Living History Program Nevada City Open Air Museum - Nevada City

Friday, May 22, 2009 - Saturday, December 05, 2009

Relive the excitement of the Gold Rush era in Montana. Outdoor Living History Museum in Nevada City, Montana, houses one of the largest collections of Old West Artifacts outside the Smithsonian. The site consists of 100, 1863 to early 1900 buildings, and close to 70 living history interpreters. Living history weekends are held Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend all summer long. See what the Old West was really like in Nevada City, Montana! Events are historically researched, and accurately portrayed. Events include interpretation of what it was like to really live in a frontier town in Montana. Take time out of your fast paced life to visit with the People of the Past, period correct costumed interpreters will help to guide your experience, and teach you about Montana's early days. Many people come expecting to see Hollywood style gunfights, this is not what we are about. We portray the events as they happened, in Alder Gulch, there are hanging, shooting, and other exciting happenings but they are all historically interpreted and designed to reflect the way things really happened. When you step into Nevada City, we want you to feel as if you are stepping into another era, the sights, sounds, and smells, of the past.

The Living History program consists of thematically interpreted events that follow the time line of Montana's history. There are exciting daily happenings, skilled interpreters, live demonstrators, blacksmith, wheelwright, saloon keeper, miner's widow, laundress, prospectors, school teachers, spinning and weaving and more. There are Victorian children's programs, interpretive talks and much more. We interpret the railroad history in Montana, with a 1910 Baldwin Steam Locomotive, the train may occasionally be robbed by the Hole in the Wall Gang, just as the early day Montana robberies occurred outside of Malta and Wagner. Interpretation also extends to Virginia City, look for The Montana Post printing press in operation, and American Telegraphy. The programs offered by the Montana Heritage Commission are not equaled anywhere else in the West. Plan to attend the Living History Program in Nevada City, Montana.

Living History Program - Step into Montana's Past

May 22 - 25 - The Gold Discovery - William Fairweather discovers gold in Alder Gulch.

May 29 - May 31 - Gold Rush Town - The town grown into a mining camp.

June 5 - 7 - Assassination of Deputy Dillingham - The assassination of one of the deputies of Henry Plummer, and the trial that follows.

June 12 - 14 - The George Ives Trial and Hanging - Trial and hanging of the murderer of Nicholas Thiebalt 'The Dutchman'.

June 19 - 20 - Montana Vigilantes - The formation of the Montana Vigilantes.

June 26 - 29 - Life in the Gold Camps - Daily life in Gold Rush Montana.

July 3 - 5 - Old Fashion 4th of July - Experience a real old fashion 4th of July in Nevada City.

July 10 - 12 - Capture of Steve Marshland - A company of twenty-one vigilantes pursue and capture bandit Steve Marshland.

July 19 - 20 - Alder Gulch Legends.

July 24 - 26 - Social Life in Victorian Montana - the social gatherings and happenings, Victorian ladies lives & customs

July 31 - August 2 - Placer Gold - Discover gold and placer mining in Alder Gulch.

August 7 - 9 - Beans, Bacon, and Bannock Bread - Foods of the Mining Camps

August 14 - 16 - Transportation and Supplies to Alder Gulch - Meet the freighters and find out how supplies get to the Mercantile.

August 21 - 23 - Women of the Gold Camps - what roles did women play in early Montana?

August 28 - 30 - Winter Applies in Alder Gulch.

September 4 - 7 - The End of the Innocents & Jack Slade

September 11 - 13 - Trails and Wagons - Living history program showcasing historic transportation and routes to the gold fields.

October 24 - All Hallow's Eve - Meet the Ghosts of Nevada City & ride the Terror Train

December 5 - Christmas Past in Nevada City - Start your season with an old fashion Victorian Christmas Celebration.

For more specific event information about happenings call 1-800-829-2969.