Local History

PTRM displays and exhibits of local history in southwestern North Dakota cover territory within a 100-mile radius of Bowman, North Dakota, including parts of Montana and South Dakota.  Photographs, artifacts, and archival materials depict an era rich in Western history and lore, from the earliest cattle drives up from the Southwestern states, to the establishment of huge open range ranches, such as the HT, the Hash Knife and the OX; the first independent small sheep and cattle ranchers, and finally the arrival of homesteaders in the early 1900’s.  This "sea of grass", the last great open range in the United States, attracted six million head of cattle trailed here between 1866 and 1885. 

The fascinating details of cowboy and ranch life, their horses and equipment, rodeos, a sheep herder's life, farm implements, schoolrooms, tiny little post offices, and housekeeping in a homestead shack are on exhibit. 

Examples of businesses constructed during the boom times of town-building are on display and include the local doctor’s office, a drug store, and a beauty parlor.

The Bowman County Historical and Genealogical Society recently published the book, A History of Bowman County 1907-2007, as part of the Bowman County Centennial in 2007.  A Centennial photographic exhibit will be on display in the gallery intermittently.  An authentic sod house was constructed in the spring of 2006, located on the east museum grounds. 

Recently, collections of oral histories, films of local events, and historic photographs have been digitized thanks to a preservation grant from the North Dakota State Archives.  Funds are being raised for a history project to place historical markers at the sites of early schools in the area. 

Now in the planning stages is a complete, authentic replica of Main Street, 1910, to depict life in the once-thriving small towns along the Milwaukee Road railway that ran east to west across this part of the country, known as the Last Frontier.  A building on the east grounds of the museum is being prepared to house this exhibit.

Our Local History Displays Include:

Military History:

Uniforms, artifacts and text from: * Cavalry * Civil War * Spanish - American War * World War I * World War II * Korean War.

We have plans to include Viet Nam and Desert Storm as we enlarge the display area.