UMontana Public History Program

Making History Public

projects

Public History Internships

February 19, 2025

In 2024, twenty-one University of Montana students participated in public history internships. Some went to Europe, while others stayed local in Montana and connected more deeply with their community. All interns gained valuable experience that helped them develop their careers.   …

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Building Going-to-the-Sun Road digital exhibit

January 20, 2025

University of Montana public history students created a digital exhibit on the Building the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park in collaboration with the Montana History Portal. This project came out of Leif Fredrickson’s history of the automobile course. After…

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Wet Missoula: Alcohol Culture and COVID-19 Oral History Project

December 19, 2024

In April 2021, University of Montana students from HSTA377: Intoxication Nation, taught by Professor Kyle G. Volk, interviewed bar owners, bartenders, brewery staff, an AA member, a recovery counselor, and others to learn how the COVID-19 pandemic shaped Missoula’s alcohol…

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news

Queer In and Out project featured in Daily Montana

February 10, 2025

Queer In and Out, a collaborative project involving UM history students and faculty, has been featured in the Daily Montanan.

History graduate Charley Macorn. Credit: Keila Szpaller/Daily Montanan.

H. Duane Hampton

January 13, 2025

This month, H. Duane Hampton, Emeritus Professor in the History Department and the namesake of our Public History Program, passed away. In addition to being a scholar and teacher, Hampton was a prominent part of Missoula’s community and a profoundly influential mentor to many young historians, particularly those working in public history. “Hamp,” as he was known affectionately by his multitude of friends, was a wonderful person who lived a full life. We are so honored to have a public history program named after him.

Cooney hired at museum

December 20, 2024

Congratulations to Torrie Cooney who was recently hired as the Assistant Education Director for at the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula! Cooney received her public history certificate from UM in 2023 and completed several public history internships with the museum while she was a student. We’re so excited for her!