7 Hidden Historical Towns In Montana
From the Native American tribes who first inhabited the state's rugged mountainous terrain to pioneers, homesteaders, gold rush prospectors, railroad barons, mining magnates, and Wild West outlaws, Montana has always attracted visitors. There has been a stream of colorful characters passing through and settling in the frontier state over the centuries, and this diverse heritage is reflected in its inviting small towns. Quaint, scenic, and very historical, these hidden gems might be off the beaten track, but they are well worth a visit from intrepid tourists.
Stevensville
Deep in western Montana's glacier country lies the historic hamlet of Stevensville, the first permanent pioneer settlement in the state. St Mary's Mission, known as the place "where Montana began," was founded here in 1841. Today, the mission is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is open to the public for guided tours. You can also visit the Stevensville Historical Museum, which traces the history of the Salish Indians who inhabited the area before the pioneers arrived. It also looks at how the settlement grew over the centuries.
Before leaving Stevensville, take time to get to know the area's natural history at the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. Established in 1964, this 2,800-acre preserve is home to over 200 bird species, including osprey, Canada geese, and bald eagles. You may also see coyotes, marmots, muskrats, minks, and whitetail deer while exploring the sanctuary's two nature trails. On the grounds of the park is the Whaley Homestead, an eight-room log home built in 1885.
Virginia City
Designated as the territorial capital of Montana in 1865, Virginia City in the Alder Gulch was once the epicenter of the state's gold rush. Throughout the 1800s and 1900s, an estimated 100 million dollars worth of gold flowed through this area as Wild West panhandlers struck lucky in the Rocky Mountains. Take the Alder Gulch Shoreline Railroad to make the short journey between Virginia City and nearby Nevada City, where all the gold rush action happened. The train ride takes just 15 minutes and winds through beautiful alpine scenery.
Visit the Thompson-Hickman Museum, built in the 1920s, to view photos of Virginia City in the 1860s, military artifacts, prints, postcards, and other fascinating memorabilia. For more history, just step outside. Preserved in the Old West style and with historical plaques dotted around Main Street, the town itself is considered an open-air museum. Pick up a map from the Virginia City Depot and Information Center to get started with a self-guided tour.
Fort Benton
Beautifully situated in a Missouri River valley, Fort Benton isn鈥檛 just one of Montana's prettiest towns; it's also its oldest. Founded by fur traders in 1846, this quaint settlement has witnessed hundreds of years of frontier history.
The fort itself, which was abandoned in 1881, is now part of a heritage complex where you can view the reconstructed remains of the fort鈥檚 bastions, the warehouse, blacksmith and carpenter鈥檚 shops, the fort manager's quarters, and other exhibits. Adjacent to the site is the Museum of Upper Missouri, which does a deep dive into the story of the region between 1800 and 1900, covering the trading, military, and steamboat eras and outlining why Fort Benton earned the nickname of "toughest town in the West."
The Museum of the Northern Great Plains also helps tell Fort Benton's story, focusing on its agricultural heritage from farming in the 1800s to the 1920s homestead era. The museum is also home to the Hornaday Smithsonian Bison and the Starr Gallery of Western Art.
Hamilton
Hamilton, in central Montana, was founded by copper magnate Marcus Daly, who set up a home in the area in the late 1880s and brought much-needed investment to the town. Today, you can tour Daly鈥檚 original home, the Daly Mansion, a palatial house with over 50 rooms, Italian marble fireplaces, a billiard hall, and beautifully landscaped grounds. Another architectural gem in Hamilton is the 1900 Ravalli County Courthouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings and home to the Ravalli County Museum.
Nestled in the Bitterroot Valley, Hamilton is also a great place to unplug and tap into the tranquil scenery of days gone by. The 50-mile paved Bitterroot Trail connects Hamilton with Missoula, giving visitors the chance to hike or bike in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark and other early pioneers who explored these beautiful mountains.
Havre
Up in northern Montana, close to the Canadian border, Havre is a quaint railroad town on the open plains. The community began in the late 1800s as a trading post outside Fort Assiniboine, known as Bull Hook Bottoms, and flourished with the arrival of the railroad in 1890. Today, you can view the origins of the town with a visit to the Fort Assiniboine Historic Site, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and home to the Northern Agricultural Research Center. Regular guided tours of the fort are available during the summer months.
History lovers and adventurers will love Havre Behind The Streets, a guided historical tour that takes guests underground, showing what city life was like when a fire destroyed the town and businesses were forced underground. Recreations of stores provide a window through hundreds of years of history, strolling the subterranean streets to see a saloon, Chinese laundry, bordello, barber shop, and more.
Go even further into Havre history at the H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum, which has dozens of dioramas and dinosaur exhibits, including 75-million-year-old dinosaur eggs and embryos and the rare skull of a stygimoloch dinosaur.
Lewistown
Lewiston is right in the heart of Montana, at the geographical center of the state, and encircled by five mountain ranges. This rural community has a long history, stretching back to 1879 when a group of M茅tis families first settled in the area. Cattle ranchers, gold prospectors, and railroad barons followed. The town now has five historic districts, charting its diverse history through the ages.
Start your journey into Lewistown's past at the Central Montana Museum on Main Street, where you will find collections of fossils, Native American art, historic photographs, and more. Just outside town is the Bear Gulch, one of the best-preserved pictograph and petroglyph sites in Montana. Tours run regularly during the summer and take visitors on a half-mile scenic hike down into the canyon to view the prehistoric artwork up close.
Experience Lewistown's railroad heritage firsthand with a trip on the Charlie Russell Chew Choo. The route follows a rail line first built in 1912 connecting Lewistown to Great Falls. The train offers dinner and entertainment as it traverses the 3.5-hour round trip, with music from old-fashioned western musicians and narration from a local tour guide as you meander through Montana鈥檚 heartland.
Miles City
Miles City in southeast Montana, grew up around Fort Keogh which was established in 1876 and commanded by Col. Nelson A. Miles. It quickly became a leading cattle market and made state history as the birthplace of the Montana Stockgrowers Association which was created in 1884.
The Range Riders Museum was built on the site of the Fort Keogh encampment and comprises 13 buildings, making it the largest western museum in the region. Highlights of the heritage complex include the Pioneer Memorial Hall, the Bert Clark Gun Collection, and the Fort Keogh Officer鈥檚 Quarters.
Continue exploring downtown with a visit to the historic Olive Hotel, which first opened its doors in 1899 and has preserved much of its 1800s style in its quirky lobby and lounge. Also on Main Street is another beloved local landmark, the Historic Montana Bar, which has been serving patrons since 1908 and still considers itself a "real western bar" with steer heads mounted on the walls, its original tile floor, and rustic cherry wood tables.
The Old West Comes Alive in Montana
Saddle up and take a ride into America's heartland, heading out to the western frontier as explorers Lewis and Clark and countless other fortune-hunters once did. These hidden historic gems bring the history and heritage of Big Sky Country alive with their unique attractions, breathtaking scenery, and down-to-earth hospitality. Stroll around an underground city, drink in a 1900s saloon, visit a turn-of-the-century fort, meet a dinosaur, and hop aboard a vintage train. There is so much to explore in Montana's quaint small towns, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of modern life and full of timeless beauty.
