Welcome

to the

Pioneer Museum

of

History

Preserving the Heritage

of

Gallatin County

&

Southwest Montana

Gallatin Valley Agriculture

The Pioneer Museum of Bozeman has a new exhibit on the third floor that traces the importance of agrculture in the development and growth of the Gallatin Valley. The exhibit looks at the economic impact of crops and livestock from the first settlers up to the modern period, with an emphasis on those products that spawned additional industries.

The exhibit was designed and installed by MSU interns Rachel Monaco and Dean Martineau. Dozens of artifacts, implements, samples, and photographs, together with informative panels, will help the visitor appreciate the farm and ranch heritage of the Gallatin Valley.

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Crutches, Cavities, and Cures

"Crutches, Cavities, and Cures" displays items from a bygone era when doctors carried a black bag and nurses wore either a "short" or "long" cap emblazoned with a red cross. Visitors will be able to view an early nurse's uniform, antique wheel chair and dentist chair, bedpans, potions, needles, pharmaceuticals, and instruments.

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And of course, we still have the ever-popular player piano. Special thanks to Carolyn Manley, Anne Butterfield, Rachel Phillips, and the other volunteers who helped re-arrange the exhibit.

Additions have been made to the music display on the north side of the balcony. Harmonicas, a violin, euphonium, metronome, and even an old Philco radio have been added to the exhibit, all to give visitors a greater appreciation of the pre-digital age of entertainment. Music books, sheet music, and an old phonograph help round out the display.