Review: Detour Montana

Montana is big, and it has an incredible history—both natural and human—making it a wonderful place for historians and travelers alike. While roadside signs may pique our interest, pointing us to the site of an abandoned boomtown, they do not reveal to us the whole story. Before you find yourself again upon the scenic byways and major highways of the Treasure State, pick up a copy of Detour Montana: History by the Roadside (Arcadia Publishing, $25) by Jon Axline, the man in charge of writing the historical and geological interpretive markers for the Montana Department of Transportation. Written to be read aloud, Axline’s prose is sure to captivate everyone in the car with something for every interest—paleontology, geology, geography, natural history, ghost towns, mining camps, bridges, roadside oddities, and more. Whether you’re looking for a reason to get off the beaten path and explore Montana’s small towns, or simply learn about what’s right off the road, Detour Montana is the book for you.