GREAT FALLS — A familiar face is back at work at the History Museum and Research Center in Great Falls. Tim Gordon, a well-known appraiser, has been carefully evaluating a horse-drawn carriage that’s been on display at the museum since 2008.
A Piece of Montana’s Elite History
The Bovey carriage was originally loaned to the museum by John Hawks and is now becoming a permanent part of the museum’s collection.
"The Bovey carriage was originally loaned by John Hawks, and we had it under a loan agreement for a long time," said Ashley McCann, Museum Curator.
Gordon explained that the carriage, sometimes called a surrey or a buggy, was an elite city carriage.
"We are looking at an antique carriage," Gordon said. "It's more of an in-town, city carriage. And you can tell by the finishes on it that it was really for somebody of an elite side."
A Legacy of Preservation
The carriage is one of many collected by the Bovey family, known for their immense contributions to preserving Montana’s history.
"Throughout my career, I worked with the Bovey family," Gordon said. "The Boveys were quite the collectors. They had a giant carriage and horse-drawn vehicle collection down in Virginia City and Nevada City. The Bovey family did so much for history in Montana."
From Old Town to Virginia City
Charlie Bovey, who played a significant role in preserving Montana’s history, originally created Old Town at the fairgrounds in Great Falls in the 1940s. This reconstruction of a Gold Rush-era town eventually moved to Virginia City and Nevada City, becoming a living museum highlighting early Montana.
"They restored our second state capitol down there," Gordon added. "They filled up 230 buildings with a million artifacts. That Bovey legacy is so important to Great Falls."
Preserving History for Future Generations
The carriage now joins other appraised pieces that will be on display in the coming months at the museum’s new viewable vault.
"We asked the lender if he would be willing to donate the carriage, and fortunately for us, he said yes," McCann said. "We're thrilled to have it as part of our permanent collection."
The museum also houses personal papers, clothing, and other materials from the Bovey family, available for public research.
An Appraiser’s Delight
For Gordon, this appraisal is more than just work—it’s a passion.
"Charlie Bovey collected cars. He also collected horse-drawn vehicles. And this had to be one of his honeys," Gordon said. "You can tell by looking at it, it's as good as it gets. For me, getting to work on something like this—it’s like having dessert before doing the work."
See It for Yourself
The Bovey carriage, along with its once stablemates at museums in Virginia City and Nevada City, is now preserved as an essential piece of Montana history—ready for the public to enjoy for years to come.
"It's something I most often see in photographs," McCann said. "So it's very cool to see it in real life."
For more information about the museum visit their website here. For information about Tim Gordonvisit his website here.
