Montana Moments

2014 has been the year of both territorial Montana’s and Helena’s 150th anniversaries. The New Year brings yet another 150th milestone celeb...

At Christmastime in 1878, Montana’s territorial capital had been fixed at Helena, Fort Benton was the “Chicago of the Plains,” Butte was a s...

John Owen came west as a sutler—or provisioner—for the army. He was in the Bitterroot Valley in 1850 when Jesuits closed St. Mary’s Mission ...

Montana Historical Society  Photograph Archives, 950-354 Are you ready for Thanksgiving dinner? I'd say this young man isn't. I ...

Orville .G. Willett was an army veteran, a state senator, and the person who suggested the name for Mineral County. He was also the victim o...

Montana Historical Society Photograph Archives, 981-220 These nuns served at St. Labre Mission in Ashland , Montana. Left to right: Sis...

The deaths of Hattie and William Moore caused much speculation. The couple married in 1872 and ranched along the Benton-to-Helena Road where...

The Dearborn River country in Lewis and Clark County is an area rich in cultural history where physical remains abound if you know where to ...

Montana Historical Society Photograph Archives, Railroad Collection Happy Labor Day weekend! Here's a classic photo of laborers. Ja...

When W. A. Clark died in 1925, he was one of the fifty richest men in the United States. His wealth endowed the William Andrews Clark Memor...

Montana Historical Society   Photograph Archives , PAc 2008-23.9 Edith and Edelbert Morrissette built this barn on their homestead on Wh...

The cruel and unusual punishment argument again surfaced in 2006 with the impending execution of David Thomas Dawson. Dawson kidnapped and k...

It seems that with the botched Oklahoma execution in the news, people might be interested in Montana's execution laws and procedures. Th...

Coal veins discovered in 1892 in Park County fueled the life of Aldridge, a mining town about seven miles northwest of present day Gardiner....

Some years ago the Montana Club in Helena was undergoing a little cleanup. The indoor/outdoor carpeting that covered the entryway had becom...

Montana Historical Society Photograph Archives, PAc 2006-26.30 Boys wearing track uniforms from various Montana high schools line up fo...

On Monday night August 17, 1959, actress Vicki Smith and a group of fellow Virginia City Players had the night off from performing at the Op...

Montana Historical Society  Photograph Archives, 944-703 Charlie Russell posed for this formal portrait in his Great Falls studio in 1...

Prohibition ’s failure had some consequences no one seemed to anticipate. Illegal moonshine flowed more freely than legal booze either befor...

Montana Historical Society Photograph Archives , reference file A rescue worker comes out of Smith Mine near Bearcreek after a methane ...