In this powerful episode of The Dirt on the Past, Nancy and Crystal sit down with Ian Campbell Wilson, author of Catastrophe at Custer Creek: Montana’s Deadliest Train Wreck, and Bruce Brown, the talented producer and narrator of the audiobook edition. We dive into the harrowing story behind the 1938 Custer Creek disaster—the worst rail accident in Montana history—and explore what it was like to research and write about such a devastating tragedy, from uncovering personal stories of those on the train that fateful night to the community that helped survivors and family members in the aftermath of this tragedy. Their insights bring both the historical event and the process of telling its story to vivid life.

📘 Buy the book from Montana Historical Society Press: https://mhs.mt.gov/pubs/Books/

Or find more info on the Ian Campbell Wilson website: https://www.iancampbellwilson.com/post/book-now-available

🎧 Listen to the audiobook on Audible: https://www.audible.com/ (search Catastrophe at Custer Creek: Montana’s Deadliest Train Wreck)

In this episode of The Dirt on the Past, hosts Nancy and Crystal take listeners deep into the heart of downtown Bozeman, MT for a look into the recent archaeological excavations in Bozeman's historic red-light district. They have a fascinating conversation about the excavations and show two artifacts that were recovered. This excavation took place in October of 2025 with a Montana State University Anthropology class. From unexpected artifacts to the stories those objects tell about Bozeman’s past, Nancy and Crystal bring both expertise and infectious curiosity to every turn, giving listeners an inside look at how history is literally being uncovered beneath their feet.

You can also watch the video version of this podcast on You Tube by following this link. https://youtu.be/JcW00yTfSwU

In this episode of The Dirt on the Past podcast, we sit down with archaeologist and author Doug MacDonald to discuss his fascinating new book, Land of Beginnings: The Archaeology of Montana’s First Peoples. Doug takes us on a journey through Montana’s deep past, discussing where the first Montanans came from, migration routes, the Lindsey Mammoth site, the Anzick site, DNA research, and so much more. We delve into the evolving methods of studying ancient sites, and the cultural significance of this history to modern Indigenous communities. Join us for an engaging conversation that sheds new light on the deep human story rooted in the land we now call Montana.

In this episode we are joined by renowned archaeologist Ian Hodder to delve into his extensive work at Çatalhöyük, a 9,000-year-old Neolithic site in Turkey.

We explore the burial practices that shed light on social hierarchies, the role of food in shaping community identity, and how the unique architectural layout of Çatalhöyük reflects its complex social structure. Ian Hodder discusses the symbolism and ritual life of this early society, offering insights into one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in the world. Ian Hodder is a British archaeologist known for his pioneering work in post-processual archaeology, which emphasizes the interpretation of cultural meaning in archaeological findings. He is a professor at Koç University in Istanbul and directed the Çatalhöyük Research Project for 25 years, transforming our understanding of early human settlements.

Çatalhöyük, one of the largest and best-preserved Neolithic sites, is known for its densely packed houses, art, and evidence of early communal living. The site provides key insights into the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture, with elaborate burial practices and rich material culture reflecting a sophisticated, interconnected society.

We sat down with Anthony Wood to talk about his research focus on Black history in the west. We talk about his new research along with his book, Black Montana: Settler Colonialism and the Erosion of the Racial Frontier, 1877–1930. We dive into storytelling, history-making, and the stories that we tell about ourselves and what those stories and historical narratives can tell us about the past.

Anthony Wood is a historian of the American West. His work looks at race and place-making during the 19th and 20th centuries. He completed his PhD at the University of Michigan earlier this year and now serves as the senior historian on a new National Park Service project to survey and collect a comprehensive history of African Americans in the Parks of the Intermountain Region. His 2021 book, Black Montana, was a finalist for the Great Plains Distinguished Book Prize. His next writing project develops his dissertation, "Forty Years within the Veil: The Black West and Counternarratives of Race and Place in the Rocky Mountains.

Join us as we speak with author Sally Thompson about her new book, Disturbing the Sleeping Buffalo: 23 Unexpected Stories That Awaken Montana's Past.

The past still lingers along old trails, and among the people who live here today. Some, such as anthropologist and storyteller Sally Thompson, are better equipped to notice the traces of history lurking in place names and written in cairns, carved in tree bark, etched into prairie boulders, or resting among well-knapped spear points.

In Disturbing the Sleeping Buffalo, Thompson unearths new information and startling insights into Montana's untold history in twenty-three true stories. Along the way, she shares the challenges of groundbreaking research and the joys of finding hidden treasures. These stories connect past and present, bringing into focus a common heritage among many peoples in an uncommon land.

We explore a few of the 23 stories Thompson documented in her book, along with backstories, insight and revelations about her long career as an anthropologist in Montana and the west.

You can find Disturbing the Sleeping Buffalo at your local book store or order through Farcountry Press.

Join Nancy and Crystal as they discuss the history of pockets! We delve deep into the fascinating history of pockets, exploring how these seemingly mundane accessories have shaped human lives and society over centuries. Drawing insights from Hannah Carlson's "Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close" and Barbara Burman and Ariane Fennetaux's "The Pocket: A Hidden History of Women's Lives, 1660–1900," we uncover the evolution of pockets from their humble beginnings as tie-on accessories to their symbolic significance in fashion and gender roles. From the practicality of early pouches to the complex social messages conveyed by pocket size and placement, we unravel the intimate relationship between humans and their pockets, shedding light on a hidden aspect of history that speaks volumes about culture, identity, and everyday life.

April is Archaeology Month in Montana! In honor of this, join Nancy and Crystal as they discuss a significant archaeological site located in southwest Montana called the Barton Gulch site. The oldest occupation of the Barton Gulch site is dated to 9400 BP. Nancy and Crystal discuss the remains of earth ovens found at Barton Gulch, and talk about the possibly uses for these ovens and the plant remains recovered during archaeological excavation. The presence of these ovens and other cooking features implies that the people who lived and cooked at this place had detailed procedures for preparing plant and animal remains.

Join us for this discussion and to learn more about this important archaeological site and many others, read "Six Hundred Generations: An Archaeological History of Montana" by Carl Davis.