History of John Bozeman

John Bozeman was born in Pickens County, Georgia, in 1835. Like so many men of the Civil War era, he was struck with gold fever and headed west in 1858, abandoning his wife and three children. Bozeman came to Montana from Colorado in 1862 after his lust for gold fizzled when his claims failed to pan out. Seeing a need to supply the mining camps of Bannack and Virginia City, he realized it would be more profitable to “mine the miners” than to mine gold. In 1863, he and John Jacobs blazed the Bozeman Trail, a cutoff route from the Oregon Trail, and guided miners to Virginia City through the Gallatin Valley.

Bozeman saw the fertile Gallatin Valley as a most desirable place to live. He chose the site “standing right in the gate of the mountains ready to swallow up all tenderfeet that would reach the territory from the east, with their golden fleeces to be taken care of” to make his fortune. In 1864, Bozeman, along with Daniel Rouse and William Beall, platted the town which would bear his name. The Bozeman Trail passed directly through the Gallatin Valley and was used by travellers until 1868 when it was closed because of the Indian Wars. It served its purpose; emigrants who saw the lush valley settled in Bozeman’s fledgling town.
 
John Bozeman was murdered under mysterious circumstances along the Yellowstone River, east of present-day Livingston, in April, 1867, three years after establishing his town. His partner on the trip, Tom Cover, reported they had been attacked by a band of Blackfeet Indians. Inconsistencies in Cover’s story have led historians to suspect Bozeman was murdered, either by Cover, or possibly by a jealous husband of one of the few women in town.
 
Local hysteria over a possible Indian attack so close to town led to the establishment of Fort Ellis, three miles east of Bozeman. Fort Ellis kept the tiny settlement afloat by providing protection and a market for local farmers and merchants.
 
John Bozeman is buried in Sunset Hills Cemetery.

 

Thanks to the City of Bozeman website.

Bozeman & Missoula, Montana Named “Best Fishing Towns in America”

Field & Stream Magazine has named Bozeman & Missoula, Montana two of their “Best Fishing Towns in America“.

Others on the list:

1. Glenwood Spring, Colo. The Hub of Colorado Fishing
2. Mountain Home, Ark. The Big-Fish, Easy-Living Town
3. Traverse City, Mich. A Freshwater Wonderland
4. Bozeman, Mont. Montana’s Fly Capital
5. Minocqua, Wis. The Town Where Everybody Fishes
6. Apalachicola, Fla. The Way Florida Used to Be
7. Nantucket, Mass. The Original Fishing Town
8. Bend, Ore. The In-Place for the Outdoors Crowd
9. Guntersville, Ala. The Bass Fishing Mecca
10. Morehead City, N.C. A Perfect Blend of Fresh and Salt
11. Missoula, Mont. The Town that Popularized Flyfishing
12. Ely, Minn. The Gateway to the Boundary Waters
13. Page, Ariz. A High-Desert Angling Community
14. Driggs, Idaho The Flyfishing Hot Spot
15. Jasper, Texas The Texas Bass Hub 
16. Tahlequah, Okla. The Multi-Species Southern Municipality
17. Beaufort, S.C. A Saltwater Paradise
18. Eufaula, Ala. The Bass Lake Town
19. Redding, Calif. Cali’s Trout Capital
20. Montauk, N.Y. The Town Built on Striper Fishing

Congrats to Bozeman & Missoula for their Fly Fishing Greatness!

And as always: Thanks to Field & Stream Magazine!

Falling Market? Injured Economy?

You can never say enough good things about Bozeman.

I know consumers can’t help but listening to the never-ending media hype about the falling market and injured economy. But we’re here to tell you that is NOT the case here in Bozeman. We are one of the luckiest cities in the country, we continue to boom, bang and awe not only our annual visitors but our locals as well. Bozeman is one of the best places to live, retire, go to school, start a family and thrive. People come to Bozeman for ONE reason, because they WANT TO! That makes my job, and everyone elses job, so much nicer!

We love Bozeman, Montana and you should too! I’ve been collecting articles and publications on Bozeman and what a great city it has always been and will continue to be. Below are a few more articles that you REALLY should read.

• The Aging West – Forget Retiring to Florida, Arizona – More Boomers are Heading to the Rockies!
• All Alone in ‘the last best place’ – Even cowboys like soft pillows!

When you finally decide to come up and visit, don’t forget to give us a call and we can give you tons of information on the best places to stay, eat and have a blast! There is no end to the amount of fun and relaxation you can find in our great city. We have an amazing hiking system, unbelievable fly-fishing, great skiing & snowboarding, don’t forget snow-mobiling, Yellowstone National Park is only 88 miles from Bozeman, the hunting is fantastic and the people are warm and welcoming.

You’ll love it here!

Bozeman Ranked #1 Dream Town by BizJournals.com

This is just fantastic!

Bozeman has been named the #1 ‘Dreamtown’ by Bizjournals.com for its quality of life and business growth, edging out Jackson Hole and Durango, Colorado. Bozeman is a small college town with a sophisticated and cultured atmosphere. Despite its size, Bozeman boasts amenities that larger urban cities would envy. No matter what the season, there are a full range of activities to enjoy, from world-class fly fishing to the thrill of skiing to attending a wonderful symphonic concert.

Whether you are starting up a business, relocating a family, or just wishing to retire or own a second home here: an investment in Bozeman real estate is a sound decision.

Click here to go to BizJournal.com for the America’s Dreamtowns: Quality of Life Rankings!