Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
among Native Americans through their relationship with the Hudson's Bay Company. The
Blackfeet took off with the men's horses, a fight ensued, and two Blackfeet were killed.
In addition to the town's proximity to the reservation and its cultural influence, there are
also five Hutterite colonies in the area that welcome visitors. The
Glacier County Histor-
ical Museum
(107 Old Kevin Hwy., 406/873-4904, 10am-5pm Tues.-Sat. Memorial Day-
Labor Day, by appointment Labor Day-Memorial Day, donation) presents exhibits on Lewis
and Clark, homesteading, artist John Clark, and the town's oil boom. On summer weekends,
costumed guides reenact homestead life circa 1915.
The
Glacier Gateway Plaza
(1130 E. Main St., 406/873-2566 or 800/851-5541,
www.glaciergateway.com
,
from $69) is the newest and nicest motel in town, with amenities
like an indoor pool and high-speed Internet.
Cut Bank is 30 miles south of the Canadian border on Highway 213, 106 miles northw-
est of Great Falls on U.S. Highway 15, and 35 miles east of Browning on Highway 2.
The humble story of Shelby's origins involves a discarded boxcar around which a town
eventually developed. The town saw enormous growth thanks to the railroad, the
Homestead Act, and a 1921 oil discovery. Shelby even hosted the 1923 World Heavyweight
Championship fight between Jack Dempsey and Tommy Gibbons. Today, Shelby (popu-
lation 3,326, elevation 3,086 feet) is a small trade center that attracts plenty of Canadians
through the state's busiest port of entry.
The
Marias Museum of History and Art
(206 12th Ave., 406/424-2551, free) is a clas-
sic county history museum with plenty of interesting displays of Indian artifacts, dinosaur
bones, homestead-era relics, and re-created historic interiors.
The
Shelby Chamber of Commerce
(100 Montana Ave., 406/434-7184,
www.shelbymtchamber.org
,
9am-noon Mon.-Fri.) and the
Shelby Visitors Information
Center
(406/434-9151) are located in the historic Shelby Town Hall (100 Montana Ave.) at
the eastern edge of town and can inform you about local events and guided tours. There is
free Wi-Fi on the premises.
Shelby is 84 miles north of Great Falls along I-15.
Named for the birthplace of the French homesteaders on whose land the town was sited,
Havre (HAV-er, population 9,600, elevation 2,494 feet) is a railroad town anchoring the Hi-
