Instructor

Welcome to the Empire Builder, departing from Whitefish, Montana, for points east. This audio narration of the Empire Builder’s route from Whitefish to Havre is sponsored by GeoTours4U. The tour presents information describing points of interest along the route. This information comes from a variety of sources including the public domain version of the route guide researched by volunteers of the Trails and Rails program of the National Park Service. The narrations were prepared as a class project by students studying in the Geography Department of the University of Washington. If you have comments or suggestions about this tour, please email "geotours4u@gmail.com". Geotours4u is spelled g, e, o, t, o, u, r, s, followed by the number 4, followed by the letter u.

Welcome departing Whitefish

The AMTRAK Empire Builder Train originates at the King Street Station in Seattle and terminates in Chicago. This tour covers the leg of this journey from Whitefish to Havre, Montana.

Montana’s nicknames include the “Big Sky Country,” for its wide open spaces, and the “Treasure State,” for its rich mineral resources and mining heritage. The United States acquired the area that includes Montana from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. In the early 1800s the residents of Montana were mostly the Native Americans who had lived here for hundreds of years and a few fur trappers who were working in this area. However, in the middle of the 1800s, gold was discovered. Gold is like a magnet -- and many gold-seekers traveled to Montana with hopes and dreams of striking it rich. In the late 1800s railroads were built and that brought many settlers, farmers and ranchers to the area. Today, Montana is big in size but small in population; it has only slightly more than one million residents. The economy in Montana is primarily based on agriculture, lumber, and mineral extraction. Tourism is also important to the economy, with millions visiting Glacier National Park, Little Bighorn Battlefield, and Yellowstone National Park. We will be in Montana most of the day and early evening. We hope we can make your trip both educational and entertaining as we roll along.

The Empire Builder has been traveling through the State of Montana for about the past 130 miles. Shortly we will begin our climb into the Rocky Mountains. Montana is the fourth largest state in total area. It is nearly 600 miles from East to West, and an average of 250 miles from North to South. The western third of the state is mountainous; eastern two thirds is Northern Great Plains

State of Montana

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.

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.

Columbia Falls

The Flathead River is 219 miles of free-flowing water in northwest Montana that spans an area from the Canadian border to the heart of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The designated reaches of the Flathead includes the North, Middle, and South Forks of the river. These forks travel through some of the most wild, rugged country in the United States, including Glacier National Park, Great Bear Wilderness, and Bob Marshall Wilderness before joining near Hungry Horse to create the mainstem Flathead River, a major tributary to the Columbia River.

Currently, we are traveling through Montana’s Flathead County. The Flathead River is to our right and is flowing west before it bends south and enters Flathead Lake. In 1976, the federal government designated 219 miles of the Flathead River system as a National Wild and Scenic River, which means it managed to maintain its natural primitive state.

Flathead River

About 15,000 years ago, the valleys of western Montana lay beneath a lake nearly 2,000 feet deep. Glacial Lake Missoula formed as the Cordilleran Ice Sheet dammed the Clark Fork River just as it entered Idaho. The rising water behind the glacial dam weakened it until water burst through in a catastrophic flood that raced across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington toward the Pacific Ocean. Thundering waves and chunks of ice tore away soils and mountainsides, deposited giant ripple marks, created the scablands of eastern Washington and carved the Columbia River Gorge. Over the course of centuries, Glacial Lake Missoula filled and emptied in repeated cycles, leaving its story embedded in the land. Glacial Lake Missoula, the largest of several Cordilleran Ice Sheet impounded lakes, spanned about 2,900 square miles, holding over 500 cubic miles of water.

Glacial Lake Missoula, formed by the Cordilleran Ice Sheet blocking the Clark Fork River, was a vast prehistoric lake in Western Montana near present-day Lake Pend Oreille. Its repeated filling and emptying from 13,000 to 15,000 years ago left enduring marks on the landscape, evident in car-sized boulders and the Channeled Scablands of eastern Washington. Geologists have studied its impact since J.T. Pardee's 1910 discovery of shoreline marks around Missoula.

Glacial Lake Missoula

Glacier National Park was established in 1910. It is the eighth oldest of the current 59 National Parks. In Glacier’s diverse habitats are found nearly 70 species of mammals, including the grizzly bear, wolverine, gray wolf and lynx, as well as over 270 species of birds. The landscape includes over 700 miles of maintained trails, making Glacier National Park a hiker’s paradise. The mountains and scenery are the result of spectacular geological events over the past 70 million years. In the late 1800s, geologists first recognized the existence of large overthrust faults in this area. Overthrusts are sections of the earth’s crust that have cracked, and where one side of the earth’s crust was then forced over the top of the other. The park offers different things to different people. For some, its importance is based on its nearly intact ecosystem of plants and animals. For others, the awesome beauty of nature is its own reward.

As you near Glacier National Park, the majestic mountains and breathtaking scenery for which the Park is renowned come into view. Spanning approximately 1,600 square miles, the Park safeguards a diverse landscape of dense forests, alpine meadows, lakes, peaks, and valleys sculpted by ancient glaciers, all nestled within the Northern Rocky Mountains.

About Glacier Park

Throughout its 105-year history, wildfires have significantly altered Glacier National Park's landscape. The ongoing Reynolds Creek Fire, consuming over 2,000 acres near St. Mary, is the latest testament to this fiery influence. Notably, the 2003 Roberts Fire, scorching 57,570 acres along Lake McDonald, remains a stark reminder of the fire's enduring impact. This fire, despite being considered stand-replacing, exhibited mixed severity. Within its perimeter, 24% burned intensely, while 57% showed partial burn, leaving 19% unscathed. Such fires, including the one in 2003, illustrate fire's intricate role in the park's ecological narrative. With numerous significant blazes over the years, fire has profoundly shaped the park's rich history. Before the middle of the 20th century, most forest managers believed that all forest fires should be fought and put out. In the 1960s that policy began to be questioned. Scientific research increasingly demonstrated the positive role fire played in forest ecology. This led in the early 1970s to a radical change in Forest Service policy—to let lightning-caused fires burn when and where appropriate. Since around 1990, fire suppression efforts and policy have had to take into account the protection of an increasing number of homes being built in forested settings. Another issue the Forest Service now faces and what we hear about more and more in the news is that fires have grown in size and ferocity over the last 25 years. While forest and wildland fires may appear devastating, scientists tell us that fires can be beneficial to the landscape for several reasons:<ul><li>Fires clean out dead branches and leaves;</li><li>Recycle nutrients into the soil;</li><li>Provide essential heat for releasing seeds for trees such as the lodgepole pine;</li><li>Provide openings for shade intolerant trees such as the ponderosa pine; and;</li><li>Create diversity in habitat for wildlife.</li></ul>One could argue that forest fires play a vital role in maintaining nature’s constant cycle of renewal – and that fires actually have hidden benefits.

In the summer of 2003, the Robert Fire was one of six large fires in and around Glacier National Park. These six fires together burned over a quarter of a million acres. The area burned inside the park was more than 10% of the total area of the park. The Roberts Fire grew from a fire started by a campfire. Some of the burned area can be seen to our left on the Apgar Mountains.

Roberts Fire

Early tourists accessed Glacier National Park via Belton Station on the Great Northern Railway. Milo Apgar and Charlie Howe began offering tourist services in the late 1800s, providing rental cabins, meals, and guided tours. The area surrounding Apgar saw settlement prior to the park's establishment in 1910. George Snyder built the Snyder Hotel in 1895, later replaced by the Lewis Glacier Hotel (Lake McDonald Lodge) in 1914, embodying Swiss design with native stone and cedar. The lodge welcomed guests arriving by boat until the opening of Going-to-the-Sun Road in 1929. Ownership transitioned to the National Park Service in 1930, eventually managed by Glacier Park, Inc. as Lake McDonald Lodge. Local outfitters provide hiking, fly-fishing, rafting, and camping trips, catering to outdoor enthusiasts. With a vibrant community boasting Montana-inspired shops, dining options, and accommodations, visitors can immerse themselves in the region's charm. Even in the quieter winter months, lodging options are available, ensuring year-round exploration opportunities.

West Glacier serves as the western entrance to Glacier National Park and the Park’s headquarters. This is also the southern end of the Going-to-the-Sun highway. In the 1890s this town’s name was Bell’s Town, which was later shortened to Belton. Glacier National Park has been important to the community since the park opened in 1910. In an effort to promote tourism after World War II, Belton residents voted to change the town’s name to West Glacier. That explains why you can still spot the name “Belton” on the siding sign displayed on West Glacier’s depot.

West Glacier

As the inaugural lodge established by the Great Northern Railroad, the Belton Chalet has stood as Glacier National Park's original gateway for over a century. Since its grand opening in 1910, it has epitomized modern hospitality in the west, welcoming guests arriving by train from across the nation. Renowned today for its refined dining and culinary excellence, the chalet's restaurant and tap house feature a diverse array of dishes crafted with locally-sourced ingredients. Restored to its original glory, the Belton Chalet stands as a quintessential example of Swiss-themed architecture in the American Alps, designated a National Historic Landmark.

The Belton Chalet is on our right across US Highway 2 about one block after we leave the station. This was one of the first hotels built by the Great Northern to serve its passengers on their tours inside Glacier National Park. The idea was to harmonize both the Chalet and Western Rustic-style architecture with the Park’s natural landscape. It’s been described as bringing a Swiss theme to the area promoted as the “American Alps.” The Belton Chalet is now in private hands, and celebrated its centennial along with that of Glacier National Park in 2010. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Belton Chalet

The Middle Fork of the Flathead River starts in Bob Marshall Wilderness, offering primitive recreation. From the headwaters to Schafer Meadows, it's unsuitable for floating due to narrow channels and log jams. Most trips start at Schafer Meadows, accessible by trail or aircraft. The float season is mid-May to mid-July, with peak runoff in late May, featuring Class four and five rapids. The lower section offers more accessible recreation, extending the float season to early September, with Class II to IV rapids. During the spring runoff, the Middle Fork of the Flathead River is often murky. During the summer, it is very clear with a slight bluish-green cast caused by glacial flour. Glacial flour is one of the many direct results of active glaciers. As glaciers scour the rock, the resulting sediment flows out of the bottom of the glacier and into rivers and lakes. The sediment is so fine that it neither floats at the top nor sinks; but remains suspended in the water. We may see some kayaking, whitewater rafting and fishermen along the river.

For the next 30 miles, we will be traveling in an area little changed since the 1890s. The scenery along the Middle Fork of the Flathead River appears pretty much as it would have had your grandparents or great-grandparents traveled the route of the Empire Builder. Enjoy the natural beauty of the river, the geology of the rocks, and the forest. We may spot some birds and animals. We will pass through six tunnels on the way to our next stop at Essex.

Middle Fork Flathead River

In the early 1900s, before cars became more numerous, travel within the Park was primarily by horseback. At one time, the saddle horse concession had 1,000 head of horses. Two and three week saddle trips were popular. Guests could choose the overnight comfort of staffed chalets, or rough it in tent camps during their wilderness horseback trips. Each hotel, chalet and tent camp was spaced about a day’s horseback ride from the next. Trail rides into the heart of the Park along rivers and lakes, over steep mountains and through eerie forests, and living in tents and tipis on grass-covered meadows was a safe version of the Old West for many early tourists. The flames of the campfire, sleeping outside on cots or in sleeping bags, viewing the millions of stars shining in the dark night sky of the Rockies, and smelling freshly brewed coffee from a campfire in the early morning, left an indelible impression on visitors otherwise accustomed to the comforts of home. The Park enjoyed tremendous prosperity from its opening in 1910 to the late 1920s. But the increasing popularity of automobile travel, along with the impacts of the Great Depression and World War II, led to a decline of the Park’s operations. Some of the original lodges and chalets were dismantled. In recent years Glacier National Park has rebuilt and restored several of these buildings. Prices have changed since the 1920s. A typical night at a chalet with meals back then cost $4. In2017, the price ranges from $115 to $425. A seven-day horseback riding tour cost $34 in 1920, compared to today’s going rate of about $40 an hour. The Park has had to change with the times to keep pace with our changing lifestyles, interests and expectations. I think Louis Hill would be quite amazed at all the changes in the past 100 years.

Louis Hill was the son of Great Northern Railway founder James J. Hill, and his successor as its CEO. Louis Hill constructed many of the early lodges and chalets within the Park to attract visitors to the park and passengers for his trains. He also created a marketing campaign around the slogan “See America First – Glacier National Park.”

Louis Hill and Early Park Life

Nestled southeast of West Glacier lies Nyack Flats, a floodplain cherished by researchers from the Flathead Lake Biological Station since the 1980s. Despite the nearby highways and railways, Nyack Flats remains a haven for stoneflies, emblematic of its thriving ecosystem. Through diligent monitoring, scientists unveil vital environmental insights, emphasizing Nyack's significance amidst global threats to floodplains. Its untamed beauty and scientific allure underscore Nyack Flats' pivotal role in advancing our understanding of natural ecosystems and the urgent need for their preservation. As a bastion of biodiversity, Nyack Flats serves as a testament to the delicate balance between human activity and the preservation of invaluable natural habitats.

To the left of the train is Nyack Flats, also known as Nyack Meadows. This is an important elk feeding and calving ground. Sometimes in the morning, elk and deer can be spotted in the pastureland with the cattle. If you see elk or deer, call out and point. Great Bear Mountain, Mt. Penrose , and Nyack Mountain can be seen on the right side of the window. These mountains tower more than 7500 feet respectively, with Mt. Penrose the tallest being at 7,875 feet tall.

Nyack Flats

Situated on the northeast slope of Great Northern Mountain in Flathead National Forest, Montana, Stanton Glacier is a significant feature. This glacier, along with others, is closely monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey's Glacier Monitoring Research program. The program studies changes in the mass balance of glaciers in and around Glacier National Park. Stanton Glacier, positioned just one mile northwest of Grant Glacier, serves as a focal point for understanding glacier dynamics in the region. Its inclusion in the monitoring program underscores its importance in assessing the impact of environmental changes on the broader ecosystem. It is also a popular place to participate in skiing.

While we can view landscapes that have been carved by glaciers, we cannot see any of the Park’s glaciers from the train. The glaciers in the Park are generally on the northern exposures of the mountains, and from our current perspective we are looking at the mountains’ southern exposures. Although we cannot see any of the glaciers inside the Park, we may see one glacier that is just outside the Park. Atop Great Northern Mountain noted to be 8705 feet, to our right is Stanton Glacier. When the view of the mountain is clear, we will have a one or two second time window in which to spot the glacier, located just below the peak

Stanton Glacier

What is a glacier? A glacier is a slow-moving river of ice. To be classified as a glacier, a body of ice must be:<ul><li>at least 100 vertical feet thick, </li><li>at least 25 acres in size, </li><li>and be moving, whether advancing or retreating. </li></ul>Glacier National Park has been home to many glaciers. The earliest count of glaciers in this area was in about 18 50. At that time the Park area had about 150 glaciers. Our climate has been changing over the past 150 plus years. And today only 25 of those 150 glaciers remain. If these trends continue, all of the remaining glaciers in Glacier National Park are forecast to be downgraded to ice fields or disappear entirely by 2030. The loss of glaciers is undeniable evidence that our climate is changing.

We are passing by the southern boundary of Glacier National Park so let’s talk about glaciers for a few minutes. We cannot see any of the Park’s glaciers from the train – the glaciers are on the northern exposures of the mountains, and we see the mountain’s southern exposures from the train.

Glacier Terminology

Mount Saint Nicholas has an elevation of over 9,300 feet. Mountain climbers consider it the most dangerous and technically demanding ascent in Glacier National Park. Mount Saint Nicholas may be seen from several vantage points along our journey between Nyack and Essex.

Across the river valley in the mountains of Glacier National Park is a sight more often associated with the Swiss Alps than the Rocky Mountains. Mount Saint Nicholas is recognizable by its close resemblance to the Matterhorn. Legend has it that the mountain also resembles Saint Nicholas’ hat, a bishop’s miter or tall cap. The sides of the original mountain have been carved away by glaciers, leaving its central core. What is left, and what we see today, is technically called a horn. Most horns, however, are the spired remnants of the sides of larger mountains, as opposed to a remnant center.

Mount Saint Nicholas

Native American tribes used this pass as a hunting trail. The Blackfeet used the pass both to trade with and to raid other indigenous people to their west, including the Salish-Kootenai. And other tribes used the trail on their annual trek to the Northern Great Plains to hunt bison. In 1891, Engineer Stevens went on to locate a route through the Cascade Mountains in Washington. In later years he would serve as Chief Engineer of the Panama Canal project, a major portion of which involved the construction of a railroad across the isthmus of Panama. The Marias River east of the Continental Divide was named for Maria Wood, cousin of Captain Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Marias Pass acquired its name in later years from the name of the nearby Marias River.

In about 30 minutes our route will take us over Marias Pass and the Continental Divide. For years, explorers and surveyors had attempted to find a suitable railroad passage through the Rocky Mountains near the Canadian border. Even Lewis and Clark missed this pass, which could have shortened the length of their Rocky Mountain journey and lessened its hardships. Though this area was well-known to the indigenous people of the Blackfeet and Salish-Kootenai tribes, it wasn’t until December 1889 that Chief Engineer John F. Stevens plowed through four feet of snow in temperatures of -40 degrees Fahrenheit, which is -40 degrees Celsius, reconnoitering Marias Pass for the Great Northern Railway. The railroad line we are following today was completed over Marias Pass in 1893.

History of Marias Pass

The tracks in front of the hotel provide a staging area for snowplows and helper engines. Diesel helper engines are still used today to push freight trains up the steep grades of Marias Pass. You can still see the water tower that was used to supply water to the steam locomotives that once stopped here. The blue and white Great Northern Railway locomotive and red cabooses to the right of the hotel contain luxury accommodations for overnight lodging. The overpass here is a pathway leading to outdoor recreation opportunities including hiking and cross-country skiing.

Essex, at an elevation of nearly 3,900 feet, was formerly known as Walton before being renamed in 1947. Just before the train stop we will pass by the Izaak Walton Inn on our left. It’s named after the famous British author, angler and naturalist. This three-story Bavarian-style structure first opened in 1939 as a bunkhouse to house crews of the Great Northern Railway in the winter. The building became a private hotel in 1950. Look on the porch of the Izaak Walton Inn for guests and employees greeting us with a wave as the train passes by. Wave back! This is a longstanding tradition of the Inn.

Essex

These goats were featured in the Great Northern Railway’s logo and advertising beginning in 1928.

We will be crossing the Sheep Creek Bridge in a moment, with a view across the valley of the area known as the Walton Goat Lick.  Mountain goats prefer the rocky cliffs at higher elevations, yet descend each spring from the high country to the natural mineral licks along the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.  The goats need the salts and minerals found in these eroding banks, visible [to the northeast] across the river from the train. Once in a while, mountain goats can be spotted on the mountainside across the river above the highway in the rocks and open green areas.  They are also regular visitors to the cliffs below the highway.  If the mountain goats are there, they will be far enough away to appear as small grayish-white “cotton balls.”

Walton Goat Lick and Sheep Creek Bridge

This is a Pratt deck truss bridge over the Middle Fork of the Flathead River &amp; Java Creek on Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroad's Hi-Line Subdivision. The bridge was built in 1900. The bridge has undoubtedly been strengthened, but not replaced, since original construction. The total Length is 740 Feet. The length of the longest span is 225 Feet.

Shortly, we will be crossing the Java East Bridge over the Flathead River. As we cross the trestle, there are dramatic views of the river and valley on both sides of the train. The Java East Bridge marks the place where we leave the Middle Fork of the Flathead River and begin traveling up a steepening grade to the summit of Marias Pass. The double track main line we will be traveling on is constructed of continuous welded rail and concrete ties. This is one of the smoother mountain railroad right-of-ways in the United States. This is the most southerly point of Glacier National Park.

Java Creek Bridge 

An avalanche chute is a steep, narrow channel or gully on a mountain slope where avalanches commonly occur. The shape of an avalanche chute typically resembles a V or U-shaped trough. The chutes have been swept clear of trees and brush and appear as a vertical scar on the mountain side. Avalanche chutes are prone to avalanches due to several factors, including the steepness of the terrain, the accumulation of snow, changes in temperature, and the presence of weak layers within the snowpack. When these factors combine, they can trigger a sudden release of snow and ice down the chute, creating a powerful and potentially dangerous avalanche. Avalanches are thought of as destructive, but mother nature has also created them to be beneficial:• An avalanche chute creates a natural barrier to contain a forest fire;• They create an open area for animals to roam, graze, and even make their homes;• They bring new nutrients to the soil as well;• Vegetation diversity in a slide path creates habitat diversity; and• Avalanches also can add snow to glacier packs.

Look across the valley at the vertical scar running down the mountain. That is an avalanche chute. When snow builds up at the top in the winter and spring, it can roar down the avalanche chute, tearing away all the vegetation. Each year new trees and bushes sprout up, but the next winter’s avalanche tears them out and the cycle starts over again. We will pass through a series of eight snow sheds. If we could see through the snow shed over our heads, we would see an avalanche chute aimed directly at us. If an avalanche were to come down that chute during the winter or early spring, the snow, rocks and trees would shoot over the top of us into the valley below, thanks to this snow shed. In the accompanying photo, you can see the avalanche chutes that the snow sheds provide protection for on this train route. These snow sheds allow the trains to continue to operate safely during the winter. Many of the timbers used in these snow sheds were salvaged from the snow sheds of the previous route of the Great Northern Railway over Stevens Pass in Washington.

Snow Sheds

In the valley below lies the now-vanished town of McCarthyville. This timber and railroad construction town prospered for only two or three years in the early 1890s. It was located at the farthest point horse-drawn vehicles could travel up Bear Creek toward Marias Pass. Because of its isolation, it was an ideal hideout for criminals running from the law. Some called it “the toughest town in Montana.” In its brief heyday, McCarthyville was home to about 1,000 residents, 32 saloons, numerous gambling halls, and eight “houses of ill-fame.” Its cemetery eventually contained about 200 graves, many the victims of gunshot wounds. A makeshift infirmary was built by the railroad who hired a veterinarian to treat the injured. He was paid $1 for each patient. Many of his patients soon went out the back door and were added to the cemetery population. Things did not improve until a mob took matters into their own hands and chased the doctor out of town. McCarthyville did boast of one new resident---a healthy baby boy born in 1891. The town was gradually abandoned after the completion of the Great Northern Railway route through the area. Most of the buildings caught fire and burned to the ground in 1921. About all that remains today are two structures, one of which once housed the post office. One of McCarthyville’s most colorful characters was William “Slippery Bill” Morrison, one of the first seasonal rangers appointed in the Lewis and Clark National Forest Reserve in 1901. Although he staked out a 160-acre claim and built a cabin at Marias Pass Summit, it was said that he’d rather make $10 gambling than $100 any other way. He got his name around 18 90 in a poker game. It was getting late and Bill was a heavy winner. He realized that his chances of leaving the game and getting home with his winnings were almost nil, so he pocketed most of his winnings. Leaving a small amount of money on the table, Bill left the game, announcing that he would “be right back.” He skipped town and made it home safely, thus earning the nickname “Slippery Bill.” Morrison Creek and Slippery Bill Mountain are named for him and can be found a few miles south of the summit in the Flathead National Forest.

We are coming to an area known as Blacktail Siding. Here the train will go around a horseshoe curve. We should be able to see both ends of the train at the same time. Trains aren’t like cars that can make a quick turn around a right-angle corner. In fact, the track in this horseshoe curve is about the maximum curvature a train can negotiate. In 1985 a westbound freight train derailed and spilled hundreds of tons of corn in this area. Despite efforts by railway crews to clean up the spill, both black and grizzly bears came to feed on the corn. “By the spring of 1987 the corn had fermented, and officials began receiving reports of bears getting tipsy after eating the spoiled spillage. News reports about the ‘drunken bears’ in Glacier Park were carried around the world, and flocks of spectators soon began gathering. Concerned about erratic behavior of the bears and the large number of people gathering, officials closed the area and mixed the leftover corn with lime, hoping the chemical reaction would stop the aroma from attracting bears.” The lime may have helped, or the fermentation process may have simply run its course, but only one group of grizzly bears was sighted in the area the following year. Three more derailments involving a total of more than 100 grain cars came during the winter of 1988-1989, dumping some 10,000 tons of grain and corn on the hillside. “The bears awoke in spring and began to assist in the cleanup. Rangers tell of 11 bears at any one time gorging on the mounds of corn. So blissfully content was one grizzly that it lay down on its side and simply scooped corn into its face until it could eat no more. Little bears ate peaceably right along with the big ones, and even some black bears – which normally flee at the sight of the bully grizzlies – came to join in the feast. Wildlife biologists figure that bears will remember and visit the scene each spring just to double check for as long as they live, which for grizzlies is about 25 years.

Blacktail Siding and Horseshoe Curve 

Currently, what you see is the results of the largest known insect infestation in North American history. To-date 92 million acres have been destroyed by the bark beetle. Bark beetle infestation has been occurring for a very long time. But, in the past, the population cycle fluctuated, decreasing during times of adequate moisture, freezing temperatures and healthy forests composed of a variety of trees of different species. The past several decades have been distinguished by higher temperatures, drought and same-species forests of a more uniform age. There is no effective form of treatment for a forest infestation, although individual trees may be successfully treated to deter the beetles.

You have probably noticed that many of the trees in view are not green, but either rust-colored, gray, or black. Those that are rust-colored or gray and scattered seemingly at random have in all likelihood been killed by bark beetle infestation. Those trees that are black and distinguished by the large area of destruction are evidence of forest fire. The bark beetle is a flying insect which at maturity is the size of a long grain of rice. The beetles bore through the bark to reach the tree’s cambium layer and lay their eggs. Once hatched, the larvae create feeding tunnels that encircle or "girdle" the tree. This "blocks" the flow of water and nutrients within the tree and it dies. The first growth season the tree is attacked it may appear outwardly healthy and green. After that it will turn rust-red, then gray, as it loses its needles and becomes a dead tree. At this point the larvae have grown to mature adults and migrate to other trees.

Bark Beetle Infestation

On our left you may see the mountains known as the Glacier Park Ramparts. Sometimes the mountains are obscured by clouds. Notice the prominent horizontal line midway up the mountains. That line is the result of major geologic movement. The Rocky Mountains were formed over a period of 130 million years as two of the earth’s crustal plates collided and crumpled the continent into a chain of mountains thousands of miles long. Here the pressure was so intense that a 350 mile long section of very old rocks was shoved up and over the much younger rocks for a horizontal distance of 50 miles. This upside-down situation is known as the Lewis Overthrust.

We have now climbed to nearly a mile above sea level and we are at the summit of Marias Pass. Marias Pass is the lowest and easiest transcontinental railway route across the Rocky Mountains between Canada and New Mexico. The Continental Divide marks the point where water to the west flows to the Pacific Ocean and water east of the divide flows to the Gulf of Mexico. The Continental Divide is marked by a tall stone obelisk to our right across US Highway 2. The obelisk is dedicated to President Theodore Roosevelt, who was an early proponent of the establishment and preservation of lands for our National Parks. To its left is a statue of John F. Stevens, who first explored Marias Pass for the Great Northern Railway in 1889.

Marias Pass

When the Smileys lived here, the only way to board or alight from the train was to jump on or off when the train slowed as it passed by. That included when Clara came home after the birth of each of their two children. She actually tossed each child to Glenn, who was waiting by the tracks, before jumping off the train herself. Clara and Glenn eventually moved to East Glacier, where they opened a meat market and bakery in 1921. It was a success for many years, with Glenn’s business sense and Clara’s baking talents. Glenn passed away in 1928, and Clara eventually shut the business down due to the effects of the Great Depression.

Lubec Lake will soon appear on the left side of the train. This is a popular spot for photographers. When the wind is calm and the lake is ripple-free, you can capture the reflection of the Glacier Park Ramparts off the lake. When looking at Lubec Lake, you may see a beaver lodge on the left in the foreground, what appears to be an old hunting cabin on the left, the long rail fence in the foreground on the right, and perhaps even an occasional moose off in the distance. The cabin-like structure is the only remaining building from Glenn and Clara Smiley’s homestead. Glenn started a thriving lumber business here in 1910. In 1915 he married Clara who had come west on her own to homestead near Rudyard in 1913. After her claim was stolen by a crooked land agent, she found a job at Glacier Park Lodge, where she met Glenn. In 1921, the Smileys moved to East Glacier. They sold their homestead in 1930, and the house and barn were taken apart for use in a new building across the road. The building you see next to Lubec Lake was once a bunkhouse for the logging company workers.

Lubec Lake

Glacier Park Lodge, here at East Glacier, is actually located on the Blackfeet Reservation. The land was purchased over a century ago from the Piegan, a tribe of the Blackfeet Nation. Though we are only about two miles from the boundary of Glacier National Park, the nearest major park entrance is at Saint Mary, about 30 miles north of here. The large pillars inside and outside of the hotel are 700-year old Douglas firs that were shipped here from the State of Washington. The 60 columns each measure 40 feet in height and three feet in diameter. With these dimensions and their weight of about 15 tons, only two of the timbers could be loaded and carried on a railroad flat car at a time. Mule teams then dragged the columns to the hotel site. These timbers support the verandas and form a colonnade in the lobby. Those inside still retain their original bark. When the lodge was built in 1913, the local Indians were quite impressed with the large trees brought from far away and the massive lodge structure. The Indians named the new lodge “Omahkoyis,” which translates as “Big Tree Lodge.” The opening was said to be a joyous celebration – in addition to some 600 invited guests, hundreds of Blackfeet Indians erected tipis on the grounds. The National Park Service acquired the hotel after World War II and maintains the Glacier Park Lodge as a summer tourist hotel for Park visitors.

We are approaching East Glacier Station, a summer-season stop for the Empire Builder. The present depot opened in 1912 and became the eastern rail entrance to both Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park just across the Canadian border. The following year, the Glacier Park Hotel opened just north of the station and is framed beautifully under the watchful eye of Dancing Lady Mountain. In order to promote both the railroad and Glacier National Park, the Great Northern hired local Blackfeet members to meet the train at East Glacier in full regalia, pose with passengers for photos, and entertain tourists at what is now known as Glacier Park Lodge. In earlier years, a small town popped up to our right consisting of railroad employees and settlers. Back in those days it was called Midvale (probably because it was in the middle of the valley). The name was changed in 1913 at the same time as West Glacier to give a point of reference for visitors. Today, East Glacier Park, Montana has about 500 full-year residents.

East Glacier Park

The original 215 foot high railway bridge was constructed in the late 1800s using 750,000 board feet of lumber. In high winds, it was not unusual for the trestle to sway six feet from its center line. Good news -- You will be pleased to know that the original bridge has since been replaced with the current, more rigid steel structure.

We are about to cross the Two Medicine Bridge over the Two Medicine River. This is the highest trestle that the Empire Builder crosses between Seattle and Chicago. Good views of the river on both sides of the train as we cross the bridge.

Two Medicine Bridge

In total, the Blackfeet Nation manages about 800 animals. Some bison have recently been introduced into the area near Chief Mountain. It’s the home the bison always had, a place where the Blackfeet Indian Reservation’s rolling foothills adjoin the ragged edge of the Rocky Mountain Front to form one of the most diverse ecosystems in North America, and where, for a century-and-a-half, the glaring absence of bison has conjured painful memories of cultural and ecological collapse for members of the Blackfeet Nation.

Bison Reserve

Centuries ago, the Blackfeet traveled the Northern Great Plains, including large parts of what are now Montana, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Much of their sustenance came from their prowess in hunting the bison, or American buffalo. Historically, Blackfeet traditions were passed down from generation to generation by story tellers who adhered to accuracy and were respected elders. These unwritten stories have gained recognition among non-Indian scholars as accurate historical records and led to a greater appreciation of the richness of the Blackfeet culture. Though fierce attempts to defend their homeland failed to forestall settlement, the Blackfeet have proven a resilient and indomitable people, using natural resources in creative and ingenious ways to survive. In recent years, the Blackfeet have adopted a constitution with a tribal council, and are asserting their legal rights, while striving to restore their culture and preserve their language. The Blackfeet are thought to have acquired their name because of the characteristic black color of their moccasins, painted or darkened with ashes. Another story tells of French fur traders, who encountered the tribe in the early 1700s along the banks of the Saskatchewan River, after the Indians had been traveling on foot through areas of burned prairie that left black ash stains on their leggings and moccasins.

Between Marias Pass and Cut Bank we pass through the Blackfeet Reservation. The present reservation is what remains of a much larger tribal homeland after several land cessions in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, including the present railroad right of way and much of Glacier National Park. Of the over 15,000 enrolled tribal members, about 7,000 live on or near the reservation. The Blackfeet in Montana are part of a confederation with two Blackfoot tribes in Canada, the Siksika (or Northern Blackfoot) and the Kainah (or Blood). The Montana Blackfeet are known as the Piegan or Pikuni. The confederation, whose tribes trace their ancestry back to ice age hunters, has been divided by the U.S. Canadian border since the 1870s. By the late 1870s, the prairie ecosystems had been shattered beyond repair by the arrival of Euro-American settlers. The Blackfeet ceded land under social and economic distress, and thought the land would be shared, as they had reserved their rights to hunt, gather, travel, and hold sacred ceremonies. The U.S. government took the position that these rights were extinguished upon the National Park’s creation in 1910. The Blackfeet have never accepted this.

Blackfeet Reservation, History and Culture 

The safety measures implemented by the BNSF Railway include the extensive use of anemometers, the technical name for wind gauges. Strategically positioned across the prairie, these devices serve as guardians against potentially hazardous wind conditions. When wind speeds escalate to unsafe levels, dispatchers promptly intervene, directing trains to either slow down or halt operations until the winds diminish, ensuring the safety of passengers and cargo. Furthermore, the landscape adjacent to the railway often features additional protective structures, such as snow fences. Positioned strategically along the hillsides, these barriers serve a dual purpose. Primarily, they act as windbreaks, mitigating the velocity of winds sweeping across the plains and reducing the risk of derailment or other weather-related incidents. Additionally, snow fences are crucial in managing winter conditions by intercepting snowdrifts, preventing them from accumulating on the tracks, and impeding train movement. By deploying these comprehensive safety measures, the BNSF Railway prioritizes the secure and efficient transportation of goods and passengers across its extensive network.

The structure alongside the tracks is a high-tech wind fence. The Browning area is known for its 60 to 100-mile-per-hour winds. These winds typically come from the west and can be strong enough to blow empty freight cars right off the tracks. The wind fence here on this north-south stretch of track was designed to prevent this from happening.

Wind Fences

Browning is the site of the non-profit Blackfeet Community College, which incorporates traditions and culture study in its courses and prepares students with skills needed in the community, such as teachers, nurses, business management, technology, etc. Browning's innovative Moccasin Flat School was founded by Blackfeet educators Darrell Kipp and Dorothy Still Smoking for the purpose of reviving the Blackfeet language among the people. Native American languages were stifled (at least 150 have been totally lost) by the US government's push to eradicate Indian culture. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, children forced into boarding schools were punished for speaking their native tongues. The Blackfeet language, spoken by only a few elders, hovered on the edge of extinction in the 1980s when Kipp and Still Smoking conceived of an immersion school. With Edward Little Plume, a rancher fluent in the language, they founded the Piegan Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching, preserving, and promoting the Blackfeet language. A decade later, after much study and focused work, the Institute opened the Moccasin Flat School. Children attend the school starting at age three and soon learn to speak Blackfeet. They, in turn, teach their parents. In time, the language will be revived as a vibrant foundation for cultural revival. The Moccasin Flat School serves as a model for other tribes.

Located in central Montana and known for its very high winds, Browning is the only incorporated town on the Blackfeet reservation and serves as the tribal headquarters. Browning is the home of the Museum of the Plains Indian, which showcases the history, culture, artifacts, and artistic abilities of the Northern Great Plains tribes.

Browning 

The Hi-Line’s development can be traced to the Great Northern Railway. The railroad moved thousands of farmers and ranchers into Montana and then moved their crops out to market. A multitude of towns were founded along the rail line, which served as supply and transportation points for otherwise remote farmers and ranchers. Shortly thereafter, U.S. Highway 2 was constructed.  The Hi-Line’s heydays were in the 1920s. Unfortunately, demand for many products raised and cultivated in this region dropped with the onset of the Great Depression and further declined during prolonged drought conditions in the mid-1930s. The Montana Hi-Line briefly prospered again during World War II.

We are traveling in an area referred to as the Montana Hi-Line. It’s comprised of rolling prairie, seemingly endless fields of wheat, large herds of cattle, and statuesque mountains to the west. To Montana residents, the Hi-Line typically refers to the part of Montana along these railroad tracks and U.S. Highway 2, south of the Canadian border, stretching from North Dakota in the east to Idaho in the west, a distance of more than 650 miles.

Montana Hi-Line

On the way back from the expedition, Captain Lewis, George Drouillard and the two Fields brothers moved up the Marias River near the end of July. The point of this was to look for a channel of the Missouri River. The hope for this channel was that it would extend north and pass through the 50th parallel. If this were the case this would mean that more property could be acquired by the United States for the Louisiana Purchase. Along the Cut Bank River, east of what is now Browning, Lewis was able to view the river leaving the mountains. This led him to the conclusion that the river did not go to the 50th Parallel; with this disappointment came the name of the site. When viewing the site one can see the mountains of Glacier National Park in the distance. Camp Disappointment is dedicated by a monument placed there by the Great Northern Railway in 1925. There is also a sign at milepost 233 along US Highway 2 from Browning and Cut Bank. This sign is just 4 miles exactly south of the real location of the camp that the explorers arrived at on 23 July 1806. In order to view the real location visitors must have exclusive approval from the private property owner. The explorers stayed at the location from July 22 to 26 July 1806. Along with the other hope Lewis had concerning the 50th Parallel, his findings here at the site proved disappointing for another hope of his. Lewis wanted to discover a simple importing path from the Marias and Saskatchewan rivers that would make it possible for the U.S. to veer Canadian fur trade into U.S. property at the Missouri River. However, having not been able to make either of his hopes a reality, Lewis and the other men left the camp site. On the adventure back, they encountered some Piegan Native Americans and stayed with them overnight. However, the next morning the first and single skirmish during the entire journey happened at Two Medicine Fight Site. Camp Disappointment is now known as one of the many National Historic Landmarks in the country.

Camp Disappointment is the farthest northern location that the Lewis and Clark Expedition explored. The location received its name from Lewis due to his disappointment that the location did not have what he was looking for. This site is about 12 miles northeast of Browning at the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The site was dedicated on 15 October 1966.

Camp Disappointment

Many wheat fields in this area are planted in long narrow strips called "strip-cropping.” Alternating north-south strips are either planted or left fallow for two reasons: First, the region is so dry that it takes two years to accumulate enough moisture to grow a crop, and second, the pattern helps control wind-caused soil erosion. The fields run north to south because the wind blows from the west – this orientation reduces erosion. Many hedgerows that you see today are the Russian Olive bush, not related to olives but a tree from the interior portion of Russia. The Russian Olive looks like a brambly bush.  Note: Aside from Russian Olive, the other bush used as a windbreak is called Caragana. Caragana is very green and thus very distinguishable from the smoky color of Russian Olive. Caragana is also called Siberian Pea Bush. It originated in Siberia and Manchuria. It tolerates alkaline soils and very cold weather. It is suggested that Caragana is less evasive than Russian Olive, and that a lot of it is being pulled out and we see more Caragana than Russian Olive.

We are passing fields of winter wheat, spring wheat and barley. The difference between winter and spring wheat is the time of year when it is planted. Spring wheat is sown in April and harvested in August, while winter wheat is sown in October and harvested in July. Winter wheat needs a period of cold temperatures to create grain heads, whereas spring wheat does not.

Agriculture

As we cross the bridge you can see the distinctive banks of the creek that give Cut Bank its name. Cut Bank Creek is the eastern boundary of the Blackfeet Nation. Before the Great Northern Railway arrived in 1890 to open a small station and construct one of the larger trestles on the line across Cut Bank Creek, few Americans had been to this area, though it was inhabited by the indigenous people of the Northern Great Plains. Meriwether Lewis and his small party traveled and camped along Cut Bank Creek over 200 years ago. Cut Bank’s population has varied widely over the last century, mostly in response to the ups and downs of the railroad and the oil and gas industry. In the 1970s, the town had over 5,000 residents; today it’s about 3,000 residents. Cut Bank is susceptible to extreme weather. According to the National Weather Service, the hottest temperature on record was 107°F (42 C) back in August, 1961. The coldest temperature on record is -47°F (-44 C) in February, 1936, and the coldest wind chill temperature is -86°F (-66 C).

As we approach the city of Cut Bank we will be crossing the 1,200 foot long, 160 foot high Cut Bank Creek Bridge. The current structure was opened to rail traffic in 1900. Because of oil production in the area, the trestle was considered strategic to the World War II effort and needed to be protected. During that time, armed guards were posted on this bridge 24 hours a day to prevent sabotage.

Cut Bank Creek

Wind farms are common sights these days as our nation shifts more and more toward renewable energy. This wind farm is now almost ten years old and is one of the largest in the state of Montana. Its 140 turbines generate enough electric power to supply 25,000 homes. Electricity generated by the Glacier Wind Farm is transmitted by the western US power grid to renewable energy customers as far away as San Diego, California. Montana's wind farms generate millions of dollars in taxes that benefit the state and counties. Additionally, land lease payments benefit landowners, and maintaining the turbines creates stable local job opportunities, which helps stabilize the local economy.

We’ve been commenting on the strong winds that occur here on the Montana Hi-Line. Those strong winds can be both a curse and a blessing. The blessing is in the energy generated by the wind farm you see on the right. The energy produced by these wind turbines is channeled downward into electrical ground cables that allow for transfer into the energy grid.

Wind Farms

The railroads actively promoted settlement, frequently advertising and recruiting in Europe – particularly in wheat-growing regions in Germany and German-speaking parts of Russia. Entire villages were established on the plains by immigrants brought in as a group on special trains. Others traveled here in hopes of gaining title to initially 160 (and later 320) acres after “proving up” their homesteads. Many intended to settle and farm, lured by assurances from the railroads, newspapers and even professors that dry farming was scientifically proven. They soon found out that they were the victims of a cruel hoax. The explorer and scientist John Wesley Powell had warned in a report to the Secretary of the Interior that in the dry West each farm would need a minimum of 2,560 acres to survive, and time has proven him correct. Modern farms in the Northern Great Plains average 2,500 to 3,000 acres each. But Congress ignored Powell, and what homesteaders soon discovered was that a few years of bountiful rain were followed by drought, and that the amount of land necessary to be successful as a farmer or rancher was far in excess of a homestead allotment. Among those who suffered the greatest hardships were women, many of whom had to carry water several miles for their family’s use, while trying to raise children in a 10 foot by 14 foot tar paper-covered shack that was staked down to prevent it from being blown away. Most settlers found their claims were worthless or sold them for very little and moved on. Nevertheless, the movement onto the lands, which were frequently taken from Native Americans without adequate compensation and then declared public and open for sale, did in fact settle much of the vast landscape and the open horizons of the American West.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, thousands of homesteaders staked their claims and their hopes on a dream of freedom and independence in the West. More homesteading claims were filed in Montana than in any other state. This saw a rise of individuals chasing a self sufficient agricultural lifestyle.

Homesteading

The typical Montana wheat farm is around 3,000 acres in size, although some are larger than 10,000 acres. A typical wheat farmer may have farm equipment worth well over eight hundred thousand dollars. Together with the value of the land, a farmer may have an investment exceeding several million dollars. In addition, a farmer must have knowledge of plant diseases and disease control, weed control, soil conditions, and fertilizers, know when best to sell the wheat, and understand a host of other technical issues. Aside from spring wheat and the predominate winter wheat, farmers on the high plains grow malting barley, canola oil seed, and flax. Canola has a yellow flowering head, and flax has a blue flowering head. In certain areas where there is sufficient water, farmers grow hay (grass and alfalfa), and ranchers raise cattle. In August, crops take on different colors: wheat is reddish-brown, and barley is light tan.

With vast plots of land in central Montana, agriculture has always been imbedded in the culture. Farmers are reintroducing an old type of wheat growing method. Instead of strip-cropping that requires tilling the soil, they are utilizing a practice known as “no-till” or “chem fallow.” Instead of tilling the soil, they plant the wheat in the existing wheat stubble, controlling the weeds with chemicals.

Farmers

I want to take you back in time almost 100 years. It’s 1923 – World War I is over, the Great Depression has not yet begun. It was the Roaring 20s. Jack Dempsey was the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion.  Oil had recently been discovered in the Shelby area. This discovery created a real estate boom. During a lull in the frenzy in the winter of 1923, two real estate agents decided they wanted to attract national attention to further the sales of Toole County property. Shelby had been marketed nationally as the “Tulsa of the West.”  Real estate salesman James “Body” Johnson read that Montreal, Canada had offered $100,000 to World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Jack Dempsey to hold a championship fight. Initially unbeknownst to local officials, Johnson offered $200,000 for Dempsey to fight in Shelby. National press soon focused on the town, even though the real estate agents had no intention of actually holding the fight – simply stretching out attention on Shelby as long as possible. Town elders had no idea that the offer was simply a publicity stunt and endorsed the proposal for Dempsey to fight challenger Tommy Gibbons. The publicity stunt soon became reality.  Unfortunately for the town, Dempsey’s manager, “Doc” Kearns, would accept the offer, but only after allegedly getting Shelby’s representative inebriated, upping his fighter’s guaranteed take to $300,000 and later thwarting Shelby’s opportunity to so much as break even. In short order, the town of 2,000 constructed temporary hotels, concessions and the world’s largest outdoor arena, seating over 40,000. Kearns created a world of controversy as he postponed the fight three times out of concern that the town couldn’t come up with the purse. Having heard that Kearns had cancelled the fight, 26 special trains from around the country with thousands of spectators failed to rendezvous in Shelby. At the last minute, Dempsey decided he wouldn’t have an arena specially built for him sit empty on Independence Day. Thus, the fight was back on, but not in time to recall the previously cancelled trains and out-of-town spectators. As of fight day, July 4, 1923, only about 8,000 tickets had been sold. Reserved seats originally cost $25 (over $500 by today’s standards). It’s estimated that upwards of 13,000 spectators crashed the gates. Dempsey prevailed in and out of the ring. After winning a 15 round decision, he and Doc Kearns rushed to a private train and left town with the balance of their $300,000 purse. Four Montana banks went bankrupt as a result of the fight. The lumber to build the stands was repossessed. To this day, seat numbers can be seen on the attic boards of homes around Shelby. Ironically, the real estate boom fizzled out – from the time the fight contract was signed in Chicago to that autumn, the Johnson family real estate business failed to sell even a dollar’s worth of real estate. The site of the 40,000 seat arena, which took two months to construct and two weeks to tear down, is on our left about a half mile west of the depot, near Pizza Hut.

Just before the I-15 overpass, on the hill to our right, you can see the 100 foot tall 30 by 50 foot Flag. The flag pole and its flag are Shelby’s memorial for remembering the contributions made by veterans in protecting our nation’s freedom. Because of the strong winds, the flag has to be replaced three times every year. Shelby was originally known as “Rattlesnake Gulch.” In the 1890s, the Great Northern Railway made Shelby a water stop for steam engines.  In 1921, a geologist discovered oil nearby and the result was that Shelby turned into one of the biggest boomtowns of the “Roaring Twenties,” billing itself as the “Tulsa of the West.” Today there are approximately 2,000 oil wells between Shelby and the Canadian border. Shelby is one of the busiest towns on the Montana Hi Line. It is located just 35 miles south of the Port of Sweetgrass, a major entry point to Canada. Every day 2,500 trucks pass through town on Interstate 15, many headed north to Calgary, Edmonton and Anchorage Alaska.

Shelby

Likely, the silo was controlled from Malmstrom Air Force Base near Great Falls, Montana, about 70 miles to the south. At one time, as many as 200 active missile sites were scattered across the vast expanse of the surrounding area, serving as a testament to the region's strategic importance. However, many nearby deactivated missile silos were slated for elimination under the provisions of the 2011 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia. This move reflects the ongoing efforts to reduce nuclear arsenals and promote global disarmament initiatives, marking a significant step towards fostering international peace and security. Amidst these changes, this site stands as a poignant reminder of our history, bearing witness to the tumultuous events and geopolitical shifts that have shaped our world in the past several decades.

You can see a chain link fence on the right across US Hwy 2. That is a site left over from the Cold War era -- an underground US Air Force missile silo. It is probable in the past that the silo has contained a Minuteman III missile, but most likely, the silo is empty and unused today.

Inactive Missle Site

This formation is more than just “hills;” they are ancient volcanic boils. The “hills” were not created by volcanic eruptions, but by molten igneous rock being forced up from below and then solidifying. Geologists think this happened between 34 and 56 million years ago. Then, because of uplift and erosion, the overlying surface has disappeared. The hills are now covered in wavy grass, and also, because of their higher elevation, are home to groves of Douglas fir trees and some plant and animal species not found on the prairie here below. Many Native American tribes in Montana consider the Sweet Grass Hills to be sacred.

The geologic formation appearing in the distance to the left of the train is known as the Sweet Grass Hills. Though on a clear day they may appear to be fairly close, they are actually nearly 30 miles north, just on the US side of the Canadian Border. The tallest, West Butte, is almost 7,000 feet high, while Gold Butte and East Butte are each over 6,500 feet high.

Sweet Grass Hills

Picture this: Your family has owned the property where you live for many generations. The highway department comes and tells you that a new project requires your land, but that you will receive replacement property, less than half the size, in a different location. Soon afterward, the highway department reduces your new property by another 90% in size and orders you to move immediately. This is the situation that several bands of Nez Perce Indians in Idaho, Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon faced in the spring of 18 77. After enduring over 20 years of injustice, indignity and unlawful trespass, the Indians were in the process of moving to a new reservation in Idaho far from their home in the Wallowa Mountains in north eastern Oregon. While on the way, several young braves confronted longstanding white antagonists and killed them, touching off what was to become known as the Nez Perce War. Chiefs Joseph, White Bird and Looking Glass led nearly 800 Nez Perce on a four month, 1,170 mile odyssey through the Northwest toward sanctuary in Canada. Pursued by over 2,000 US cavalry under the command of General Oliver Howard, the Nez Perce were finally caught in the Bear’s Paw Mountains by a contingent of 400 troops led by Colonel Nelson Miles. Miles laid siege to the Indians on Snake Creek and after four days was joined by General Howard on October 4, 1877. That very night, with Chief Joseph’s blessing, White Bird and some 200 Nez Perce escaped the siege and made their way to safety in Canada. On the morning of October 5, the 418 Nez Perce who remained at the Bear Paw Battlefield surrendered to Colonel Miles. They were led by Chief Joseph, who offered perhaps one of the most eloquent surrender speeches in recorded history. As translated by interpreter Arthur Chapman, Chief Joseph said: “Tell General Howard I know his heart. What he told me before – I have it in my heart. I am tired of fighting. Too-hul-hul-sit is dead. Looking Glass is dead. He-who-led-the-young-men-in-battle is dead. The chiefs are all dead. It is the young men now who say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. My little daughter has run away upon the prairie. I do not know where to find her – perhaps I shall find her too among the dead. It is cold and we have no fire; no blankets. Our little children are crying for food but we have none to give. Hear me, my Chiefs! From where the sun now stands, Joseph will fight no more forever.” At the time of the surrender at Bear Paws, Colonel Miles promised Chief Joseph that the captured Nez Perce would be allowed to go to the reservation in Idaho. Congress overruled that promise and sent the captured Nez Perce to Indian Territory in Oklahoma where many died of disease. Subsequently, both General Howard and Colonel Miles became advocates for better treatment of the Nez Perce. Eventually, Joseph and the remaining tribal members were moved to northeastern Washington. They were never allowed to return to either their former home or the Nez Perce reservation in Idaho.

The Bears Paw Mountains on the right in the distance are the site of the Bears Paw Battlefield, the location of the final battle of the Nez Perce War of 18 77, one of the last Indian wars in the American West. The events that took place in 1877 can be remembered as the Nez Perce people's painful and tragic encounter with 'Manifest Destiny'.

Nez Perce War

Each of these facilities can hold up to 600,000 bushels of grain. Their grain elevators are 120 feet tall – the height of an 11 story building. Grain is delivered from the fields to this facility to await shipment by train. The loop track around the facility connects to BNSF‘s main line and speeds the loading of the grain trains. Each railroad car can be filled with grain in about 6 minutes. In less than 10 hours, a 110-unit train can be loaded. The train then goes to ports in the Pacific Northwest, where the cargo is transferred to large, ocean-going grain ships for shipment overseas.

Montana is the third largest wheat producer in the country. North Dakota is first and Kansas is second. Grain storage facilities in this area are important in the supply chain that moves grain from Montana farms to Japan, China and Central America. On your left is one of two state-of-the-art, high-speed shuttle train grain loaders in this area.

Grain Trian Loaders

Thank you for listening to this description of Points of Interest along the route followed by the AMTRAK Empire Builder train from Whitefish to Havre, Montana. We hope you have added to your knowledge of the history and geography of this interesting region of the US. If you have comments regarding this tour, email us at geotours4u@gmail.com (Geotours4u is spelled g, e, o, t, o, u, r, s, followed by the number 4, followed by the letter u.)

Thank you and goodbye at Havre

As we pass through Havre, I want to provide you with a brief history of the area. Following the Great Sioux War of 18 77, the U.S. Military erected forts in the Northern Plains for protection, including Fort Assiniboine in 1879 near Montana's Milk River. This led to the formation of Bull Hook Bottoms, later Havre. The town expanded with the arrival of James J. Hill’s Great Northern Railroad in 1890, fostering settlement along Montana’s Hi-line. The African American 10th Cavalry was stationed at Fort Assiniboine until the Spanish-American War in 1898, contributing to the formation of a small African American community in Havre. The presence of African American soldiers and job opportunities from the railroad spurred the growth of this community, which established an African Methodist Episcopal church, a social hub. In 1910, most of Havre's 31 African Americans worked for the railroad or in service industries; only Alice Pleasant owned her business, the Home Café. By 1930, while Havre's overall black population remained at 35, many families had left due to out-migration trends triggered by events like the 1917 drought and exacerbated by World War I and the Great Depression. Residents, including African Americans, sought opportunities in California and Washington.

Havre was first known as Bullhook Bottoms. When the Great Northern Railway was slated to stop here, its founder, James J. Hill, asked the the town’s founding fathers to select a new name. Unfortunately, the first meeting ended in a brawl. At a subsequent meeting, Gus Descelles, an original homesteader, suggested it be named after his parents’ hometown of Havre, France. Havre quickly became the transportation hub of the area, providing goods and supplies to the area trappers, miners and military stationed at Fort Assinniboine, six miles southwest of town. Prior to 1910, the area was devoted primarily to raising sheep, cattle and horses. Soon, the number of farms began to outpace the number of ranches, as farmers started growing some of the world’s greatest spring and winter wheat. Although agriculture is the undisputed financial mainstay in the area, the economy is diversified with farming, ranching, hospital and health services, education, professional and retail business, manufacturing, and railroad industries. Havre is the focal point of commercial activity in the area. As the largest city on the Hi-Line, it serves as a wholesale distribution and retail center for communities within 150 miles. Havre is the county seat of Hill County.

AMTRAK - Empire Builder - Whitefish to Havre, MT

Welcome departing Whitefish

Introduction

Images