Historic Underground Missoula

Much of Missoula's history lies beneath the surface. As in many Old West cities, cavernous underground tunnel systems purportedly hid countless nefarious activities, from clandestine prostitution and Chinese opium dens to booze running during Prohibition. These sordid tales captivate today's residents and beg questions about the city's furtive past. Did local elite gentlemen mask their carnal habits there? Did John Wayne really use the passageways to run personal errands unnoticed? Author and urban archaeologist Nikki Manning ventures below to reconcile oral history with archaeological data in a fascinating exploration of Missoula's subterranean labyrinths.

Much of Missoula's history lies beneath the surface. As in many Old West cities, cavernous underground tunnel systems purportedly hid countless nefarious activities, from clandestine prostitution and Chinese opium dens to booze running during Prohibition. These sordid tales captivate today's residents and beg questions about the city's furtive past. Did local elite gentlemen mask their carnal habits there? Did John Wayne really use the passageways to run personal errands unnoticed? Author and urban archaeologist Nikki Manning ventures below to reconcile oral history with archaeological data in a fascinating exploration of Missoula's subterranean labyrinths.

The sixth volume in the Montana Mainstreet series, A Guide to Historic Missoula points readers to the buildings, historic sites, and parks that act as monuments to Missoula's--and Montana's--history.

The Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky seeks to deepen understanding of the history of Chinese immigrants in Montana by recovering their stories in their own words.

Beyond the Barons For many, Missoula's history is primarily comprised of the business empires of Montana pioneers such as A.B. Hammond or E.L. Bonner. However, beneath their prominence lies more diverse, lesser-known contributions. Between 1880 and 1940, Missoula's Front Street Commercial District housed a thriving Chinese community, African American families and low-class immigrant laborers. Also of service was a complex hierarchy of 'working women'--sex workers ruled by savvy businesswoman Madam Mary Gleim. Uncover the forgotten lives of the Garden City's most prominent 'restricted' citizens, from Capital Beer Hall proprietor Anton Schilling to Chinese restaurateur Sam Yung. Meet figures such as 25th Infantry Private William Reed and railroad carpenter turned brothel owner Cornelius 'Bobby' Burns, among many others. Historian Sophia H. Etier presents a chronology of stories about Montanans, for Montanans.

In this survey of how Missoula has changed since the late 1800s, important historic sites in the city and environs are showcased in vintage and modern imagery.

The Routledge Handbook of Global Historical Archaeology is a multi-authored compendium of articles on specific topics of interest to today’s historical archaeologists, offering perspectives on the current state of research and collectively outlining future directions for the field. The broad range of topics covered in this volume allows for specificity within individual chapters, while building to a cumulative overview of the field of historical archaeology as it stands, and where it could go next. Archaeological research is discussed in the context of current sociological concerns, different approaches and techniques are assessed, and potential advances are posited. This is a comprehensive treatment of the sub-discipline, engaging key contemporary debates, and providing a series of specially-commissioned geographical overviews to complement the more theoretical explorations. This book is designed to offer a starting point for students who may wish to pursue particular topics in more depth, as well as for non-archaeologists who have an interest in historical archaeology. Archaeologists, historians, preservationists, and all scholars interested in the role historical archaeology plays in illuminating daily life during the past five centuries will find this volume engaging and enlightening.