excavation. We also talk about the importance of the artifacts documented by Oscar Lewis and his team and what the artifacts can tell us about the people who lived in Pictograph Cave. If you would like a copy of this book, please contact Tim Urbaniak at turbaniak@bresnan.net. A BIG thank you to the Museum of the Rockies for sponsoring this episode of The Dirt on the Past.   

Join us as we have a wide-ranging conversation about the history of red-light districts, including the Los Angeles Red-Light District during the 1920's and 1930's. AnneMarie Kooistra is a historian who has conducted extensive research on the history of prostitution in Los Angeles during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Her research has focused on the red-light district of the city which was located in the heart of downtown LA and was home to a thriving underground economy centered around sex work. Kooistra's work has shed new light on the lives of the women who worked in the LA district, many of whom were immigrants or women of color who faced significant discrimination and marginalization in wider society. She has also explored the social and economic factors that contributed to the growth of the sex trade in LA during this period, as well as the efforts of reformers and social activists to combat prostitution and regulate vice in the city. The conversation wraps up with a discussion about why this history matters today in light of the MMIW and sex trafficking. A BIG thank you to the Western Heritage Center located in Billings, MT for sponsoring this podcast episode!  

Join Crystal and Nancy, co-hosts of The Dirt on the Past podcast, for a history minute where they discuss how Bronze Age women had stronger arms than today's elite female rowers, due to grinding grain for hours a day. "This is the first study to actually compare prehistoric female bones to those of living women," said lead researcher, Dr Alison Macintosh. 

Join us as we talk with Amanda Hendrix-Komoto about her new book, Imperial Zions: Religion, Race, and Family in the American West and the Pacific which was published in 2022. We discuss the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, focusing in on the women of the historical narrative including the wife of Joseph Smith. We talk about polygamy within the church, and when the practice started to take shape, and we talk about how the Latter-day Saints created their understandings of polygamy at the same time they tried to change the domestic practices of Native Americans and other Indigenous peoples. Amanda Hendrix-Komoto is Assistant Professor of History at Montana State University. 

Join Crystal and Nancy, co-hosts of The Dirt on the Past podcast, for a history minute!  

Join Crystal and Nancy, co-hosts of The Dirt on the Past podcast, for a history minute!  

Join Crystal and Nancy, co-hosts of The Dirt on the Past podcast, for a history minute!  

Join us as we speak with Micah Chang about his time working on the first joint archaeological field school between the University of Montana and Montana State University. This field school, initiated by the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, was held to immerse students in federal archeology. Students conducted field surveys and carried out archival research on an African American mining and homesteading community east of Butte, MT currently called the Camp Caroline Mining District. Professional and practicing archeologists and historians worked alongside students to survey, uncover, and interpret this community that left behind scant evidence of their presence and history. The story of Montana's African American community and their lived experiences has seldom been examined archaeologically. The intention of this field school was twofold: to teach students federal archeology and to elevate African American history in Montana. Micah Chang is a PhD candidate in the Department of History and Philosophy at Montana State University. He is defending his dissertation in April. His research focuses on race, agriculture, and environment on the Northern Great Plains and the American West.  

Join us for our conversation with Sarah Rosenberg, the Historic Preservation Officer for the City of Bozeman, MT. We discuss all things historic preservation with Sarah including her vision to tell stories of the underrepresented communities and promote the protection of intangible heritage. We do a little myth busting about what you can, and cannot, do to your house if you live in a historic district or if your house is listed on the National Register. We also discuss historic preservation in the face of growth and how the two can be compatible. Join us for this riveting conversation with Sarah!  

Join us as we talk with filmmaker, Kimberly Hogberg about her film, The Story of Us: The Women who Shaped Montana. This short film was a collaboration with The Extreme History Project, so we are so excited to talk about the film and its debut on Montana PBS! We discuss the film and what goes into creating a historical documentary including the fundraising, the filming, the editing, and the post-production processes. A big thank you to the the organizations that funded this film including The Greater Montana Foundation, the Montana History Foundation, Humanities Montana and the Montana Film Office.   

Join us for a conversation with Francesca Pine-Rodriguez, the Director of the nonprofit, Mountain Time Arts that is based in Bozeman, MT. We discuss a program led by MTA, Yellowstone Revealed, a series of place-based projects led by a group of inter-tribal Indigenous artists and scholars that happened in Yellowstone National Park during the summer of 2022. We also discuss Indigenous Peoples' Day and the importance of this holiday, because everyone is indigenous to somewhere! For more information on Mountain Time Arts, visit their website at www.mountaintimearts.org.   

Join Nancy and Crystal as they discuss the mythology and true archaeology surrounding the Runestones in the Americas and archaeological evidence of early Norse Settlements before Columbus. We use the series America Unearthed on the History Channel as an example of how to spot entertainment versus scientific evidence that supports archaeological or historical theories.

Join us as we talk with Kate Moore, a New York Times Bestselling Author about her new book, The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear. This is a narrative, non-fiction page-turner about Elizabeth Packard who was a housewife and mother of six in 1860, when her husband of 21 years has her committed to an insane asylum solely because she has differing religious beliefs. It's a fascinating story of one woman's battle to change the system and laws concerning coverture, the treatment of those with mental illness, and women's rights. Author Kate Moore is a natural storyteller and we loved talking with her about this book, but also the history of women's rights in America from the 1860s to present.   

Caleb Gayle talks with us about his new book, We Refuse to Forget: A True Story of Black Creeks, American Identity, and Power. This book tells the story of the Creek Nation, a group that historically owned slaves and accepted Black people as full citizens. The story is told through the lens of a few people, but most prominently a man named Cow Tom, a Black Creek citizen who rose to become chief of the Creek Nation, and his descendants who were stripped of their Creek citizenship in the 1970s. We discuss how this happened with an examination of racial and ethnic identity, challenging our preconceptions of identity as it shines a new light on white supremacy, and marginalization that continue to hamper progress for Black Americans today. Caleb Gayle is an award-winning journalist who writes about race and identity. A professor at Northeastern University, he is a fellow at New America, PEN America, Harvard's Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Studies, and a visiting scholar at New York University. Gayle's writing has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Guernica, and other publications. The son of Jamaican immigrants, Gayle is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, the University of Oxford, and has an MBA and a master's in public policy, both from Harvard University. He lives in Boston. Join us for this fascinating discussion and then go out and buy We Refuse to Forget! 

Mark Johnson recently published, The Middle Kingdom Under the Big Sky: A History of the Chinese Experience in Montana. We discuss the book, including experiences of Chinese women in Montana. We also talk about Mark's new project in collaboration with the Mai Wah Museum, to translate Chinese headstones in cemeteries located in Helena, Bozeman, Billings, and Butte. The translations will identify the individuals commemorated, and hopefully give us more information about their lives in Montana but also in China. For more information on Mark's book and upcoming project visit his website at bigskychinese.com.  

Archaeologist, Bisserka Gaydarska, discusses Ukranian Mega Sites with us this week. The Trypillia megasites of Ukraine are the largest known settlements in 4th millennium BC Europe and possibly the world. With the largest reaching 1.2 square miles in size, megasites raise questions about their origins and purpose. Current theories assume maximum occupation, with all houses occupied at the same time, and a military focus. But recent research suggests alternative views of megasites, suggesting smaller long-term occupations or seasonal assembly places, creating a sustainable settlement rather than military encampment. Listen to our fascinating discussion with Bisserka as we discuss new ideas and research diving into the understanding of these urban centers. Bisserka Gaydarska is an Honorary Research Fellow at Durham University in Durham, England.    To Learn More: Early Urbanism in Europe https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110664959/html?lang=en Article on Megasites https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/cambridge-archaeological-journal/article/trypillia-megasites-in-context-independent-urban-development-in-chalcolithic-eastern-europe/C33D85AF4EE4BA2D61AAB77D3E399E4D

Betsy Gaines Quammen discusses her book, American Zion: Cliven Bundy, God & Public Lands in the West. Our discussion explores how the Bundy family mix spiritualism, patriotism, and wild places to assert possession over western federal lands. We discuss the myth of the cowboy, militia conceptions of public land in the west, wilderness, and Mormon history. Dr. Betsy Gaines Quammen holds a doctorate in Environmental History from Montana State University, her dissertation focusing on Mormon settlement and public land conflicts. She has studied various religious traditions over the years, with particular attention to how cultures view landscape and wildlife. Join us for this fascinating conversation. 

Join Nancy and Crystal for a conversation with Dr. Jennifer Hill as we discuss her new book, Birthing the West: Mothers and Midwives in the Rockies and Plains. This book delves into the history of childbirth and reproduction in the west, focusing on the mid-1800s through the 1940s in the Dakotas, Wyoming, and Montana. We talk about Jennifer's research methodology, untold histories of birth on the western prairies, the idea of "social birth," and so much more. Dr. Hill is an assistant teaching professor of American studies at Montana State University. She serves as the executive director of the Women's Reproductive History Alliance, a digital museum dedicated to educating the public on reproductive history. She is passionate about interdisciplinary scholarship, and bringing untold and undocumented histories to the public.

Join Nancy and Crystal as we talk with author and geneticist, Jennifer Raff, on her new book, ORIGIN: A Genetic History of the Americas. We discuss the genetic history of the first peoples in the Americas, who they were, current theories on how they arrived, and why they made the crossing. We delve into how they dispersed south and how they lived based on a new and powerful kind of evidence: their complete genomes. We also discuss the myths surrounding the peopling of the Americas, specifically the myth of the Moundbuilders, and how myths persist today in fringe theories about the origins of Indigenous people. Jennifer explains how genetics is currently being used to construct narratives that profoundly impact Indigenous peoples of the Americas and how genetics has become entangled with identity in the way that society addresses the question "Who is indigenous?" Join us for this riveting discussion with settler scientist Jennifer Raff!     Echo-Hawk, Roger (2011) "Summer Soltice," The Mythic Circle: Vol. 2011 : Iss. 33 , Article 14. Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/mcircle/vol2011/iss33/14

Join us as we talk with Dr. Julie Schablitsky about the recent discovery of the spot where Harriet Tubman's father, Ben Ross, had his home, and where Harriet would have spent some of her childhood. Harriet Tubman was born as Araminta Ross in March 1822 on the Thompson Farm in Maryland. She and her mother were enslaved by the Brodess family and moved away from the farm when she was a toddler. Ben Ross felled and sold timber, which was transported by free black mariners to Baltimore shipyards and used to build ships. Harriet Tubman learned to navigate difficult terrain while working with her father. Interacting with mariners also provided knowledge of waterways on the East Coast, which may have helped her lead people to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Julie Schablitsky is Chief of the Cultural Resources Division at the Maryland Department of Transportation. She graduated with her doctorate from Portland State University in Oregon with an emphasis in archaeology. After graduation, Julie carried out research on the Donner Party of California and the medieval estate of Amisfield in Scotland. Her Maryland research includes African America, cemeteries, and the recovery of DNA from artifacts.

Join us as we talk with Dr. Laura Arata about her book, Race and the Wild West: Sarah Bickford, The Montana Vigilantes, and the Tourism of Decline, 1870-1930. We discuss the life of Sarah Bickford, a black woman who grew up enslaved in Tennessee and then traveled to Montana Territory after she was emancipated. Sarah settled in the gold rush town of Virginia City where she lived out the rest of her life. She married twice, both times to white men. When her second husband died, she inherited his shares of the Virginia City Water Company and eventually acquired sole ownership, which she ran until her death in 1931. In addition to Sarah, we discuss Mattie Castner and Mary Fields, two black women who grew up enslaved but moved to Montana in the late 19th century and made lives for themselves in Montana.     

Join Nancy and Crystal as they discuss the new series, 1883. This is a prequal to the popular, Yellowstone series that premiered in 2018. Yellowstone is an American drama created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson that follows the fictional Dutton family, owners of the largest cattle ranch in Montana. The prequal, 1883, follows the origins of the Dutton family on a a journey from Texas to Montana is another Taylor Sheridan creation. Nancy and Crystal share their insights surrounding the historical context of the show. Join us as we take a deep dive into the first five episodes of 1883!   

Who owns the past and the objects that connect us to history? We discuss this and so much more with Chip Colwell as we talk about his book, Plundered Skulls and Stolen Spirits: Inside the Fight to Reclaim Native America's Culture. Our conversation revolves around NAPRA, repatriation of human remains, and ultimately human dignity and the importance of relationships. Chip Colwell is the founding Editor-in-Chief of SAPIENS, an online magazine about anthropological thinking and serves as co-host of the SAPIENS podcast. He served as the Senior Curator of Anthropology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science for 12 years and has published many academic articles, book chapters, and 12 books. Join us for this fascinating conversation, and a peek into the world of museums and repatriation.      

Join us for this timely conversation with Doug MacDonald on his book, Before Yellowstone: Native American Archaeology in the Park. As Yellowstone National Park celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2022, we discuss the deep history of people living in this region. The archaeological research done by Doug and his team of students from the University of Montana shows that the wild landscape has a long history of human presence. In fact, Indigenous people have hunted bison and bighorn sheep, fished for cutthroat trout, and gathered bitterroot and camas bulbs here for at least 11,000 years, and twenty-six tribes claim cultural association with Yellowstone today. We talk with Doug about the significance of archaeological areas such as Obsidian Cliff, where hunters obtained volcanic rock to make tools, and Yellowstone Lake, a traditional place for gathering edible plants. We also discuss the complicated history of Yellowstone and the controversial preservation of the wilderness idea. We debunk the myth that Yellowstone National Park was a wilderness untouched by humans. Join us for this important discussion!   To Learn More:   Before Yellowstone: Native American Archaeology in the Park by Doug MacDonald   The Lost History of Yellowstone: Debunking the myth that the great national park was a wilderness untouched by humans

Join us as we recap our year of podcast episodes. We discuss what we've learned from our amazing guests, and some highlights from our second season of podcasting. We dive into the why we think this podcast is important and our take-aways from the year. Join us for this final conversation of 2021!

Join us as we talk with Chris Tomlinson about his new book, Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth, co-written with Bryan Burrough and Jason Stanford. Every nation needs its creation myth, and since Texas was a nation before it was a state, it's no surprise that its myths bite deep. There's no piece of history more important to Texans than the Battle of the Alamo, when Davy Crockett and a band of rebels went down in a blaze of glory fighting for independence from Mexico, losing the battle but setting Texas up to win the war. However, that version of events, as Forget the Alamo definitively shows, owes more to fantasy than reality. Just as the site of the Alamo was left in ruins for decades, its story was forgotten and twisted over time, with the contributions of Tejanos--Texans of Mexican origin, who fought alongside the Anglo rebels--scrubbed from the record, and the origin of the conflict over Mexico's push to abolish slavery papered over. In our conversation, Chris explains the true story of the battle and walks us through the creation of the Alamo myth in the Jim Crow South of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. As uncomfortable as it may be to hear for some, celebrating the Alamo has long had an echo of celebrating whiteness. Join us for this riveting and important conversation. 

Join us as we talk with Utah State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) with the Utah Division of State History, Christopher Merritt, about his work as a SHPO and his interest in historic Chinese communities in the West. We talk specifically about a ghost town called Terrace, UT. Terrace was once a bustling town located along the transcontinental railroad, but has long since been dismantled and abandoned. The only evidence that remains are scattered bricks, glass and porcelain shards where buildings once stood. Terrace grew to about 1,000 residents at one time and was also the second-largest population of Chinese individuals in Utah (behind Corrine). In 2020 and 2021, archaeology was done at the townsite of Terrace to better understand the individuals that once called this place home, including the historic Chinese community. Chris talks with us about this archaeological excavation and what was learned from the artifacts and structures left behind. If you would like to volunteer to help with this project, follow this link. http://www.passportintime.com/available-projects.html. 

Join us as we talk with archaeologist Jack Fisher about his career as an archaeologist. We discuss his ethnoarchaeological research among the Efe people in the Ituri Forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, his work at First People's Buffalo Jump in Montana, his research partnership with John Parkington of the Department of Archaeology at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, and his work on an antelope kill site called Lost Terrace. For further reading, be sure to read Jack's chapter in Pisskan: Interpreting First Peoples Bison Kills at Heritage Parks. His chapter, co-written with Tom Roll, is entitled "First Peoples Buffalo Jump Archaeology: Research Results and Public Interpretation."  Dr. Jack Fisher taught anthropology at Montana State University (Bozeman) for 30 years and now serves as an Emeritus Associate professor at Montana State University. During his career, his archaeological research focused on the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains of Montana. He also did archaeological research in the Western Cape of South Africa in collaboration with archaeologists at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. At the beginning of his career, he did ethnoarchaeological research for one year among Efe people, part-time hunter-gatherers, in the Ituri Forest, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

Join us for a conversation with Dr. Lilly White on her work as a forensic anthropologist. We talk about how she became interested in the field, the cultural and historical traditions around death and dying, Lilly's work during the pandemic as a condolence specialist, and what her work as a forensic anthropologist entails. Lilly received her PhD in Anthropology in 2019 from the University of Montana and currently owns Bone & Stone Anthrosciences with her husband, Stocky White. Follow Bone and Stone on Instagram @deathphd.   

Join us as we talk with historian Ellen Baumler about her new book, The Life of the Afterlife in the Big Sky State: A History of Montana's Cemeteries. We talk about burial customs, headstone symbolism, the history of cemeteries in the west, boot hills, and cultural identity reflected in western cemeteries. Ellen Baumler was the interpretive historian at the Montana Historical Society from 1992 until her retirement in 2018. She is the author or editor of numerous books, including Spirit Tailings: Ghost Tales from Virginia City, Helena and Butte, The Girl from the Gulches: The Story of Mary Ronan, and Dark Spaces: Montana's Historic Penitentiary at Deer Lodge. Ellen is a master storyteller and public historian that makes history relevant through her writing, public appearances, radio spots, and historic walking tours.    To Learn More: Check out Ellen's new book, "The Life of the Afterlife in the Big Sky State: A History of Montana's Cemeteries."  

Join us for a conversation with Dr. Matthew Bennett, the lead scientist on a recently published article in the Journal Science that examined a set of human footprints preserved on an ancient lakeshore in New Mexico's White Sands National Park that date to between 21,000 and 23,000 years old. We discuss the fossilized human footprints, but we also talk about footprints of other animals including camels, mammoths, and giant sloths that are intermixed with the human prints at this site. We discuss how Matthew and his team determined that the footprints were those of children and teenagers, and how Matthew and his team have consulted with the 32 indigenous nations in the area and his commitment to an indigenous archaeology framework. Dr. Bennett brings this topic to life with his "evidence-based storytelling" so have a listen and enjoy our conversation about these ancient footprints that have pushed the evidence for the peopling of Americas back to at least 21,000 years ago.      For Further Reading:  https://www.npr.org/2021/09/24/1040381802/ancient-footprints-new-mexico-white-sands-humans             https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-58638854 https://www.sapiens.org/archaeology/fossil-footprints/ https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/04/a-prehistoric-hunt-preserved-in-incredible-fossilized-tracks/558797/ https://www.earthmagazine.org/article/first-americans-how-and-when-were-americas-populated

On this podcast, Crystal and Nancy dig deep into the history of a historic structure in downtown Bozeman. This building is significant because it currently houses Nancy's boutique, Moka, along with three other businesses including Alara Jewelry, Plume Bridal and Visions West Gallery! We explore the history of this building through the historic characters and businesses that have occupied this space through the years. We talk about the history, but also talk with current tenants including Babs Noell that owns and operates Alara Jewelry. Babs has occupied her space in the building for 17 years. We talk with her about the history of her space, along with the ups and downs of having a shop within a historic structure. Join us for this "in the field" podcast as we explore downtown Bozeman and the Bon Ton Building! A big thanks to our sponsors for this episode, Steep Mountain Tea and The Western Heritage Center.