15. Lake County

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On August 11, 1923, the State of Montana formed Lake County by taking the southern part of Flathead County (number 7) and the northern portion of Missoula County (number 4). Named for its primary topographical feature, Flathead Lake, it was the next to last county created in Montana. Only Petroleum County (number 55) is younger. The county covers some 1,654 square miles, of which 160 square miles are water (mostly Flathead Lake). The Flathead Indian Reservation, otherwise known as the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation, makes up over two-thirds of the land area of the county. The Reservation plays such an important role in the county, that it is virtually impossible to talk about one without the other.

Lewis and Clark met the Salish in the Bitterroot Valley (Ravalli County, number 13) as they traveled across western Montana. They named the tribe "Flathead," based on a misunderstanding. Certain tribes practiced head flattening, but the Salish found that custom barbaric, according to some accounts. Lewis and Clark never actually set foot on land that would become Lake County. Historically, neither the Salish nor the Pend d'Oreille (Kalispel) indians lived in Lake County either. One band of Kootenai (the Ksanka) did live on the shores of Flathead Lake, and the US government forcibly moved the other tribes off their ancestral homelands and onto the reservation.

The Lake County Court House
Taken 12/11/2009 in Polson, Montana

In 1845, Frank McArthur of the Hudson Bay Company established Fort Connah as a fur-trading post. This was the first European settlement in what is now Lake County. In 1854, the Jesuits arrived and built St. Ignatius Mission. The Hellgate Treaty of 1855 established the Flathead Reservation, and Fort Connah closed in 1871. The first bison were introduced into the area in the 1870s, and the US established the National Bison Range in 1908.

The Mission Mountains
Taken 6/3/2010 in Ronan, Montana

Aside from Flathead Lake, the most conspicuous topographical feature in Lake County is the Mission Mountain Range, extending from south to north on the eastern side of the Mission Valley which forms the central part of the county. The western side of the range includes a Tribal Wilderness area, and you will need to obtain a tribal recreation permit to hike the numerous trails in the area. The Mission Mountain Wilderness covers much of the eastern slope of the range.

The US government opened the Flathead Reservation to white settlement in 1910, and the Lake County population has increased steadily since its creation in 1923. The 1930 U.S. Census counted 9,541 people living within the county. The 2010 Census showed a population of 28,746, an increase of 8.4% over the 2000 Census count. This makes Lake County the ninth largest in Montana by population. Broken down by racial lines, "white persons" constituted 69.4% of the total, while "American Indian and Alaska Native persons" made up 22%. 7.3% report belonging to two or more races. The largest growth spurts occurred during the 1970s and the 1990s when the county grew 31.9% and 26.0% respectively. Of the twenty cities, towns and "census designated places" in Lake County, whites outnumber native people in all but a handful of communities.

Northeastern Lake County
Taken 5/22/2010, north of Swan Lake, Montana

US Highway 93 bisects the county, running south to north from Missoula to Kalispell. It is one of, if not the most heavily traveled highways in Montana. Should you choose to drive this route, and you really should, here are my suggestions for places to visit along the way. 93 enters Lake County just south of the town of Arlee. Just after passing the Lake County sign, a road takes off to the right connecting with the Jocko Pass road across the Mission Mountains. If you're awfully brave, and have a heavy duty vehicle, you may want to take this side trip as the road is the only road that actually crosses the mountains, having an eastern terminus at Seeley Lake. Note that this drive is not for the faint-of-heart. Continuing on 93, stop at Huckleberry's in Arlee if you like licorice. They sell some fifty or more varieties of the candy from all over the world. North of Arlee, you will cross the Jocko River and shortly thereafter you can take a right turn on White Coyote Road to visit the Garden of 1000 Buddhas. Back on 93, you drive through the Jocko River Canyon, reaching the community of Ravalli a few miles further north. In Ravalli, you have the choice of turning west on Montana Highway 200 which will quickly take you into Sanders County (number 35), or staying on 93 and climbing the steep hill that separates Ravalli from St. Ignatius. Either way, you will be skirting the National Bison Range which you really should visit. So why not stop at the Bison Inn in Ravalli and refresh yourself with one of the best Indian Tacos available in Montana while you decide. If you're not that hungry, have a huckleberry shake. You'll love it. Should you stay on 93, as you reach the crest of the hill, note how the Missions just start appearing in an ever increasing number of peaks. Most of the year, they will be covered in snow and you'll understand why the native people called Montana "the land of shining mountains." In St. Ignatius, visit Doug Allard's Trading Post on the west side of the highway and St. Ignatius Mission on the east side. The former has an attached museum, and the trading post itself has a wealth of native-crafted items from all over the US. The church, built in 1891, is filled with art that will astound you, regardless of your religious beliefs.

Between St. Ignatius and Ronan, you'll pass through the Ninepipe Wildlife Refuge, a good place to count birds, turtles, and other wildlife. Stop at Cowboy Cappuccino in Ronan, a fun place to restore your caffeine levels, and in Pablo visit the Tribal Headquarters, Salish-Kootenai College, and the People's Center, Sqelixw Aqlsmaknik, to get a deeper understanding of the native life of this area.

Finally, as you crest the hill just south of Polson, Flathead Lake will come into view. The largest freshwater lake west of the Great Lakes, and the largest alpine lake in the US, Flathead Lake stretches 27.3 miles from south to north, and is up to 15.5 miles wide. It is a favorite recreation site for all of western Montana. At Polson, you'll have to decide whether to take the west shore or the east (93 follows the west), but rest assured that on either side, the lake will offer you an endless number of breathtaking views.

Flathead Lake from the west side
Taken 6/19/2010 north of Dayton, Montana

Photo Information:

Unless otherwise noted, all photos were taken using a Nikon D80 DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex camera) and a Nikkor 16-85 mm wide angle/tele/zoom lens. All photos are finished using Photoshop CS4.

Lake County Sign: Taken 5/22/2010. Focal length was 85 mm, ISO 250, f /9.5, 1/250 second.

Lake County Courthouse: Taken 12/11/2009 in Polson, Montana. Focal length was 40 mm, ISO 250, f /8.0, 1/750 second.

The Mission Mountains: Taken 6/3/2010 in Ronan, Montana. Focal length was 85 mm, ISO 125, f /8.0, 1/750 second.

Northeastern Lake County: Taken 5/22/2010 near Swan Lake, Montana. Focal length was 19 mm. ISO 250, f /16.0, 1/250 second.

Saturday Morning on the Lake: Taken 6/19/2010 near Dayton, Montana. Focal length was 24 mm, ISO 125, f /5.6, 1/350 second.

14. Custer County

When Montana became a territory in 1864, its entire eastern half was designated Big Horn County. So few people lived there, that administration of this vast domain was given to Gallatin County (#6). In fact, the 1870 U.S. Census counted 38 residents, but this grew by 1880 to 2,510. The name of the county also changed after George Armstrong Custer and the US 7th Cavalry were killed at the Battle of the Little Big Horn on June 25, 1876. Big Horn County became Custer County, a name it has held since. Today Custer County is just one of over twenty counties made from the original Big Horn. Its land area today covers 3,783 square miles and has a population density of 3.1 persons per square mile. The 1910 census showed Custer County at its greatest population, 14,123, but the current census count is virtually unchanged since 1990.

The Custer County Court House
Miles City, Montana

Miles City, the county seat, is also the county's largest city, with a 2010 population of 8,123. After the Battle of the Little Big Horn, the country built many forts around eastern Montana, including one at the convergence of the Tongue and the Yellowstone Rivers. The Tongue River Cantonment was moved to higher ground a couple of miles to the west, and became Fort Keogh, named for one of the officers who died along with Custer, Myles Keogh. General Nelson Miles became the commander of Fort Keogh, and in 1877 banished those selling alcohol from his fort. These businessmen took up residence two miles to the east, calling their new home Milestown. The official plat, along with the US Post Office, called the town Miles City.

The only other "town" in Custer County is Ismay, with a population of 25 in the 2010 US Census. Ismay was named for the daughters (Isabella and May) of Albert Earling, an official of the Milwaukee Road (The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad). In 1993, as a publicity stunt, the town agreed to be renamed (temporarily) Joe, and thus honored the football player Joe Montana.

A Custer County Landscape
Taken from Montana Highway 59 south of Miles City

Like the rest of Montana, Custer County is primarily agricultural land. Both cattle and sheep ranching have been important industries, and Miles City is recognized today as the epitome of the Old West. The Miles City Roundup began in 1914, and today, its successor, the Bucking Horse Sale, continues to be one of the biggest draws in the area the third weekend in May each year.

Cattle built Miles City and Custer County, and in its prime, the city evidenced considerable wealth. There are seventeen historical places on the National Register, including two residential districts. Driving through these areas, you quickly become aware that a lot of money went into building the homes and churches of Miles City.

First United Methodist Church
Miles City, Montana

In 1939, a group of cowboy-stockmen founded the Range Riders organization, dedicated to preserving the area's history. In 1941, they opened the Range Riders Museum on the grounds of the original Fort Keogh. Today the complex includes eleven buildings and thousands of artifacts of life on the western prairie.

Miles City is also home of Miles Community College, one of three publicly funded junior colleges in Montana. Founded in 1939, today the college is accredited by the Northwest Association and authorized by the state of Montana to offer Associate of Arts degrees (A.A.), Associate of Science degrees (A.S.), Associate of Science in Nursing degree (A.S.N.), Associate of Applied Science degrees (A.A.S.), and Certificates (C.). In keeping with the area's history, two of the program offerings are Agribusiness and Equine Studies.

Stop Sign at the Range Riders Museum
Miles City, Montana

Photo Information:

Unless otherwise noted, all photographs were taken using a Nikon D80 DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex camera) and a Nikkor 16-85 mm wide angle/tele/zoom lens. All images were processed using Photoshop CS4.

Custer County Sign: Taken 3/25/2010 at the Powder River/Custer County line south of Miles City on Montana Highway 59. Focal length was 85 mm, ISO 125, f /16.0, 1/6 second.

Custer County Courthouse: Taken 3/25/2010 in Miles City, Montana. Focal length was 16 mm, ISO 125, f /9.5, 1/6 second.

Custer County Landscape: Taken 3/25/2010 alongside Montana Highway 59 south of Miles City, Montana. Focal length was 32 mm, ISO 125, f /16.0, 1/15 second.

First Methodist Episcopal Church: Taken 9/9/2007 in Miles City, Montana, using a Sigma 18-50 mm wide angle/tele/zoom lens set at a focal length of 31 mm. ISO 125, f /8.0, 1/8 second.

WHOA!: Taken 9/9/2007 in Miles City, Montana, using a Sigma 18-50 mm wide angle/tele/zoom lens set at 50 mm. ISO 125, f /8.0, 1/20 second.

13. Ravalli County

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Formed from the southern extent of Missoula County on March 3, 1893, Ravalli County was named for Father Anthony Ravalli, an Italian Jesuit who moved into the Bitterroot Valley in 1845, following the Belgian Jesuit Father Pierre DeSmet who arrived in 1841 at the request of the indigenous Salish people. Father Ravalli served the native people at St. Mary's Mission until 1850, and returned in 1866. He died in Stevensville in 1884. The genealogy-oriented web site RootsWeb has a good history of the various communities in Ravalli County, including the names of the founding families of each of the county's eight communities.

Stevensville, in the northern half of the county, claims the status of Montana's oldest community, and proudly advertises itself as "Where Montana Began." Home of the oldest church and the oldest school in Montana, Stevensville got its start as a mission, St. Mary's, built by the Jesuits for the conversion and education of the Salish (Flathead) people indigenous to the Bitterroot Valley. In 1850, Major John Owen built a trading post on land he purchased from the Jesuits. In 1853, when Washington Territory was created out of the northern portion of the Oregon country, Isaac Ingalls Stevens was appointed territorial governor by President Franklin Pierce. Stevens came to the Bitterroot, expecting to find a military fort rather than a trading post. Nevertheless, he remained in the Bitterroot, and used the area as his territorial capital from 1853 until 1858 when he was recalled to active service. He was killed in the Civil War. It was Governor Stevens who laid out the streets for the town that now bears his name, and Stevensville served as county seat from the time of Ravalli County's formation in 1893 until 1895 when Marcus Daly was successful in getting the seat moved to Hamilton.

The Ravalli County Courthouse
Hamilton, Montana

The largest community in the county, Hamilton got its start when copper king Marcus Daly came to the valley looking for timber to shore up his mines in Butte. He built his own palatial home in the area, built the Bitterroot Stock Farm where he bred race horses, and laid out a company town where his employees could live. Daly was a forceful man who usually got what he wanted, and one of his pleasures was to see his town as county seat. In 1895, two years after the formation of Ravalli County, Daly got his wish, and Hamilton remains to this day the seat of the county. His home, the Daly Mansion, is now owned by the State of Montana, and is open for tours and special events on a seasonal basis.

Other Ravalli County communities include (from North to South): Florence, originally named One Horse, which straddles U.S. Highway 93 just a few miles south of the Missoula County line; Victor, named for Salish (Flathead) chief Victor; Corvallis, the heart of the valley on the east side of the Bitterroot River; Grantsdale, just a few miles south of Hamilton; Darby, approximately twenty miles south of Hamilton; and Sula, about ten miles north of Lost Trail Pass and the Idaho State Line.

The Brooks Hotel
Corvallis, Montana

Architecture isn't something one normally thinks about in Montana, but architect Frank Lloyd Wright spent time in the valley and left a few examples of his work, including the Alpine Meadows Ranch near Darby (originally the Como Orchards Summer Colony). This was supposed to be a major summer retreat center, and fifty-three cabins were planned, but only twelve were actually constructed. Wright also designed a house near Stevensville which has since been demolished. At the other end of the architectural spectrum is the Brooks Hotel in Corvallis. A lovely reminder of Victorian-era architecture, the building is actually built from a kit purchased through the Sears-Roebuck catalog. Beginning in 1916, the Brooks Hotel housed travelers and served the best Sunday dinner in the area for almost sixty years.

A Ravalli County Farm
East of Stevensville, Montana

Like the rest of Montana, Ravalli County has traditionally had an agriculture-based economy. Primary crops include wheat, sugar beets, apples and timber. Because of the sheltered topography of the Bitterroot Valley, the climate is much milder than other parts of Montana, and this has led to people choosing the county as a retirement home. During the 1970s and 80s, Ravalli County was one of the fastest growing counties in Montana. According to the 2010 US Census, there are 40,212 residents in the 2,394 square mile county, an average of 16.8 people per square mile and an 11.5% increase from the 2000 census.

Topographically, Ravalli County is mostly mountain land, with the Sapphire Mountains on its eastern flank, separating the county from Granite County (#46) and the Bitterroot Range of the Rockies on the western side marking the Montana/Idaho state line. The Bitterroot River flows in a generally northern direction, from its sources high in the southern mountains of the county, till it merges with the Clark Fork just west of Missoula. US Highway 93 is the only federal highway in the county, entering from Lemhi County, Idaho at Lost Trail Pass, and running parallel to the river right into the city of Missoula.

The county's website can be found at http://www.ravallicounty.mt.gov/

Skalkaho Falls
Montana Highway 38, east of Hamilton, Montana

Photo Information:

Unless otherwise noted, all photos were taken with a Nikon D80 DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera) and a Nikkor 16-85 mm wide angle/tele/zoom lens. All photos were finished using Photoshop CS4.

Ravalli County Sign: Taken using an iPhone camera on 5/9/2011 at the Missoula/Ravalli County Line on US Highway 93, north of Florence, Montana. Focal point was 3.9 mm, ISO 80, f /2.8, 1/1400 second.

Ravalli County Courthouse: Taken 12/12/2009 in Hamilton, Montana. Focal length was 24 mm, ISO 125, f /11.0, 1/90 second.

The Brooks Hotel: Taken

Ravalli County Farm: Taken 7/3/2010 on the Middle Burnt Fork Road, Stevensville, Montana. Lens was set at 16.0 mm, and camera settings were ISO 100, f /4.8, 1/500 second.

Skalkaho Falls: Taken 8/18/2009 at Skalkaho Falls on Montana Highway 38 east of Hamilton, Montana using the Nikon D80 with a Sigma 18-50 mm wide angle/tele/zoom lens set at 25 mm. The camera settings were ISO 125, f /4.8, 1/90 second.