Bozeman High School - History

History

Bozeman established its high school in 1877, housing it (along with other grades) in the newly-built West Side School at 300 West Babcock. Students were few, and due to dropouts the high school did not graduate its first class until 1882. In 1937, a new county high school building, Gallatin County High School, was constructed at 404 West Main. Later renamed the Willson School (after its architect, Fred Willson), Gallatin County High School was discontinued in 1956 and the city of Bozeman constructed a new city high school at mile west at 205 North 11th Avenue in 1956 designed by both Fred Willson and Oswald Berg. This building serves as the current Bozeman High School, while the 1937 building used to house Bridger Alternative High School until 2009. Bridger Alternative now resides in an old wing of the high school after the school district removed Chief Joseph Middle School, which was connected to the high school, to a different location. The old middle school was remodeled slightly with a new cafeteria and main offices and library, now called north campus, or "N Wing" to students.