Some people from Bozeman and Gallatin Valley think their hometown is pretty special, but this isn’t just misty sentimentality. Experts from around the country with far-ranging reasons are in agreement.

Bizjournals ranked Bozeman number one for small town’s best quality of life (www.bizjournals.com). It wasn’t a casual assessment. Intrigued that more than 1.7 million people moved from metropolitan areas to small cities and rural areas, Bizjournals rated the 577 micropolitan areas in the US (grouped population centers ranging between 10,000 to 50,000 people) with strict and quantitative criteria, and Bozeman topped its 576 rivals. The criteria ranged from percentages of people with higher education, population and per capita income growth, a strong growing small business base, affordable housing, low taxes, easy commutes and the like.

Interestingly, with far different criteria, Outside Magazine rated Bozeman of one of 15 best sports cities, and number five on a 2003 list of 40 best college towns. Skiing Magazine rated Bozeman as one of the ten best ski towns in America. In 2001, Bozeman was an all-American city.

These accolades fall to a Montana town with less than 35,000 people in a state with just one telephone area code for everybody. often called one of the last best places, an interesting collection favorable location factors collide in the Bozeman area: a gateway to Yellowstone national Park; a sportsman and outdoor recreationist paradise; a burgeoning film and arts hub; a ski town; and the center of commerce for ranching and agriculture in the fertile Gallatin Valley. Bozeman is also home to Montana State University’s 13,000 students and 825 faculty members, representing over 40% of the city’s population.

It is questionable whether John Bozeman anticipated all of this when he founded a settlement along a trail that bears his name in 1864, although possible given his ability to seize opportunities. It was John Bozeman’s interest in making an easy fortune in the gold fields of Colorado that lured him west from Georgia. Seeing that better fortunes were to be had servicing the miners than working hard in the mines, he established a cut-off route from the Oregon Trail. The Bozeman trail brought travelers heading toward Virginia City through the Gallatin Valley. Some proved him right and stayed to settle, but John Bozeman unfortunately didn’t live to enjoy the results. He died in 1867, murdered under mysterious circumstances.

True to Bozeman’s vision, the Gallatin Valley proved to be rich and fertile, as agriculture and ranching soon thrived. While the valley itself is at a moderate elevation of 4,800 feet, it is surrounded by Bridger mountains to the northeast, Big Belt Mountains to the north, Tobacco Root Mountains to the west, Spanish Peak and the Gallatin Range to the southwest, and the Hyalites to the south. Twice wetter than the average for Montana, Bozeman gets 24 inches of precipitation annually. The snow run-off from the surrounding mountains additionally fills the rivers and streams. The Valley of Flowers is Gallatin Valley’s nickname, perhaps because of the combination of abundant water and mild summer and winter temperatures.

Long-time resident Gene Graff’s four grandparents settled the valley at the turn of the century, and he says that farming and ranching remain strong. “Agriculture is still a big force here, and it is one reason why we have such a thriving business community. Bozeman’s retail services serve a radius of a hundred miles.”

While John Bozeman saw the potential for the valley, to him the surrounding mountains were probably just a scenic backdrop and water storage. In fact, few could have predicted the impact of alpine skiing to present day Bozeman.

In many ways, skiing in the Bozeman area has followed a progression that mirrors other western communities, although in the end Bozeman seems to have done it bigger. Since the humble beginnings of family resorts of the 1930’s through 1950’s, the allure of sliding freely down a snowy mountainside has caught on, resulting in posh mountain communities organized around skiing.

Choices of where to ski around Bozeman range from family fun to serious glitz. Bridger Bowl provides convenient skiing less than a 20-mile drive north of Bozeman up scenic Bridger canyon. Nearby is the Bohart Ranch, which offers a 27 km. trail system for Nordic skiers, accommodating both skate-skiing and classic cross-country.

By contrast, Big Sky resort and moonlight Basin Ski resort, located just off scenic highway 191 between Bozeman and Yellowstone national Park, are destination recreational communities built around the resort lifestyle. Big Sky calls itself a two-season resort. During the summer there is golfing at Big Sky’s 18-hole, par 72, Arnold Palmer-designed classic links course, organized wildlife viewing in Yellowstone, fly fishing, and the resort’s own shopping and amenities.

Winter recreation is doubly enjoyable, as Moonlight Basin and Big Sky have combined their terrain into the nation’s largest ski complex. Skiers can enjoy 5,512 acres and 4,250 vertical feet. Surrounding Big Sky resort are home developments, many with ski in and ski out access and all with dramatic mountain views like cascade, Powder ridge, Spanish Peaks, and the Skywood Preserve. Moonlight Basin has its own recreational communities designed around protecting the environment, including Cowboy Haven, Diamond Hitch, Saddle Ridge, and Timber Ridge. These appeal to part-time residents, those flexible to work and live anywhere, and vigorous and active retirees.

The Yellowstone Club, adjacent to Big Sky, follows a new business model that others are watching with curiosity. This 13,400-acre plot is a private ski and golf residential community. The club’s approximate 150 members enjoy eight ski lifts, three dining lodges, private security, and an 18-hole Tom Weiskopf-designed course.

Big Sky sponsors enough activities to keep the area residents and guests well entertained. Summers, these events include a Fourth of July rodeo and fireworks, a summer concert series, various festivals, Shakespeare in the Park, bike races, and a country fair. Winters are celebrated there with a Cowboy Christmas Ball, New Years Eve fireworks, ski races, and the Big Sky Winterfest. Dirt Bag Day with its crazy costumes on the ski hill is a reminder that Bozeman with its quirky irreverence isn’t far away.

Along that line, Bozeman features a “Parade of Sheds” concurrent with its parade of homes. Notable sheds previously on parade include the house of blight, ski shed, Elvis impersonator shed, sled dog shed, and garage band shed. Bozeman also has a range of more serious activities for a wide variety of interests, indicating that it is a city with a rich civic life.

“Bozeman is a community of permanent residents,” says local architect and long-time Bozemanite, Dick Shanahan. Both Dick Shanahan and Gene Graff agree that as Bozeman becomes more appealing, it is becoming more expensive—too expensive for many people they meet in the workforce. “The $230,000 cost for a starter home is pushing people to Belgrade and the surrounding area,” says Dick.

In fact, Belgrade had a 93% growth between 1990 and 2002 (census & Economic Information Center, Montana Dept. of Commerce). During the same period, Bozeman grew 30%, Manhattan 37%, Three Forks 47%, and West Yellowstone 31.5% (same source), all substantial rates, and making Gallatin County one of the fastest growing counties in the US.

Montana State University (MSU) is a both a stabilizing and innovative force in Bozeman. Gene Graff sees the availability of a strong, educated workforce that desires to stay in the Bozeman area following graduation as the driver for new technology businesses starting up, one of which employs over 400 people. MSU was founded in 1893, ten years after the Northern Pacific Railroad connected Bozeman with other parts of the state. MSU now has a reputation as a research facility with strong science programs where students have the opportunity for fieldwork in Yellowstone National Park, only 90 miles away.

MSU’s Media and Theater arts program is growing, and the Bozeman area is increasingly a center for film. The film, A River Runs Through It highlighted the beauty of Gallatin Valley to moviegoers. In 2004, the HATCHfest started up in Bozeman, sponsored by HATCH, a nonprofit organization designed to develop and foster the growth of creative minds: The inspiration of one affects the lives of millions. In 2006, HATCHfest attracted 11,000 people to films, film labs, journalism labs, panel discussions, musical performances, an art walk, and networking sessions. It is scheduled for the first week of October, and some of Bozeman’s usually private and reclusive celebrities participate.

When talking about things to do in Bozeman, Yellowstone National Park looms large, and is the basis of the much of the tourism, which plays an important role in the economy. Yellowstone became the world’s first national park when President Grant signed the order in 1872 (www.yellowstone-natl-park.com/facts). Larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined, it extends 3,472 square miles. Within this area are an active volcano, about 10,000 thermal features, 300 active geysers, 290 waterfalls, 311 bird species, and 50 types of mammals, including grizzly bear, wolf, and American bison.

For those wishing to stay closer to town, Bozeman offers more activities than one would respect of a town of its size, perhaps reflecting the university connection and how it functions as the cultural center of the larger Gallatin Valley. a popular local website, bozone.com, keeps the populace well informed of the happenings. Surprisingly, there are four museums with different offerings: the Pioneer Museum of Bozeman, the Children’s Museum, the Museum of the Rockies with a planetarium, and the American Computer Museum. There are three theaters that offer live performances, the University Theater, Equinox Theater, and the Hamilton Performing Arts Center, as well as the Emerson Center for Arts and Culture. Not surprising for a college town, there are at least ten venues with live music. For those willing to road trip, there are hot springs, the Montana Arboretum & Gardens, and much more to enjoy outdoors.

It is perhaps the outdoor experiences of the Gallatin Valley that stand out among all these other things to do with opportunities for canoeing, kayaking, fishing, fly fishing, hiking, biking, and camping. Ranch life around Bozeman is proving attractive to some of the newcomers. One of the lifestyle choices seen on real estate listings is large, private acreage with comfortable homes along the rivers. Close to wildlife herds and fishing, it offers a sense of seclusion and connection with nature.

Whether it was good or accidental planning on the part of the town’s founder, or perhaps a great place honed by the people who live and care for Bozeman and the valley, it’s hard to argue why everybody shouldn’t love Bozeman.