Columbia Falls

Nestled in the stunning Flathead Valley, Columbia Falls offers authentic Montana hospitality and family entertainment. Centrally located near Glacier National Park, Flathead Lake, golf courses, and Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort, it provides year-round attractions, accommodations, and dining with genuine Montana charm and value.

Founded in 1891 in anticipation of the railroad's arrival, Columbia Falls initially faced challenges when the railway hub shifted to Kalispell. However, farming and logging attracted settlers, spurring growth. The Columbian newspaper praised its potential, highlighting abundant resources like timber and coal. Pioneers like Gaspard Martin and Lawrence Feirstein settled in the 1880s, laying the groundwork for a vibrant community reliant on farming, logging, and transportation via steamboats. Coal, discovered in 1887, further fueled economic activity. Despite setbacks, Columbia Falls flourished as a boomtown with the advent of a new northern rail line.

In 1945, a Minnesota lumberman [D.C. Dunham] relocated his company to Columbia Falls and renamed it Plum Creek. On the right side of the train, three of Plum Creek Timber Company’s facilities will come into view. 

In 2016, Weyerhaeuser Company acquired Plum Creek Timber Company, making it the largest private owner of timberland in the nation, with more than 13 million acres of timber.

Look for a small park on the right side of the Empire Builder that has on display an old, black, Shay steam locomotive, a relic from the days of logging railroads.

Today, its history reflects a pioneering spirit and resilience in the face of adversity, shaping it into the dynamic community it is today.

1) Columbia Falls. (n.d.). Flathead County MTGenWeb. https://flatheadgenweb.weebly.com/columbia-falls.html

2) Columbia Falls. (2024, April 24). https://www.visitmt.com/places-to-go/cities-and-towns/columbia-falls