Pictured in History: Montana of the early years
We love featuring historic photos of the faces and places of Montana inside the pages of the print editions. Most come for our readers, who share sentimental and rare images of their families and friends that have been passed down through generations. They’re special pieces of the state’s history.
We’ve compiled a few of the “Pictured in History” shots here to help continue to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Montana Territory. Many of the photos here are taken in the 1930s to the 1940s.
As we found when researching the story of the 150th anniversary of the Montana Territory, there weren’t many cameras or photographers present in the west during the 1860s. Portraits were much more common than candid shots or scenic shots. With the help of the Montana Historical Society we were able to run some shots of early territory towns, such as Virginia City.
Inside our May/June issue, we also have a portrait of Calamity Jane.
Turns out that Calamity Jane may have had a long history in Montana. This is from writer Jesse Zentz:
Known mostly for her time spent with Wild Bill Hickok in Deadwood, S.D., Egan said he found newspaper evidence in the Montana Post placing Calamity Jane – then Martha Jane Cannary – in Virginia City in December 1864. He said an article in the December 31, 1864, issue of the Montana Post indicates she was only 8 years old and begging on the streets of Virginia City.