Bozeman in Gallatin County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Bozeman Comes of Age
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, July 25, 2021
1. Bozeman Comes of Age Marker
Inscription.
Bozeman Comes of Age. . The grand opening of the Bozeman Hotel and Annex in 1891 brought 500 theater-goers to the celebration. A temporary footbridge was constructed across Main Street between the second stories of the hotel and theater so that quests could come and go dressed in their finery without getting their feet wet. By the turn of the century cement walkways constructed across the main street served only to collect more mud, and women became tired of trailing their long skirts in the dirt. Main Street also served as the parade route for Bozeman's annual Sweet Pea Carnival, instituted in 1906 to bring visitors to town. Dust did not agree with tourism. These considerations led to arguments at city hall over what to use as paving. Finally one exasperated alderman cried, "For God's sake pave the street with something!" This was finally accomplished in 1908. Cement scored to resembled bricks, evident in this photograph circa 1910, helped prevent horses from slipping on the smooth surface. The Sweet Pea Carnival was held through 1916 and re-emerged in 1977 as the Sweet Pea Festival.
The grand opening of the Bozeman Hotel and Annex in 1891 brought 500 theater-goers to the celebration. A temporary footbridge was constructed across Main Street between the second stories of the hotel and theater so that quests could come and go dressed in their finery without getting their feet wet. By the turn of the century cement walkways constructed across the main street served only to collect more mud, and women became
tired of trailing their long skirts in the dirt. Main Street also served as the parade route for Bozeman's annual Sweet Pea Carnival, instituted in 1906 to bring visitors to town. Dust did not agree with tourism. These considerations led to arguments at city hall over what to use as paving. Finally one exasperated alderman cried, "For God's sake pave the street with something!" This was finally accomplished in 1908. Cement scored to resembled bricks, evident in this photograph circa 1910, helped prevent horses from slipping on the smooth surface. The Sweet Pea Carnival was held through 1916 and re-emerged in 1977 as the Sweet Pea Festival.
Location. 45° 40.766′ N, 111° 1.966′ W. Marker is in Bozeman, Montana, in
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Gallatin County. Marker is on East Main Street near North Rouse Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 309 East Main Street, Bozeman MT 59715, United States of America. Touch for directions.
This marker is the third visible marker in the distance.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 13, 2022. It was originally submitted on February 13, 2022, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 156 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on February 13, 2022, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
