Vertical Files

Introduction to the Vertical Files

The Montana Historical Society Research Center has two reference rooms, one where you access and view materials from the Archives and Library collections and the other where you access and view materials from the Photograph Archives collection. The Library/Archives reference room has over 195 linear feet of vertical files organized under alphabetically arranged categories: Biographical and Topical. The Photograph Archives reference room has Photographer Files that contain information about Montana photographers and photographic studios arranged alphabetically by the name of the photographer or the studio. The vertical and photographer files are used by researchers at every level of interest and academics and have been maintained for decades. They represent a very traditional form of information collection and maintenance, but also offer an invaluable and irreplaceable source of Montana History for researchers.

Biographical Files

Biographical Files, listed under surnames, contain data pertaining to personalities. While the files begin with the contemporary personality Phillip Aaberg, they include historical personages and family names from Cromwell Dixon and Robert Yellowtail to Peter Zortman.

Biographical A-B       Biographical C-D       Biographical E-F      Biographical G-H       Biographical I-J     Biographical K-L

Biographical M-N      Biographical O-P      Biographical Q-R     Biographical S-T        Biographical U-Z

Topical Files

Topical Files address thousands of subjects, beginning with Abortion in Montana and concluding with information on the town of Zurich, MT. The files contain pamphlets, newspaper clippings, correspondence with staff, articles, historical sketches, and countless other informational materials.

Topical A-B      Topical C-D      Topical E-F      Topical G-H     Topical I-J      Topical K-L     

Topical M-N     Topical O-P     Topical Q-R     Topical S-T      Topical U-Z

Citing Vertical Files

[Item specific information], Montana Historical Society Research Center vertical file: [vertical file name]. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Library. Helena, Montana. 

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