These are the stories of remarkable Jews that we have uncovered so far. This is just the beginning, as we begin to dig deeper into the history of North-Western United States.
Settled in Missoula, MT in 1870
Jacob S. Leiser
In 1857, Jacob Leiser immigrated to the United States from Prussia, beginning his life as a tailor and clothing purveyor in California.
Settled in Missoula, MT in 1879
Herman Kohn
Herman Kohn first settled in Helena, then moved to Missoula in 1879. He set up his saddlery on West Front Street and by 1883 created a jewelry and loan store across the street.
Settled in Missoula, MT in 1888
Daniel E. Bandmann
Daniel Bandmann was born in Cassel, Germany. He made his debut at the court theater of New Strelitz, Germany, where he established his reputation for Shakespearian dramas.
Moved to Missoula, MT in 1916
Louis L. Levine
Born near Kiev in Ukraine, Louis Levine was brought to the United States at the age of 4. He would become instrumental in shaping the socio-economic policies of the last century.
Settled in Missoula, MT in 1925
Sam Rivin
Sam Rivin settled in Missoula in 1925. Four years later, the country was devastated by the Great Depression. By 1937, Sam Rivin was a national labor leader in NY.
Moved to Missoula, MT in 1941
Leslie Fiedler
Leslie Fiedler's biographer, Mark Roydon Winchell, writes, "In my judgment, Leslie Fiedler is the single most influential critic of American literature ever."
Henry D. Ephron
Henry Ephron became an
internationally recognized
classical Greek and Latin
scholar, a code cracker, and a spellbinding lecturer at the University of Montana and around the country.
Bob Marshall
On August 16, 1940, Agriculture Secretary Wallace honored the memory of Bob Marshall with a 950,000-acre roadless area in Montana in his name.
Our objective is to bring Leiser's Footsteps exhibit to museums around the NW United States.
Due to the impacts of Covid 19. We hope to see Leiser's Footsteps exhibit on display, safely at the new Missoula Public Library sometime in the Fall.
For details: