Kirby Lambert previews Montana Historical Society's new book on historic places at Missoula library

Kirby Lambert, author and former Montana Historical Society registrar and curator, spoke at the Missoula Public Library to preview the society's newest volume on Montana places and explain how the team chose the sites included in the book. Lambert opened by saying he would organize his remarks around the "5 W's and an H" and previewed the book as a sequel to an earlier society title, A History of Montana in 101 Objects, released last summer.

Lambert framed the book as a deliberately selective survey intended to represent the state's geographic and thematic diversity. "Because historic places enrich our lives immensely," he said, arguing that tangible sites — from courthouses to prehistoric caverns — connect readers to shared and personal histories. He credited co-authors Christine Brown, Martha Cole and the late Ellen Baumer, and named Tom Farris as the photographer who supplied most of the book’s images.

The author stressed that the project drew heavily on National Register nomination forms and the society’s archival work completed during a period when the library and archives were closed. He closed by noting the society's efforts to get copies into public libraries and by answering questions from the audience about specific sites and photographic choices.