About the Montana Academy of Living History

The Montana Academy of Living History is dedicated to the understanding and preservation of how people lived and worked during the draft horse period of 1860s to 1930s.

The Academy provides hands-on learning opportunities as well as public seminars and programs on subjects ranging from driving and working horses in harness, historic clothing construction, wagon and buggy building and repairs, wheel setting, quilting, Dutch oven cooking and more. Evening programs include discussions of training draft horses, talks on historic trails, and presentations on early family histories.

It is no accident that historic Deer Lodge is the campus for the Academy. Living history workshops and presentations are at the Old Prison Museums and on the 1860s Grant Kohrs Ranch. Both of these venues, as well as many buildings along Main Street, are from the Draft Horse Era.

Academy activities are the week before the Big Sky Draft Horse Expo. Expo, and the unique Quilt and Carriage display provides additional learning experiences where teamsters and spectators see draft horses and mules working as they did in the past.

We hope you will attend our workshops and evening programs. Please read our catalog for information about this years offerings.

DEER LODGE---MONTANA'S SEPTEMBER PLACE TO BE!