Good morning, Bozeman.

A local columnist catalogs what they’re thankful for as November begins, spotlighting Bozeman’s trails, schools, Montana State University, longtime businesses, public library, open space, and new buildings that fit the town’s character.

An August 2026 fire destroyed Maverick Mountain’s original chair and ski shack, and community fundraisers are rebuilding the hill using a donated retired quad lift now on site.

Installation still needs a custom haul rope, electrical upgrades, and permits; donate at Stockman Bank or contact Jason Schumacher (Dillon Jaycees).

Gallatin Valley Land Trust broke ground this summer on Bikefill, a 66-acre community bike park north of Bozeman next to Snowfill Recreation Area, and construction will continue into 2027 when the first riders will use new beginner loops, technical lines, a pump track, and adaptive trails. More than 800 people gave, raising over $5 million after Mike and Andrea Manship launched a 50-to-1 matching challenge from their One Valley fund.

Storm Castle Cafe began as a catering operation and opened on Tai Lane in 2010, serving breakfast and lunch and using much of its meat from the family-run Hilltop 7 Farm (they raise Red Angus and hogs) while now selling beef and pork directly to customers.

The North Star opened Oct.

10 in Four Corners after a yearlong remodel, offering rotating house beers, a full liquor license, a kitchen, and a new stage for live music; open mic nights run Tuesday evenings with sign-ups 7 to 9 p.m. and an open jam at 9 p.m.

Stephanie Quayle will bring a Christmas dinner show to Music Ranch Montana on Saturday, Dec.

19; doors open at 4 p.m., dinner is at 5 p.m., and music starts at 6:30 p.m. (Indoor, heated Section A; dinner choices include beef, ham, or chicken.)

A Bozeman writer recounts learning Montana's generational hunting traditions while joining friends on hunts around the Crazies, Gardiner, Wolf Creek, and the Missouri Breaks, describing rituals like asking permission, field-dressing, and a heavy emphasis on firearm safety.

Bozeman High's Hawks Theatre Co. is performing Arthur Miller's The Crucible with shows continuing today at 1 p.m., Nov.

6-7 at 7 p.m., and Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. at the BHS auditorium; tickets are $15, seating limited; Gallatin High will stage The Wizard of Oz Nov. 20-22 with a Character Brunch Nov. 22.

Bozeman artist Liv Larsen is the November cover artist, and her nature inspired paintings that blend Norwegian heritage and Montana landscapes are on view now at LeeAnn Ramey Art Gallery and available directly from the artist.

Freemasonry arrived in Montana in 1862 and helped shape early Bozeman life, with Gallatin Lodge No. 6 chartered Oct.

4, 1866, and Bozeman Lodge No. 18 chartered Oct. 8, 1872; both lodges remain active today.

A volunteer at the Gallatin History Museum found five vintage photos of Thomas Edison tucked inside a recently donated group of WWI papers, including a flash-photo dated (March 10–11, 1911) from Edison's West Orange lab, a discovery the museum says links early electric advances to Montana's copper and power history.

Through Sept., 954 single-family homes were newly listed and 581 went under contract in the Bozeman area, up 4.6% and 6.6% from 2025; summer brought abundant listings while fall and winter historically show higher contract-to-listing ratios that can create selling opportunities.