Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
merchant in Fort Benton, committed himself to building a city around the site of the falls. In
1883 he did just that, first plotting out the city, then urging his friend James J. Hill to bring
his railroad through. Gibson envisioned a “new Minneapolis” on the banks of the Missouri
River and worked feverishly to achieve the dream. By 1888, with plentiful industry in town
and fertile farmland around it, the city of Great Falls, with Gibson as its mayor, boasted
more than 2,000 residents. Two years later the population had doubled. But despite Gib-
son's best efforts and his intelligent and thoughtful city planning, Great Falls floundered
when Hill opted not to bring the railroad to Great Falls. Though it never fulfilled Gibson's
ultimate vision, the city did achieve industrial success with power-producing dams, copper
smelting, and eventually an Air Force base.
As with most of Montana, there is as much to do in Great Falls as your time will allow.
Visitors should plan at least a day in the city to see some of the excellent museums and
nearby natural attractions, including
First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park.
Known for
its consistent wind, this city is ideally located on the Missouri River between the Rocky
Mountains and Montana's Big Open. Any number of outdoor adventures can be dreamed
up and launched from Great Falls.
Other towns in this region, each with its own unique charm, are often best enjoyed en
route from one destination to another. One notable exception is Fort Benton, less than an
hour's drive from Great Falls. This picturesque hamlet sits in a canyon along the Missouri
and is an ideal spot for visitors, with several museums, a quaint downtown, historic sites,
and one of the most elegant old hotels in the state.
The country opens up significantly east of Great Falls. In places it looks as if the only
occupants are cattle and oversize windmills. The
Upper Missouri River Breaks National
Monument,
with some of the state's most interesting and isolated terrain, is best explored
from the water. Havre is the largest city on the Hi-Line and offers plenty of accommod-
ations and the fascinating
Havre Beneath the Streets Tour.
Farther south, Lewistown is
small but colorful, with plenty of good fishing nearby and a couple of good restaurants.
West of Great Falls, the Rocky Mountains soar skyward, with towns such as Choteau
and the reservation town of Browning in their shadows. There are dude ranches for those
who make this region their primary destination, but at the very least this is a magnificent
corner to drive through en route to Glacier National Park or southwest toward Missoula.
Dinosaur aficionados will want to allow enough time to visit some of the plentiful paleonto-
