A family connection to homesteading led me to do some research about it. Both my maternal grandfather and grandmother filed and proved up on homestead claims in Montana. I found homestead cabins that you can rent by the night at the little town of Virgelle, Montana and knew I had to book a visit. But first, here’s some history of how homesteading came to be in the United States. There were two homestead acts that … Read more
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
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
Last week I enjoyed two vastly different sections of the Missouri River, one in a canoe, the other in a raft. I first strapped on my river shoes to slide a canoe into the water on the southwestern edge of Fort Benton. Mid September usually means low water and this year was no exception. The Bureau of Land Management has a convenient launch site but I’ll just say, we did not resemble eels gently slithering … Read more
It was time to hit the road to promote Taste Our Place, a program by the MT Office of Tourism (Dept. of Commerce) and MT Department of Ag. The goal – seek out food and beverage locations using Montana sourced ingredients. Our first stop was Infinity Bakery in Havre. We didn’t have time for a sit-down lunch but we had time for some incredibly yummy scones, baked doughnuts and cookies. Infinity has a soup and … Read more
Central Montana has three historic hotels, beautifully renovated, and they all share a varied history in their past. At times they all sat idle and mostly empty. Locals wondered if they would ever see their unique beauty again. Fort Benton’s Grand Union Hotel opened November 2, 1882. Steamboats traveling up the Missouri River docked in Fort Benton, unloading people and merchandise making the town a busy center of commerce. Sounds like a perfect location for a hotel! Fort Benton … Read more