The Montana Historian

Voracious: A Profile of Paleontologist Jack Horner

World-renowned paleontologist Jack Horner is an unapologetic dino addict. When he’s not studying several screens in his decidedly unassuming corner of the Museum of the Rockies (MOR) labyrinthine offices, he’s out digging in the dirt; meeting with equally passionate students and colleagues; thinking, breathing and sleeping dinosaurs. His unquenchable curiosity and enthusiasm for discovery are tangible . . . and intoxicating. When asked what he would be if he wasn’t a paleontologist, he replies simply, “A paleontologist.” And so it is. …

The Iconic Baxter Hotel: Bozeman’s First and Last Best Place

Over 80 years ago, the foundation for a community center and gathering place was laid, brick by brick. Now, The Baxter has once again solidified itself as a mainstay: an iconic building at the center of Bozeman’s downtown revival and a historic landmark proportional to the grandiosity that is Big Sky Country. …

Always an Artist: An Interview with Renowned Sculptor Jim Dolan

Though born and raised in California, Jim Dolan knew Montana was his home for as far back as he can remember. So, when he graduated high school in 1966, he moved to Bozeman and began work toward the Masters in Agriculture that he would eventually obtain. While attending classes and earning his tuition by delivering papers and driving a school bus, a position he would continue to hold after graduation, Jim found his passion: sculpture. Though he finished his degree, he knew before his sophomore year was complete that he would rather be a sculptor than a cowboy. And Jim never looked back. Now, at the age of 66, with 43 years of sculpting under his belt and international recognition, Jim reflects on a life well lived and loved, on his education and inspiration, and on the 29 years he has to go until retirement. …