46° North

Montana's Podcast on Place-Based History and Preservation

At Preserve Montana, our goal is to educate and inspire our listeners to become more involved with historic preservation. Through this dynamic project, we are able to host some of the state’s most prominent minds to share important, intriguing, and ground-breaking stories from the field of preservation and more.

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Episode 17: Spirits of Meagher County

In this bonus-content episode, business owner Sarah Calhoun describes unexplained experiences in her historic property.  Could it be that some of Red Ants Pants biggest supporters are more than 100 years old?  Things that go bump in the night, free-floating apparitions, and ethereal entities apparently practicing social distancing.

Episode 16: Cowboys and Music and Ants, Oh My!

On this episode, we’ll talk to social entrepreneur Sarah Calhoun, founder of the Red Ants Pants clothing brand, which creates rugged clothing for working women. But can starting a women’s workwear revolution simultaneously revitalize rural America?

Episode 15: History Up in Flames

Fires of historic proportions are threatening the entire western half of the country. From Montana to Colorado, we’ll talk with Cindy Heitzman, the Executive Director of the California Preservation Foundation about preventative measures, the necessity of documentation and community awareness.

Episode 14: A national program, Montana style: The National Register

Adding historic elements to the National Register is likely more inclusive and varied than you imagine.  National Register Coordinator John Boughton talks about ins and outs of the National Register, how to get your own cool sign in front of your house, and an untouchable connection to Kevin Costner.

Episode 13: Setting the Record Straight on Women’s History

Author Beth Judy shares several stories about notable Montana women from her recent book and expounds on the inclusive nature of women’s history. She also makes the case for how places can profoundly shape our lives, and why experiencing those sites in-person is a critical part of understanding and appreciating the contributions of bold women in Montana history.

Episode 12: Working in the Trades

Preserve Montana’s Restoration Director Mary Webb talks about the economics of restoration over replacement, how to learn about do-it-yourself restoration, and on being part of the 5 percent.  Today’s episode also explores the question: how many seats should an outhouse have?

Episode 11: Those Darn Californians

The geographic makeup of the United States is changing, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, it’s usually a good thing to have outside perspective. On today’s episode, we’ll hear Alvaro Freyre’s perspective on why you don’t have to be a lifelong Montanan with a background in preservation to effect meaningful change in your community.

Episode 10: Shared History: Historical Sites on Public Lands

Heritage Resources Program Manager Dr. Rachel Reckin describes just a few of the culturally and historically significant state parks in Montana and we learn that an NHL might not have anything to do with ice hockey.  Along the way she talks about glass eggs, kidnapping, the Missouri headwaters, trapping, trading, and the importance of a Montana perspective: “leave it like you found it.”

Episode 9: Butte, America?  Butte, World!

Ellen Crain, Director of the Butte-Silverbow Public Archives in Montana, describes the incredible diversity of people and cultures in this once booming mining town. We’ll also highlight a special, ongoing project acknowledging the contributions of several ethnic groups in Butte over the past century.

Episode 8: Buildings Come and Go, but Newspaper Records Last

Heritage Preservation Officer Pam Attardo shares the rich history of the Brannin family and their many children growing up on their ranch at Silver City, Montana; along with a remarkable sojourn from New Mexico, a dude-ranch in Sweetgrass County, and a surprising connection to Billy the Kid.

Episode 7: Preservation over Predetermination

The youths. Are they participating in preservation, or aren’t they? And what exactly is the age of a “young” preservationist these days? On this week’s episode, we’ll speak to Young Preservationists Association Executive Director Matthew Craig to get his perspective on what works and what doesn’t when it comes to including marginalized voices in the field.

Episode 6: The Last Best Placer

During this special out-of-studio recording session, 46° North sits down with two alumni of the Placer School. Bob and Barbara Marks (nee Myles) recall a 1930s childhood, and Gayanne Masolo talks about being the current owner of this historic schoolhouse. 

Episode 5: Indigenous Peoples and Archeology

To grow a better understanding of our First Peoples, archeologist Carl Davis sits down with the Preserve Montana team to question the notion of “pre-history” and help bridge the gap between modern advances and ancient indigenous cultures.

Episode 4: It Happened in Montana

With nearly 450 schoolhouses documented as part of our Big Sky Schoolhouse Survey, Jim Greene and Martha Vogt have been our longest-serving volunteers. In this episode, they share some of their favorite stories from the road, the value or their work, and what it has taught them about Montanan’s passion for history.

Episode 3: Rural Preservation at Large (Really Large)

As the fourth largest state in the United States, Montana is full of distant and rural communities. This week, Interpretive Historian Christine Brown shares with us the challenges, rewards, and value of preserving history in some of our state’s smallest towns.

Episode 2: Preservation by Design

During this week’s episode, preservation architect Lesley Gilmore tells us a little about the history of preservation as a field and the unique ways in which history is saved throughout Big Sky Country. 

Episode 1: Preserve Montana, Explained

On this first ever episode of 46° North, Preserve Montana Executive Director Chere Jiusto discusses our 33-year history and the many ways that our mission to protect place-based history has impacted Montana.

46° North: The Trailer

Host and producer Clare Menahan invites you to start listening to 46° North, a podcast about historic preservation, place-based history, and restoration.

Hope for Inspiration

At Preserve Montana our goal is to educate and inspire our listeners to become more involved with historic preservation. Through this dynamic project we are able to host prominent minds to share important, intriguing, and ground-breaking stories from in the field of preservation and more.