MSU Wonderlust to host May 28 online presentation about Bozeman’s historic East Mendenhall Street
From MSU News Service
BOZEMAN — Montana State University Wonderlust will host a free online public lecture about the history of East Mendenhall Street in Bozeman.
Crystal Alegria, director of The Extreme History Project, will lead the discussion “One Way History: Bozeman’s Historic East Mendenhall Street,” which will run from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 28. The Extreme History Project is a nonprofit that brings local history to the public in fun, engaging and relevant ways.
Crystal Alegria, director of The Extreme History Project
Alegria will discuss the history of East Mendenhall by traveling virtually down the one-way street. Participants will learn about Bozeman’s red-light district, East Side School – now Hawthorne Elementary – and notable residents such as the Frazier family, Madam Libbie Hayes and Fannie Woodson. Alegria will illustrate the presentation with photos, maps and oral history accounts.
Alegria has worked in public history and archeology education for the last 20 years at museums and heritage organizations. She co-founded The Extreme History Project in 2012 with colleague Marsha Fulton and has helped build the organization into an award-winning nonprofit that engages the public in history through walking tours, lectures, workshops, oral histories, preservation projects and more. Alegria serves on Bozeman’s Historic Preservation Advisory Board and is a founding member of the Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Group.
An MSU alumnus with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and master’s in history, Alegria has written numerous articles and blogs on topics relating to Montana history. In 2018 she was named an “Extraordinary Ordinary Woman of Montana State University” by the President’s Commission on the Status of University Women.
Participants must register for the lecture by May 27 at www.montana.edu/wonderlust/. Registrants will receive an email with the Webex online presentation link and instructions to join the program.
The presentation will be recorded and available online. Interested individuals can sign up for Wonderlust’s mailing list at www.montana.edu/wonderlust/newsletter/ to be notified when it is accessible.
For more information contact Bobbi Geise at 406-994-6550 or bobbi-geise@montana.edu.
Wonderlust is a program of Academic Technology and Outreach at MSU. ATO works across the university to support and advance its land-grant mission through unique and innovative opportunities for outreach and engagement. •
