Three Historic Jails in Central Montana

Three small communities in Central Montana have some interesting jail history that you can view today. Square Butte, Montana , once a stop along the Milwaukee Railroad as it traveled from Great Falls to Lewistown, has a granite jail built from locally quarried ashlar granite. As you drive in to this little community there is even a sign that says “Historic Jail 3 Blocks”. There really aren’t “blocks” in this community but it probably is … Read more

Four Urban Trails in Central Montana

Easily accessible, scenic and historic trails weave through several of Central Montana’s communities and offer a variety of recreation and scenery. Lewistown Trail System The Lewistown Trail System has 24 miles of trail for walking and running. Find the trailhead on Main Street (211 E Main) in the business district. The trail system connects all of Lewistown’s public schools, a nice perk for kids and teachers who want to bike or walk to school. Big … Read more

Four Season Playground – Kings Hill Scenic Byway

The Kings Hill Scenic Byway on US Hwy 89 is 71 miles of scenic beauty for those who just want a beautiful drive with diverse terrain. It’s also a year ’round recreation playground with public lands surrounding most of the highway. The Byway begins about five miles east of the town of Belt at Armington Junction where US Hwy 89 turns south. Private ranches border the highway here with public access to Belt Creek. As … Read more

Quirky Exhibits at Three Central Montana Museums

Many museums have unique and historic items on exhibit but let’s take a look at some rather quirky things at three of Central Montana’s small town museums. In Stanford, Montana you’ll find the Judith Basin County Museum next to the local courthouse. A well-manicured lawn and beautiful flowers surround the entrance during the summer. As you enter the main floor level of the museum you can’t help but see their massive collection of salt & … Read more

Mighty Mo Brew Co. – Mighty Good Beer and More

It was 2013 when Mighty Mo Brewing Company established their brewery in downtown Great Falls. It quickly became a great gathering place, lunch place, dinner location, beer drinking place and more. Two guys, one great idea, that sums it up, but I’m sure it took a lot of hard work to get to opening day. Mighty Mo, which is also how locals refer to the Missouri River, is located in a historic building right on … Read more

Beaver Creek Park Offers Something for Everyone

It’s typically not top of mind on a crisp and breezy January day when you decide to visit a park. This isn’t just any park though – it’s the nation’s largest county park with some incredibly varied terrain. I only saw patches of snow, somewhat rare for January, but those beautiful endless blue skies had me captivated. The statistics. Beaver Creek Park begins 10 miles south of Havre. The park is a mile wide, 17 … Read more

National Wildlife Refuge 15 Minutes From Downtown Great Falls

It’s hard to believe, but driving just fifteen minutes north of Great Falls, Montana, a town of 60,000 people, you can be at Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Covering 12,383 acres (19 square miles), this wetland refuge is sprawling. Birders have documented 240 species of birds there. Twenty-eight different species of mammals, including mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, muskrats, badgers, yellow-bellied marmots, coyotes and more enjoy the terrain at Benton Lake. A crisp and wintry … Read more

Drink Brews Named For Mining History at Black Eagle Brewery

It was a chilly, snowy late afternoon when I stopped at Black Eagle Brewery. Only one other couple sat at the beautiful custom-crafted polished wood bar. Handmade wooden bar-height tables and living edge wood decor on the walls gave warmth to the brewery and it felt good after experiencing the weather outside. Open for 4 1/2 years, Black Eagle Brewery adjoins a restaurant named The Pit Stop. Across the street to the west is a … Read more

Something’s Fishy in Downtown Great Falls

Actually, there are a lot of fishy things in downtown Great Falls! Some background – the Missouri River ambles through Great Falls and you occasionally see fishermen on the river banks. Several businesses have used the river and fish theme in their marketing…follow along as we explore the town. A group of us were recently at Mighty Mo Brewing Company on Central Avenue in Great Falls. We weren’t sure of what beer to order so … Read more

A Focus On Production at Jeremiah Johnson Brewing

We talk a lot about breweries these days and we are used to seeing those shiny barrels, lots of tubing and piping, typically behind glass panels, as we sit and sip one of our favorites. Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Company’s business model is a bit different, in a good way. Jeremiah’s primary goal is production and they refer to their location in Great Falls, Montana as a production facility. Beer is brewed there, canned and kegged … Read more