Here in Montana, we take pride in preservation. That’s part of the reason we call our state the Last Best Place. That being said, change is inevitable as we progress as a society. These photos from the 1930s show how far we’ve actually come.

1. This cowboy riding a bucking horse in Miles City in 1939 proves not much has changed in nearly a century.
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2. Here’s a group of locals outside the Stockman Bar in Miles City in 1939.
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3. In the late 1930s in Madison County, sheepherders roamed the plains in chuck wagons.
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4. Parades in Billings looked a bit different in the 1930s.
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This is the Go Western parade.

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5. This is Fairfield in 1939.
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With a current population of 708, Fairfield still has a small town feel.
6. Here’s Fairfield’s Main Street in the late 1930s.
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Looks a bit different, doesn’t it?
7. In October of 1935, an earthquake shook Helena.
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This was what was left of the west wing of Helena High School afterward.
8. Even in 1939, the people of Bozeman knew how to have a good time.
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Check out this carnival.
9. Here’s what Hamilton looked like in the 1930s.
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The city still maintains a historic look today.

Looking at old photos of our beautiful state is fascinating. Here are a few from the 1950s.

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