Through the lens of time

Bartz Englishoe curates images and memories of MSU from five decades ago

By MSU Alumni Foundation

August 25^th, 2025

A small Instagram account with just 270 followers serves as a treasure trove of vintage photos of Montana State University and Bozeman. Bartz Englishoe ’76 operates the account vintage_msu_bozeman to showcase his black and white photographs taken in Bozeman during the 1970s.

“I scanned over 10,000 film images that I captured in Montana, Alaska and Vietnam,” Englishoe said. “Seeing the film images brought back many good memories. Sharing the images with family, friends, high school and college classmates and Army buddies was very rewarding. So I decided to publicly share my 35mm photography on Instagram when it was a simple photo sharing site.”

Englishoe’s path to MSU and a career in photography was nontraditional and unexpected.

Born in Fort Yukon, Alaska, Englishoe moved to Montana in the ninth grade. His family lived on the Flying D Ranch in Gallatin Gateway, and he began college at MSU in the fall of 1968, majoring in civil engineering. In 1969, his college career was disrupted by the Vietnam War, and he volunteered before being drafted.

During his Vietnam tour, Englishoe purchased a Nikkormat 35mm film camera and took photos of fellow squadron members. “Documenting troop activities struck my interest in photography,” he said.

After returning stateside and utilizing the GI Bill benefits, Englishoe enrolled in MSU’s still photography option within the then Film and Television Department.

Under the mentorship of esteemed photographer and professor emeritus Rudy Dietrich, Englishoe graduated with a Bachelor of Science in film and television. He returned to Alaska after graduation to start a freelance photography career. Englishoe worked for newspapers, magazines, corporate clients, non-profits and government agencies.

To this day, photography continues to keep Englishoe busy. He manages his Instagram account showcasing his vintage Bozeman film shots, makes fine art prints and custom frames and produces photo books for his grandchildren detailing his family’s history.

“I hope readers will enjoy my vintage black and white images that show campus life 50 years ago,” Englishoe said. “I have fond memories of college in a less complicated era.”