By Rick and Susie Graetz The Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers are famous for forming the Missouri River. But of the three, it is the Jefferson that holds a lofty ranking in the annals of the Corps of Discovery. Upon leaving the confluence of the Missouri, it was this southwest Montana river that Lewis and Clark used to take them in search of a land route across the massive Rocky Mountains. On July 28, 1805, while at the three forks of the Missouri, Meriwether Lewis, co-captain of the Expedition wrote, “Both Capt. C. and myself corrisponded in opinion, with rispect, to the impropriety of ..read more

By Mark Spero and Rick Graetz Long on scenery and short on population the middle Blackfoot River Valley is the epitome of rural Montana. Mountains of the fabled Bob Marshall Country form its northern horizon and forested uplifts of the Garnet Range guard the southern perimeter. And a river runs through it. Photo: Rick & Susie Graetz Since Montana earliest years when homesteaders made their way here, the valley has remained a ranching domain.  And like many old Montana towns, Ovando, its human enclave has weathered countless storms and changes and has withstood the passage of time. Gla ..read more

Paranormal encounters seem to be common throughout Southwest Montana. The region’s colorful history, one of immense fortune and infamous characters has lent itself to becoming a hot spot of activity. Southwest Montana boasts a rich mining history. Hundreds of thousands came to the area as gold was discovered. While miners came to Butte in search of gold, it was the copper that kept the town alive. Butte came to be known as the Richest Hill on Earth, a moniker given for the immense amount of ore that has been extracted. The neighboring community of Anaconda came to be known as the Smelter City ..read more

Southwest Montana’s most notable communities include Butte and Helena, but when it comes to small town charm, the region has so much more to offer. Some of our lesser known communities not only provide visitors with genuine hospitality, but serve as a basecamp to some of the state’s most pristine spaces. Whether your perfect vacation features a deep dive into history, an exploration of the arts, rest and relaxation or an adrenaline rush in the great outdoors, Southwest Montana is the perfect destination! We can’t wait for you to uncover unforgettable memories in our backyard! GET TO KNOW OUR S ..read more

By Mark Spero and Rick Graetz with Sydney Bersin A regional fly-fishing mecca to many, Ennis is defined by the Madison River, one of the most productive of Montana’s many trout waters. It has been said that this tributary of the Missouri is “one giant riffle” from upstream where the river enters the Madison Valley near the West Fork Bridge to Ennis, a distance of 40 miles. Placed in the northern reaches of Montana’s Madison Valley, a wide almost treeless expanse in all directions allows for splendid views of five mountain ranges. The Tobacco Roots stretch to the northeast, the Greenhorns and G ..read more

By Ruby Loeffelholz University of Montana- Davidson Honors College Sheridan, originating from the 1863 construction of a sawmill on Mill Creek sits in the heart of southwest Montana’s Ruby Valley. It’s defined not only by its 20-mile-long valley that holds the constantly meandering Ruby River but also by the prominent rises of the Tobacco Root Mountains on the northeast and the Ruby Range to the southeast. A nationally celebrated blue-ribbon fishery, the Ruby River is near the west edge of town. Upper Ruby Valley | Berkshire Hathaway Historically this area was a part of the Shoshone nation’s t ..read more

The name speakeasy hails from the prohibition era of the early 20th century. On January 16, 1919 the 18th Amendment was ratified and would go into effect in January of 1920. The 18th Amendment of course being the Prohibition of Alcohol. Check out our article on Prohibition in Southwest Montana. While the sale, manufacturing and distribution of alcohol was illegal, this did not stop people from imbibing; they just had to find a way to do it in secrecy. The term speakeasy came from the bartenders’ request of patrons to “speak easy,” or quietly, while inside the bars as not to draw unwanted atten ..read more

By Mark Spero and Rick Graetz “In 1880, Nate Leavengood’s meadow, where Anaconda now stands, was a lush and quiet place. As far as the eye could see in all directions there was nothing but the valley, the swelling foothills and mountain ramparts…four years later, the meadow was gone…there had been no gradual encroachment of civilization, no creeping in of small farms and little stores. There was no village. First there was nothing, and then all of a sudden there was the world’s largest smelter and around it a raw new city.” K. Ross Toole  For many Montanans, the name Anaconda is a symbol ..read more

By Meleah Sparks – University of Montana- Davidson Honors College “…we encamped on the river bank on Lard. side having traveled by estimate 23 Miles. The fish of this part of the river are trout and a species of scale fish of a while [white] colour and a remarkable small long mouth which one of our men inform us are the same with the species called in the Eastern states bottlenose. [8] the snowey region of the mountains and for some distance below has no timber or herbage of any kind; the timber is confined to the lower and middle regions …Capt. Clark set out this morning as usual. he walked ..read more

By Bethany Tafoya – University of Montana- Davidson Honors College Placed in the Big Hole Valley between the Beaverhead and Anaconda Ranges and the Pioneer Mountains, Jackson and Wisdom are a vestige of the past. Old West towns with saloon dramas, rival shop owners, Indian wars, and fires, they had it all. Originally called “the Crossing” for its place at the crossroads of trails leading to Gibsonville, ID and the Bitterroot, Wisdom began as a small homesteading town in 1880. With a post office, mercantile, and in 1924 a ranger s ..read more