User talk:Mike Cline/Articles Under Contemplation/Montana Historical Society

The Montana Historical Society was incorporated on February 2, 1865 by the first Montana Territorial Legislative Assembly in Virginia City, Montana as the Historical Society of Montana less than one year after Montana Territory was organized (May 28, 1864). The society became an agency of Montana State Government on March 4, 1891.

Foundation
In January 1865, Granville Stuart, Walter W. deLacy, Wilbur Fiske Sanders and other prominent Virginia City residents came together in the Dance and Stuart general store and discussed the idea of creating an historical society to preserve the history of Montana. On February 2, 1865, Sidney Edgerton, territorial governor signed the bill passed by the first Montana Territorial Legislative Assembly incorporating the society. The society is the second oldest state historical society west of the Mississippi River. On March 25, 1865, members of the society elected Wilbur Sanders President, Granville Stuart Secretary-Treasurer, and the Honorable Hezekiah L. Hosmer Historian. At the time of its founding, Granville Stuart was a merchant, Walter deLacy was the Territorial Surveyor, Hezekiah Hosmer was the Chief Justice of the Territorial Court and Wilbur Sanders was prominent in the Virginia City vigilante movement.

Statutory Mandate
" . . .an agency of state government for the use, learning, culture, and enjoyment of the citizens of the state and for the acquisition, preservation, and protection of historical records, art, archival, and museum objects, historical places, sites, and monuments and the custody, maintenance, and operation of the historical library, museums, art galleries, and historical places, sites, and monuments."

Roles and Responsibilities

 * 1) Preserve for future generations representative selection of all historic resources (art, records, books, photographs, oral histories, artifacts, journals, sites, buildings) important to an understanding of Montana history.
 * 2) Present and provide educational and public programs, reference services, exhibits, and publications that interpret Montana's past to a broad public.
 * 3) Provide technical assistance to all organizations that preserve and interpret additional historic resources that help Montanans and her visitors understand the region's past.

Publications
The first significant publications of the society were the Contributions to the Historical Society of Montana published in ten volumes between 1876 and 1941. Under the leadership of society director K. Ross Toole, in 1951, the society began publication of the quarterly journal The Montana Magazine of History. In 1953, under the masthead "To Preserve, To Publish, and To Promote interest in, The History of Montana", the journal was renamed: Montana, The Magazine of Western History. The society operates the Montana Historical Society Press to publish books for students and adults on subjects related to the people, places and events in Montana History.

Events
Travel and Exploration Narratives in the Montana Historical Society Collection Author(s): Rich Aarstad and Jennie StappReviewed work(s):Source: Montana: The Magazine of Western History, Vol. 55, No. 3 (Autumn, 2005), pp. 63-65Published by: Montana Historical SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4520719 .Accessed: 25/01/2013 11:12Your