The List of National Historic Landmarks in Montana contains the landmarks designated by the U.S. Federal Government for the U.S. state of Montana. There are 25 National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) in Montana.
The United States National Historic Landmark program is operated under the auspices of the National Park Service, and recognizes structures, districts, objects, and similar resources nationwide according to a list of criteria of national significance.[1] The state of Montana is home to 25 of these landmarks, emphasizing Montana's frontier heritage and the passage of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Montana's contributions to the national park movement, and other themes.
Two sites in Montana extend across the Idaho state line, and are listed by the National Park Service as Idaho NHLs.
The table below lists all 25 of these sites, along with added detail and description.
| Landmark name[2] | Image | Date desig.[2] | Locality[2][3] | County[2] | Description[3] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bannack Historic District | July 4, 1961 | Bannack |
Beaverhead | Site of Montana's first major gold discovery in 1862, and served as the capital of Montana Territory briefly.[3] | |
| 2 | Butte Historic District | July 4, 1961 | Butte |
Deer Lodge and Silver Bow | One of the largest and most notorious copper boomtowns in the American West; the district includes more than 6,000 contributing properties.[4] | |
| 3 | Camp Disappointment | image pending | May 23, 1966 | Browning[5] | Glacier | Lewis and Clark Expedition site.[6] |
| 4 | Chief Joseph Battle- ground of Bear's Paw |
June 7, 1988 | Chinook |
Blaine | Site of the final engagement of the Nez Perce War.[7] | |
| 5 | Chief Plenty Coups (Alek-Chea-Ahoosh) Home | January 20, 1999 | Pryor |
Big Horn | The 2-story house of Crow Nation chief Plenty Coups during 1884-1932, plus a log store and the Plenty Coups Spring.[8] | |
| 6 | Fort Benton | November 5, 1961 | Fort Benton | Chouteau | Established as a fur trading center in 1847, the fort prospered with the growth of steamboat traffic starting in 1859 and an 1862 gold strike, but declined with the advent of the railroad.[9] | |
| 7 | Going-to-the-Sun Road | December 18, 1997 | Glacier National Park |
Flathead and Glacier | Main parkway through the heart of Glacier National Park.[4] | |
| 8 | Grant-Kohrs Ranch | December 19, 1960 | Deer Lodge |
Powell | John Grant, the original owner of the ranch, from 1853, is sometimes credited with founding the range-cattle industry in Montana. Conrad Kohrs, who bought the ranch c.1866, was among the foremost "cattle kings" of his era.[10] | |
| 9 | Great Falls Portage | image pending | May 23, 1966 | Great Falls | Cascade | The Lewis and Clark Expedition undertook an 18-mile, 31-day portage at Great Falls, one of the most difficult ordeals of their westward trip. The Great Falls Portage NHL is within Giant Springs State Park.[11] |
| 10 | Great Northern Railway Buildings | May 28, 1987 | Glacier National Park |
Flathead and Glacier | These lodges or associated buildings, dated c.1913-1915, represent European-style hostelries unique among NPS concessions. The landmark contains 5 building groups: | |
| 11 | Hagen Site | image pending | July 19, 1964 | Glendive | Dawson | An archeological site representing one of the Crow villages after the tribe had split from the Hidatsa on the Missouri River (c. 1550-1675); site has evidence of horticulture and diet.[12] |
| 12 | Lake McDonald Lodge | May 28, 1987 | Glacier National Park |
Flathead | A Swiss chalet-style hotel in Glacier National Park.[13] | |
| 13 | Lemhi Pass | October 9, 1960 | Tendoy, ID | Beaver- head (MT) and Lemhi, ID |
See main listing under Idaho. | |
| 14 | Lolo Trail | October 9, 1960 | Lolo Hot Springs, ID | Missoula, MT and Clear- water, ID |
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| 15 | Northeast Entrance Station | May 28, 1987 | Yellowst. National Park |
Park | Rustic entrance station built in 1935 that is a prime example of form fitting function, in Yellowstone National Park. | |
| 16 | Pictograph Cave | July 19, 1964 | Billings |
Yellow- stone |
One of the key archeological sites used in determining the sequence of prehistoric occupation on the northwestern Plains. The deposits indicate occupation from 2600 BC to after 1800 AD.[14] | |
| 17 | Pompey's Pillar | July 23, 1965 | Pompey's Pillar |
Yellow- stone |
The massive natural block of sandstone was a major landmark on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Clark's signature is carved on its surface.[15] | |
| 18 | Rankin Ranch | May 11, 1976 | Avalanche Gulch[16] | Broad- water |
Residence (1923-56) of Jeanette Rankin, first woman elected to U.S. House of Representatives (1916), had two terms 1917-19 & 1941-43, only member to oppose the declaration of war against Japan in 1941.[17] | |
| 19 | Rosebud Battlefield-Where the Girl Saved Her Brother | August 16, 2008 | Kirby |
Big Horn | Site of the Battle of the Rosebud[18] | |
| 20 | Charles M. Russell House and Studio | December 21, 1965 | Great Falls |
Cascade | Home and studio of artist Charles M. Russell.[19] | |
| 21 | Three Forks of the Missouri | October 9, 1960 | Three Forks |
Gallatin | Captain William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, first European-American to visit this spot, concluded the Missouri River originated where the Three Forks joined.[20] | |
| 22 | Travelers Rest | October 9, 1960 | Lolo |
Missoula | Campsite used during the westward passage of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805 as the party prepared to cross the Bitterroot Mountains, and again during return passage in 1806. | |
| 23 | Virginia City Historic District | July 4, 1961 | Virginia City |
Madison | More than 200 historic 19th century buildings remain in this 1860s mining town; it also served as the Montana Territorial Capitol during the same period. | |
| 24 | Burton K. Wheeler House | December 8, 1976 | Butte |
Silver Bow | Former residence of noted Montana Senator Burton K. Wheeler.[21] | |
| 25 | Wolf Mountains Battlefield-Where Big Crow walked Back and Forth | October 6, 2008 | Birney |
Rosebud | Site of the Battle of Wolf Mountain.[22] |
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