We were in Great Falls Montana from 6 July - 4 August 2023. It was a different kind of home base for us, in that it was on the outskirts of a nice sized city (5th largest in Montana 60,000). We're more accustomed to remote locations where we have to drive at least 20 miles for groceries, but here the Super Walmart was just 3.5 miles away. Great Falls RV Park also allowed washing of vehicles and tows, so Steve gave our fifth wheel a good washing and Anita did a deep cleaning inside while we were here. Great Falls proved to be a good central location to drive to many scenic byways, water falls, state parks, interpretive centers and museums.
On our first weekend in Great Falls, we went to the local Farmers Market. It was pretty large with lots of vendors, however very few veggies to buy. There were lots of nice arts and crafts, but living in a camper, we don't buy those things. Later that same day, we saw another vegetable stand in a parking lot outside a thrift store, so we checked it out. The two gentlemen running it reminded Steve and me of Amish folks we'd see in Easton at the Farmers Market. It turned out that these guys are Hutterites, The Internet's description of Hutterites is: The Hutterian Brethren (commonly known as the Hutterites) are a traditional Christian sect who settled in many agricultural colonies across the Great Plains of the United States and Canada. Approximately 36,000 members live and work communally in about 428 collective farms, or Bruderhofs (Bruderhöfe).
We read about the Hutterites and found that while they look like the Amish in the way they dress, they are different in that they have highly industrialized farms, are an ethnoreligious branch of Anabaptists, and live in communes. The two men we spoke with said they have about 30 families in their commune. We bought a cottage cheese pie and some Jalapeno cheese smoked sausage from them and both were delicious!
We attended mass at St. Anne's Cathedral in Great Falls the first weekend we were there. It is a large and beautiful church. The deacon and his wife talked with us for quite a while after mass and told us about the Cathedral of Saint Helena, as well as Our Lady of the Rockies in Butte.
St. Anne's Cathedral Great Falls Montana 9 July 2023
St. Anne's Cathedral Great Falls Montana 9 July 2023
St. Anne's Cathedral Great Falls Montana 9 July 2023
St. Anne's Cathedral Great Falls Montana 9 July 2023
Our first weekend at Great Falls RV Park, we also met a couple from Louisiana! They live in Crowley, but say they're from Lafayette, which is Anita's home town. Butch and JoAnn were with a RV caravan headed to the Calgary Alberta stampede then to Alaska. There were about 40 rigs in three different caravans here for a week and leaving in staggered small groups. It seemed to be well organized for rigs to travel autonomously, but have the comfort of knowing someone in the caravan will be by at some point if there is a problem. Everything is planned for the participants. They just have to drive. Caravan leaders arrive first at campgrounds and get everyone checked in, then direct them to their sites. The participants we spoke to really liked not having to do all the planning. They are on a 63 day trip.
One of our first touristy days we visited the Giant Springs State Park and the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, as well as Ryan Dam and Marony Dam. We actually ended up getting a $50 annual state park pass because we had so many state parks on our list to see. At $8 per day entry, the annual pass paid for itself in no time. Giant Springs State Park has a fish hatchery and nice walking trails that we enjoyed a couple of times during our time in Great Falls.
10 July 2023
10 July 2023
10 July 2023
10 July 2023
10 July 2023
10 July 2023
The Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center was interesting. Since we've been traveling, especially out west, we've learned quite a bit about details of their 1805 journey. We can't even imagine being them and seeing the mountains and the Missouri River for the first time. We had learned this before, but it was still sad to read again, that Merriweather Lewis died not long after their adventure. He was known to suffer with depression and there is speculation that he may have died by his own hand. He also may have been killed by the husband of the woman who rented him a room.
Great Falls Montana 10 July 2023
Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center Great Falls Montana 10 July 2023
Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center Great Falls Montana 10 July 2023
Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center Great Falls Montana 10 July 2023
From the Internet: Ryan Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Missouri River, 10 miles downstream from the city of Great Falls. The dam is 1,336 feet long and 61 feet high; its reservoir is 7 miles long and has a storage capacity of 5,000 acre-feet. It is a run-of-river dam. The dam is built on the largest of the five Great Falls of the Missouri, the "Big Falls", also sometimes called "Great Falls". Since 1915, the six-unit powerhouse on the left side of the dam has occupied a significant portion of the 87-foot (27 m) high waterfall.
The dam, built in 1915 just upstream of the falls and a small island named Ryan Island, is divided into two parts. On the right side of the dam is a concrete-arch spillway structure, that when functioning, releases water over the remains of the waterfall. The center part of the dam consists of a dike that extends from the falls' base to Ryan Island (separating the tailrace from the main river, which it meets a few hundred yards downstream). It also contains a concrete gravity structure facing towards the right bank of the river and tilted to face slightly downstream. This segment of the dam contains the outlet works, a water jet that bursts out and cascades over the waterfall. The left side of the dam is a large powerhouse topped by a concrete gravity structure.
We saw this American Avocet and several others in a pond on the road to Ryan Dam 11 July 2023
Ryan Dam 11 July 2023
Ryan Dam 11 July 2023
Ryan Dam 11 July 2023
Ryan Dam 11 July 2023
Ryan Dam 11 July 2023
Ryan Dam 11 July 2023
Ryan Dam 11 July 2023
From the Internet: Morony Dam is a hydroelectric gravity dam located on the Missouri River in Cascade County, Montana. The dam is 883 feet long and 94 feet high, and generates 49 megawatts (MW) of power. The dam is named after John G. Morony, a banker, director of the Amalgamated Copper Company (a forerunner of the Anaconda Copper Company), and director of the Montana Power Company. (Morony was largely responsible for constructing Ryan Dam.) Morony Dam was built by the Phoenix Utility Company. Montana Power commissioned the dam in order to provide additional power to the Anaconda Copper's zinc refinery at nearby Great Falls, Montana. Construction began in 1928, and the dam was completed in 1930.
Morony Dam has a 390-foot (120 m) wide spillway. Nine tainter gates and one sluice gate control the flow over water down the spillway. The headrace (or water inlet) for the powerhouse and the powerhouse itself are on the north side of the dam. The powerhouse, a portion of which is open to the elements, has two vertical Francis turbines. The dam originally generated 48 megawatts of power.
One day, Anita got a pedicure in Great Falls and then we went to the CM Russell Museum. We were in that museum for about 2.5 to 3 hours and really didn't read or see every painting or exhibit. We toured his studio and the house he and his wife lived in until his death in 1926. Russell was born in 1864 and was a self-taught artist. We were both fascinated by the detail and beauty of his work. In many of his paintings he told stories and some were quite funny. We enjoyed the museum a lot. Ironically, before we left, Steve asked me which painting was my "favorite", that I'd want a picture of. It happened to be the same one he had in mind! That was surprising since there were hundreds to choose from! The painting pictured below is the one that we were both especially intrigued by.
CM Lewis Museum Great Falls Montana 11 July 2023
CM Russell Museum 11 July 2023
This "Buffalo Hunt" picture intrigued us both because the buffalo already had two arrows in its side and it's still charging
CM Russell Museum 11 July 2023
CM Russell Museum 11 July 2023
CM Russell Museum 11 July 2023
CM Russell Museum 11 July 2023
CM Russell Museum 11 July 2023
CM Russell Museum 11 July 2023
CM Russell Museum 11 July 2023
CM Russell Museum 11 July 2023
CM Russell Museum 11 July 2023
CM Russell Museum 11 July 2023
CM Russell Museum 11 July 2023
CM Russell Studio 11 July 2023
CM Russell Studio 11 July 2023
One day we made a reservation for the Gates to the Mountains boat tour. That left outside of Helena. Our tour was at noon, so we left early to stop to check out Holter Lake. We found that to be a beautiful lake and saw that there was camping at various spots along the shore. Turns out it is BLM campsites and most of them have outstanding views of the lake. Steve had heard from a local fisherman that they caught walleye and perch in that lake. We've jotted down notes for the next time we're out this way.
The Gates to the Mountains boat tour was 2 hours and provided the water view of the mountains. On the Gates to the Mountains website is explains how the area got its name: The evening of July 19,1805, was a hot one in the wilderness that would later become Montana. On the Missouri River, not far from present day Helena, the hardy members of the Lewis and Clark expedition toiled to move upstream. Rock embankments made towing from shore impossible, and the deep channel forced the men to row rather than pole their boats forward.
Suddenly, there loomed before them towering rock formations unlike any they had ever seen. From both sides of the river, limestone cliffs rose to a spectacular height of 1200 feet. “In many places,” wrote Meriwether Lewis, “the rocks seem ready to tumble on us.” At each bend in the waterway, great stone walls seemed to block passage, only to open like gentle giant gates as the expedition drew near. In his journal, Meriwether wrote: “I shall call this place: GATES OF THE MOUNTAINS.” It stuck.
Gates to the Mountains Boat Tour 12 July 2023
Our Captain Skippy Den 12 July 2023
Original Gates of the Mountains Tour Steam Paddle Boat
Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour 12 July 2023
Some of the oldest dated rocks in the world at Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour 12 July 2023
Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour 12 July 2023
Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour 12 July 2023
Bat cave at Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour 12 July 2023
Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour 12 July 2023
Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour 12 July 2023
Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour 12 July 2023
Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour 12 July 2023
Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour 12 July 2023 (Oldest Rock in the US)
Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour 12 July 2023
Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour 12 July 2023
After our boat tour, we kept driving to the city of Helena and saw the Montana State Capital building and the Cathedral of St. Helena which opened in 1914. It was beautiful inside with very detailed stained glass windows depicting various scenes from the bible. We were both happy we found it.
Raven nest outside Cathedral of St. Helena 12 July 2023
Cathedral of St. Helena 12 July 2023
Cathedral of St. Helena 12 July 2023
Cathedral of St. Helena 12 July 2023
Montana State Capital 12 July 2023
After the Cathedral of St. Helena, we continued driving to Butte and managed to see Our Lady of the Rockies from the road. We couldn't figure out how to drive all the way up to it when the main gravel road to it was closed. Our Lady of the Rockies is a 90-foot statue built in the likeness of Mary, the mother of Jesus, that sits atop the Continental Divide overlooking Butte, Montana. The statue was first imagined by Bob O'Bill in 1979 during a time when his wife was seriously ill with cancer. O'Bill decided he would build a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe if his wife would survive. His wife did recover. He began the project and eventually built a 90-foot mountaintop statue.
12 July 2023
12 July 2023
12 July 2023
Our Lady of the Rockies as seen from the highway below 12 July 2023
Copper Mines directly across the Interstate from Lady of the Rockies at Butte Montana 12 July 2023
On July 13th, the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) were predicted to be visible in northern Montana, where we were. That happened to be Anita's birthday too! We hung around our campsite and read most of the day. That night we went to the local pioneer league baseball game and saw the Voyagers beat the Paddle Heads. The Paddle Heads were ranked #1 while the Voyagers were ranked last, so it was exciting! That game helped us to stay up till past 10pm, the original prediction of the time to see the Northern Lights. By the time the game was over it was raining, so we checked again and it looked like the lights would miss Montana, after all. We decided to get home and go to bed to wake up at 3am to drive to a dark place to see the lights if there was any chance. We didn't see the Northern Lights, but we hung around for the sunrise. Unfortunately, even the sunrise that morning was a dud.
Rainbow at Voyagers VS Paddle Heads game 13 July 2023
Rainbow at Voyagers VS Paddle Heads game 13 July 2023
Our second weekend in Great Falls, we hung around the campsite and met our neighbors. Lou, a retired Army veteran came over one afternoon. He is a recent widower and just wanted to introduce himself. He's a full time RVer, but spends months in Montana. He travels to visit his nine kids and other family. The camper behind us was a couple from Tennessee, and the man (Bruce) came over to tell Steve about a great walleye fishing trip he had the weekend before. Steve got the guide's contact info and we are now scheduled for a guided walleye fishing trip on 8 August!
We went to Saturday afternoon mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. It was well attended and the priest there seems fired up about the way our world is going and what we as Catholics can do to help. Sunday afternoon, we had invited Lou over for brats, but he had another commitment so he couldn't make it.
With points of interest being so much closer together in and near Great Falls, we had a couple of days of seeing several places each day. One day we visited First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park which the website says: First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park and National Historic Landmark is an archaeological site with possibly the largest bison cliff jump in North America.
Native peoples used this site for at least a thousand years before Lewis and Clark passed through here. The bison jump site consists of a mile long sandstone cliff; there are remnants of drive lines on top of the cliff and there are up to 18 ft. of compacted buffalo remains below the cliff. The park has an interpretive trail, picnic tables and a black-tailed prairie dog town to help the visitor better understand the epic history of hunting on the high plains. For hundreds of years, Indians stampeded buffalo over the mile-long cliff. Now, the top of the jump provides expansive panoramic views of the Rocky Mountain Front, the Missouri River valley, and the buttes and grasslands that characterize this High Plains setting.
When we hiked the short distance to the cliff the buffalo jumped off of, Anita was taken by sadness for the buffalo who couldn't have had a clue about what was coming. Approaching the cliff's edge, the view is an open plain showing no reason to slow down.
17 July 2023
View from the edge of the cliff 17 July 2023
Edge of the cliff 17 July 2023
Edge of the cliff 17 July 2023
Next, we continued our scenic byway drive to Tower Rock State Park. Tower Rock was a landmark for native tribes, the Corps of Discovery, fur trappers, traders and many more that followed in their footsteps. The 400-foot high igneous rock formation lies in a 140-acre site along the stretch of the Missouri River. Now a state park, visitors can learn about the geology and history of the site with five interpretive panels located at the trail head. The trail to the base of the saddle is maintained for a quarter-mile.
Many Native American tribes used the rock as a landmark when they were entering and leaving the rich buffalo grounds of today's north central Montana.
Captain Meriwether Lewis noted in his journal "an Indian road enters the mountain at the same place with the river on the Stard side and continues along it's border under the steep clifts." Lewis also wrote, "At this place there is a large rock of 400 feet high which stands immediately in the gap which the Missouri makes on it's passage from the mountains... This rock I called the tower. It may be ascended with some difficulty nearly to it's summit and from it there is a most pleasing view of the country we are now about to leave. From it I saw that evening immense herds of buffaloe in the plains below." Meriwether Lewis, July 16, 1805
Tower Rock 17 July 2023
Tower Rock State Park 17 July 2023
That day we also visited Black Eagle Falls. Nearest to Great Falls’ city limits, Black Eagle Falls are 2.5 miles above Rainbow Falls. At 26 feet high and 600 yards, these falls were the first to be dammed in 1890. From the top of these falls, the confluence of the Missouri River with the Sun River is visible and from the bottom, Black Eagle Memorial Island Park gives you the closest breathtaking vantage possible.
Black Eagle Falls 17 July 2023
Black Eagle Falls 17 July 2023
Rapids below Black Eagle Falls 17 July 2023
Black Eagle Falls 17 July 2023
Black Eagle Falls 17 July 2023
Lady Buffalo Jump on Scenic Byway 17 July 2023
Square Butte on Scenic Byway 17 July 2023
The next day we visited Sluice Boxes State Park. That name made me think of the many juice boxes I got for Ben, Jess and Dans when they were little. I had to look up what sluice boxes are. Sluices are long, narrow "boxes" that water passes through when put in a creek or stream. Sluicing is a method of separating and recovering gold from the placer gravel by the use of running water. Gold is caught or trapped by riffles. Soaring cliffs and precipitous ledges mark the Belt Creek Canyon as it slices out of the Little Belt Mountains and winds toward the town of Belt. Remains of mines, a railroad, and historic cabins line Belt Creek as it makes its way through the beautiful canyon carved in limestone. This rugged area has seen its share of prospectors searching for precious metals, miners, muleskinners, smelter men, and railroaders building bridges. The Barker mines and the Montana Central Railroad are just a part of the rich history of Sluice Boxes State Park.
At Sluice Boxes State Park, there is a 7 mile long hiking trail. We walked about a mile of it. It got too narrow with long grass on both sides and Anita felt scared of bears. What we saw even in that short distance was beautiful.
18 July 2023
Sluice Boxes hike 18 July 2023
Sluice Boxes hike 18 July 2023
What looked like an old de-commissioned missile we saw along Sluice Boxes hike 18 July 2023
Sluice Boxes hike 18 July 2023
We continued on our scenic byway drive and stopped for another short hike up to Memorial Falls. This hike was rocky and had some steep climbs. We thought in retrospect that we took the wrong path up, risking life and limb, but in our defense there was no signage to clarify the path to take.
View from Memorial Falls hiking trail 18 July 2023
Upper Falls of Memorial Falls hike 18 July 2023
Lower Falls of Memorial Falls hike 18 July 2023
Memorial Falls hike 18 July 2023
Upper Falls of Memorial Falls hike 18 July 2023
We stopped at a couple of the overlooks on the scenic byway. We stopped in Meagher County by Showdown Montana Ski Area in the Little Belt Mountains. We could see the steep ski trails and the view was awesome! The base of the mountain is 6,800 ft and the summit is at 8,200 ft giving 1,400 vertical feet on 600 acres of terrain. Showdown is located on Porphyry Peak, in the Lewis and Clark National Forest.
Steve learned something new about how logs were transported to Great Falls from the mountain
Overlook on Scenic Byway 18 July 2023 (Lots of ski trails down!)
Canola Fields 18 July 2023
Canola Fields 18 July 2023
After our two hikes that day, we felt we'd gotten enough exercise to eat out at Sip 'n Dip, a local restaurant/bar Steve had heard about. The online self-description of the bar is: Funky, old-school cocktail lounge with a tiki theme showcasing swimming mermaids behind the bar. Steve really wanted to see these mermaids, so we went. We were impressed with how long this young woman could hold her breath! The bar dates back to 1962 and these mermaids still have people waiting at the door to get a glimpse. Oh, not to gossip, but we saw a couple of young Hutterite guys having beers at the bar. Not sure if we were watching their Rumspringa-like exposure to a bar with a scantily clad mermaid.
Sip 'N Dip Lounge located in the O'Haire Motor Inn Great Falls Montana 18 July 2023
Sip 'N Dip Lounge located in the O'Haire Motor Inn Great Falls Montana 18 July 2023
Sip 'N Dip Lounge located in the O'Haire Motor Inn Great Falls Montana 18 July 2023
After a couple of long days of driving and site seeing, we stayed at the campground and washed the truck. Boy did it need it! It looked like a new truck when Steve was done!
Clean Truck 19 July 2023
Our third week in Great Falls was spent doing local things. We attended the Great Falls Horse Races! Anita had never been to a horse race, so she had many questions. We bet on each of the 8 races and only lost (twice) when we bet to "win", so we stopped that and only picked a horse to "show". The first race started at 4pm and we were on our way home by 7pm, so it was a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon. We only bet $2, so we didn't come home with gobs of cash, but we got $3 of quarters for laundry out of our winnings.
Horse Races Great Falls Montana July 2023
Horse Races Great Falls Montana July 2023
Malmstrom Air Force Base is in Great Falls and Steve had researched and found that there is a museum there, so we visited that one day. There was an interesting film about the readiness of our country in the event of a nuclear attack. I'll just say that I came away feeling confident and assured that the US is ready for anything.
Malmstrom AFB Museum July 2023
Malmstrom AFB Museum July 2023
Malmstrom AFB Museum July 2023Malmstrom AFB Museum July 2023
Malmstrom AFB Museum July 2023
We went to Fort Benton Montana on one of our outings. We did a scenic drive, stopped to see the city of Fort Benton, and then continued our scenic drive taking in beautiful open plains and mountains.
Fort Benton is a city in and the county seat of Chouteau County, Montana, United States. Established in 1846, Fort Benton is the oldest continuously occupied settlement in Montana. Fort Benton was the most upstream navigable port on the Mississippi River System, and is considered "the world’s innermost port".
Overlook on scenic drive to Fort Benton July 2023
Overlook on scenic drive to Fort Benton July 2023
July 2023
Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Fort Benton Montana July 2023
The story of Shep, the sheep herding dog, is what stuck in my mind from our visit to Fort Benton. Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Lewis and Clark Mandan at Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Lewis & Clark statue Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Fort Benton Montana July 2023
Fort Benton Montana July 2023
The I. G. Baker House is the oldest surviving residence in Fort Benton Montana. It is open for viewing, so we stepped in to have a look.
I.G. Baker House Fort Benton Montana July 2023
I.G. Baker House Fort Benton Montana July 2023
I.G. Baker House Fort Benton Montana July 2023
In Fort Benton we had parked at the Grand Union Hotel. That building itself is historic. The hotel’s history began in 1882, just 36 years after Fort Benton was founded, and 7 years before Montana became a state. It was built at the height of Fort Benton’s prosperity and the steamboat era on the Upper Missouri River.
Following a construction cost of $50,000 with an additional $150,000 spent on furnishings, the newly christened Grand Union Hotel opened November 2, 1882 with the biggest party the town and Territory had ever seen. Over 300 attended including some of the most prominent men and women in Montana history.
Grand Union Hotel Fort Benton Montana July 2023
After we left Fort Benton, we stopped at a Lewis and Clark informative overlook. It was the spot where they camped for 12 nights and had to make a decision. From the Internet: On June 2, 1805, the expedition arrived at the confluence of the Marias and Missouri rivers. The following day Lewis wrote, “This morning early we passed over and formed a camp on the point formed by the junction of the two large rivers. here in the course of the day I continued my observations […]. An interesting question was now to be determined; which of these rivers was the Missouri”. Most of the party believed the north branch to be the Missouri, because its water was the same muddy consistency as the rest of the Missouri. By contrast, the waters of the south branch ran clear. Lewis and Clark suspected this branch was the Missouri, as the clear water indicated it sprang from the mountains. Choosing the wrong course would, at the least, cost valuable time and damage morale. At the worst, it could have derailed the entire expedition. To gain greater certitude, Lewis and Clark spent the next five days exploring both rivers. By June 8, they correctly determined the south branch to be the Missouri River. The expedition spent the following few days refitting equipment and caching supplies to be retrieved during the return trip. On July 28, 1806, Lewis reunited with part of the Corps several miles upstream on the Missouri River, following a skirmish with the Blackfeet two days prior. They then retrieved a cache left at the mouth of the Marias River.
Decision Point Historic Landmark Loma Montana July 2023
Decision Point Historic Landmark Loma Montana July 2023
Decision Point Historic Landmark Loma Montana July 2023
The next day, we went to the Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, also located in Great Falls. Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge covers12,383 acres (19 square miles), the Refuge is located on the western edge of the northern Great Plains, 50 miles east of the Rocky Mountains and 12 miles north of Great Falls, Montana. We thought we'd find hiking trails, but it was only available to a driving audio tour, so we did that. We saw millions of birds! Steve saw a couple of lifers! It would have been more fun to walk through the grounds, but we made do.
There was one boardwalk of about 1000 feet, so we walked out and got this selfie.
Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge July 2023
Since we hadn't gotten to walk at the Refuge, we went to Gibson Park in Great Falls for lunch. That park had a 1.33 mile walking trail, so we walked that after lunch. It's a nice park, with a couple of statues and other historic things. While on our walk around Gibson Park, we had an opportunity to get a picture of a Great Falls landmark that we see almost every time we're driving in Great Falls.
From the Internet: The Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway was constructed between 1907 and 1909, the last transcontinental railroad to cross Montana. Its service to Great Falls during the homestead boom supported the city’s establishment as a major urban center for central Montana. When the Milwaukee Road completed this passenger depot in January of 1915, railway officials hailed it as the finest of its kind between Spokane and Chicago. The terminal is the only building in Great Falls made of “flash” brick, which is burned and unevenly fired. The 135-foot tower became a Great Falls landmark, acting as a giant marker of the depot’s location. The corporate logos 100 feet up on each side of the tower were the first of this type, designed to be used on any railway station in the United States. They are composed of small, high-grade tiles pointed with tinted mortar to create a seamless effect—even if viewed close up. Each sign measures 17 feet by 10 feet. This grand railroad depot compares favorably with the Milwaukee Road’s passenger depots in Miles City (1909), Butte (1916-17), and Missoula (1910).
Gibson Park Great Falls Montana July 2023
Vineagar Cabin at Gibson Park Great Falls Montana July 2023
Paris Gibson, Founder of Great Falls
During our time in Great Falls we went on a couple of scenic bike rides along the Mighty Mo AKA the Missouri River. The first ride was about ten miles and the second ride was about 15 miles. We found that Great Falls has many parks and bike trails and that they're all well used by the locals. It was nice to see and be a part of.
I know I look like a dweeb, but the bike helmet directly on my head pulls my hair...
On 30 July we attended mass at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. It was not a mass we are accustomed to. The priest said or sang some of liturgical parts of the mass in Latin. We couldn't participate like we enjoy doing when we attend mass. Unfortunately, even though the priest's homily was in English, the acoustics in the church were bad and he was very hard to understand. There was no offering or exchange of peace and there were no prayers of the people. The priest faced the altar during the consecration and the altar was not used as the "table". Lots of incense was burned. The altar seems to always be as it is pictured below.
Corpus Christi Catholic Church 30 July 2023 Great Falls MT
One day we went to Paul Gibson Square Museum of Art. There was an exhibition Il Maestro! Works by Morton Levin: A Centennial Celebration at the museum 9 June - 13 December 2023. This unique exhibition features the work of Morton Levin (1923-2020), a master artist whose passion and unbending desire for art making and mastery led him on an intriguing life journey touched by the effects of war, love, family, life and teaching. This retrospective of Levin’s work is meant to mark 100 years of Levin’s life and is the first of its kind in a museum setting.
This originally was a self portrait of Levin and a separate portrait of his wife. The horse drawn wagon in the background is actually the first picture Levin painted at age 9. The man in front of the horse is Levin's father.
More of Levin's work Paul Gibson Square Museum of Art Great Falls Montana July 2023
Levin's Virgin Mary Paul Gibson Square Museum of Art Great Falls Montana July 2023
Paul Gibson Square Museum of Art Great Falls Montana July 2023
Paul Gibson Square Museum of Art Great Falls Montana July 2023
In the end, it turned out to be a day of museums as we visited The History Museum and as well as the Cowboy Museum. We tried to visit the Ursuline Centre, a historic convent and former Catholic school Constructed by the Ursuline Sisters, a Catholic religious institute for women, the building was complete in 1912. Tours were by appointment only, and we didn't have one, so we had to skip that one.
History Museum Great Falls Montana July 2023
History Museum Great Falls Montana July 2023
History Museum Great Falls Montana July 2023
History Museum Great Falls Montana July 2023
Cowboy Museum Great Falls Montana July 2023
The Montana State Fair went on from 28 July - 5 Aug 2023. We went to the fair a couple of times and had a nice time, although the first time it was in the high 90's. On our first visit to the fair, we checked out the railroad museum and toy train exhibit.
Railroad Exhibit Montana State Fair Great Falls Montana July 2023
Railroad Exhibit Montana State Fair Great Falls Montana July 2023
We got tickets to the PRCA Rodeo being held at the fair's arena on 2 Aug. Anita was pleasantly surprised to be given 2 free rodeo tickets, 2 free gate entries and 2 $5 food vouchers for any vender at the fair, all because she is a veteran! The night we were there to buy tickets turned out to on military appreciation night and they had limited free packets for active military and veterans. After the rodeo we got ice cream at the 4-H booth and walked over to listen to the last musical performer of the night. His name is Blake Guyre and he was great! He plays mostly Elton John and Billy Joel songs.
Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Bucking Bronco PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Steer Wrestling PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Bucking Bronco PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Bull Riding PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Bull Riding PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Bull Riding PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Bull Riding PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Non-ridable Bull PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Barrel Races PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Steer Wrestling PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Calf Roping PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Calf Robing PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Calf Roping PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Professional Horse Trainer PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Professional Horse Trainer PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Professional Horse Trainer PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Professional Horse Trainer PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Professional Horse Trainer's 2yr old daughter following in Mommies' footsteps
PRCA Rodeo 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Blake Guyre performing an Elton John song 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls M2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
Blake Guyre performing a song he wrote 2 Aug 2023 Montana State Fair Great Falls MT
We've heard on the local news here that there are over 20 wild fires in Montana at the moment. They report location of the fire and percentage of containment for each one. The containment percentage for most of the wildfires is 0 to 3%. Wildfires seem to be "normal" out west, meaning they happen more than we easterners would expect. The fires are extinguished eventually and the smoky haze that's denser some days more than others, and it's all just part of life here. We've noticed the smoky haze several times when we were out on scenic drives or just out doing errands.
We leave tomorrow (4 Aug 2023) for Medora, North Dakota (415 miles). We'll be there a couple of weeks. Our base camp there is likely to be more remote than we've been for our time in Great Falls, so we've stocked up.
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