We all remember a simpler time when we were kids. The old time ways of doing things that are nearly impossible to find today.

No mass merchants, no fast food, no 24/7 news, the dollar went much further, and vacations consisted of doing the same things we did at home — just someplace else.

Population Turnover

It’s said that the population of Bozeman turns over every seven years. I think MSU would have a lot to do with that.

Get an education here but go elsewhere to make a decent living. I’ve been here over 25 years and Bozeman is no longer the sleepy little hamlet I fell in love with.

We’ve doubled our population over the past 30 years. How can we keep our local culture when so many outsiders are bringing their ideas of what Bozeman culture should be?

The New And Improved (?) Bozeman

I’m seeing fewer and fewer people I know on downtown streets. Growth is suddenly a four-letter word. NIMBY’s are everywhere.

Many of the things visitors envied are slowly ebbing away. So slowly we barely notice until suddenly we ask, “What happened to …?”

Are there fewer dogs in downtown stores — or is it just me? Why am I seeing more baseball caps and fewer cowboy hats? Nike sneakers instead of boots.

More luxury vehicles and fewer pickup trucks.

Some Final Thoughts

It’s said the more things change, the more they stay the same. I’d be hard pressed to think that about the changes in Bozeman over my 25-year incarnation.

Innocence lost is sad to experience. The simple life is disappearing into the rear view mirror at breakneck speed.

People 25 years before me probably resent the changes I’ve brought. I guess it all comes down to your point of view as to how much culture you’ve gained — or lost.

I wonder if those moving here now will echo what I’m writing in their 25th year in Bozeman? What happened to the Bozeman I used to know?

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