{"id":3,"ordinal":0,"modified":"2026-07-10 20:53:20","content_modified":"2026-10-11 00:33:01","featured":0,"title":"Railroads","creator":"Historic Montana","description":"<p>The surge of industrial activity near the end of the 19th century coupled with the arrival of homesteaders created a demand for transportation more efficient than stage coaches and freight wagons. Railroads met this need with the Utah and Northern Railroad entering the Montana Territory in 1880.The Northern Pacific, Great Northern, the Union Pacific and hundreds of other railroad companies followed. \r\n\r\nIn sharp contrast with the organic development of mining towns, railroad towns were platted on rigid grid patterns. A brief period of experimentation with town forms ultimately resulted in a preference for a business district perpendicular to the railroad—a T-town—with accessory structures nearby. \r\nRailroad companies spared little expense when establishing their presence and influence on a town’s environment. Examples of the Craftsman, Rustic, Tudor, Mission, and Renaissance Revival styles can be found among the depots, dining lodges, inns, and other structures built by the railroad companies. \r\n\r\nAs expedient, direct travel became available to the public, travelers no longer relied on dangerous wagon roads. Homesteaders, promoters, miners, businessmen, and others depended on the railroads to convey themselves and their products to and from Montana. Newspaper accounts reveal a surprising level of mobility as railroads connected towns across the state and the state to the rest of the nation. In the process they provided the people of Montana with a shaped environment and structural reminders of the railroads' impact on Montana.</p>","postscript_text":"","tour_img":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/cb5448f5915064be33e41ab7eafa377c.jpg","items":[{"id":59,"title":"The Rocky Fork & Cooke City Railway Depot","latitude":45.19020421081300042942530126310884952545166015625,"longitude":-109.2477341462499680346809327602386474609375,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/cb5448f5915064be33e41ab7eafa377c.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/cb5448f5915064be33e41ab7eafa377c.jpg","subtitle":"Red Lodge Commercial Historic District","address":"11 West 8th Street, Red Lodge, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":58,"title":"Northern Pacific Railroad Depot, Fromberg","latitude":45.3915434000000033165633794851601123809814453125,"longitude":-108.90441370000002052620402537286281585693359375,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/59ce9969a11a177b94124c512e420557.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/59ce9969a11a177b94124c512e420557.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"101 East River Street, Fromberg, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":57,"title":"Burlington Northern Depot, Hardin","latitude":45.7305003999999968300471664406359195709228515625,"longitude":-107.60537740000000894724507816135883331298828125,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/328d44ca7e51ae3ad5741c3429e6e153.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/328d44ca7e51ae3ad5741c3429e6e153.jpg","subtitle":"Hardin Commercial Historic District","address":"10 East Railway Street, Hardin, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":56,"title":"Oregon Short Line Passenger Depot, Dillon","latitude":45.21658419999999978244886733591556549072265625,"longitude":-112.63877550000000837826519273221492767333984375,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/e3f6a105998710ae862adca15d62c017.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/e3f6a105998710ae862adca15d62c017.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"125 South Montana Street, Dillon, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":72,"title":"Northern Pacific Railroad Depot, Missoula","latitude":46.87528850000000346653905580751597881317138671875,"longitude":-113.9917126000000280328094959259033203125,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/5e0ce8a4f1170b45f2e1fd5e28712612.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/5e0ce8a4f1170b45f2e1fd5e28712612.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"100 Railroad Street West, Missoula, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":71,"title":"Milwaukee Depot, Missoula","latitude":46.86757510000000337413439410738646984100341796875,"longitude":-113.99846619999999575156834907829761505126953125,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/92ef2179e709c43658ddb97631df1f62.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/92ef2179e709c43658ddb97631df1f62.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"250 Station Drive, Missoula, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":70,"title":"Milwaukee Road Depot, Alberton","latitude":47.00237744501881564929135493002831935882568359375,"longitude":-114.47631276271516753695323131978511810302734375,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/8310d682e43ffcf0dcc55662f7a5e80c.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/8310d682e43ffcf0dcc55662f7a5e80c.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"701 Railroad Avenue, Alberton, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":69,"title":"Helena Railroad Depot Historic District","latitude":46.5997511873370200419230968691408634185791015625,"longitude":-112.01561583403537269987282343208789825439453125,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/72f047802de5301e7f47cb31633399e5.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/72f047802de5301e7f47cb31633399e5.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"Roughly bounded by Railroad/Helena Avenues, Gallatin Street, North Sanders Street, and North Harris Street\r\nHelena, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":68,"title":"Union Pacific Generator House, West Yellowstone","latitude":44.658432099999998854400473646819591522216796875,"longitude":-111.1025786999999809268047101795673370361328125,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/f81a885793268a9c2031d058b1df0e20.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/f81a885793268a9c2031d058b1df0e20.jpg","subtitle":"West Yellowstone Oregon Shortline Terminus Historic District","address":"210 Yellowstone Avenue, West Yellowstone, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":67,"title":"Union Pacific Dining Lodge, West Yellowstone","latitude":44.658432099999998854400473646819591522216796875,"longitude":-111.1025786999999809268047101795673370361328125,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/e5e215c4861374e743a97d57d943a6d9.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/e5e215c4861374e743a97d57d943a6d9.jpg","subtitle":"West Yellowstone Oregon Shortline Terminus Historic District","address":"210 Yellowstone Avenue, West Yellowstone, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":66,"title":"West Yellowstone Oregon Shortline Terminus Historic District","latitude":44.658489099999997051781974732875823974609375,"longitude":-111.10238490000000410873326472938060760498046875,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/d613ef06320f98a549098db8e5eed1c0.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/d613ef06320f98a549098db8e5eed1c0.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"The incorporation limits of West Yellowstone, West Yellowstone, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":65,"title":"Great Northern Railway Passenger and Freight Depot, Whitefish","latitude":48.4135715000000033114702091552317142486572265625,"longitude":-114.33576690000001008229446597397327423095703125,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/3429f82a54c123eb667dabeb5360e7c1.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/3429f82a54c123eb667dabeb5360e7c1.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"500 Depot Street, Whitefish, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":64,"title":"Great Northern Railway Depot, Kalispell","latitude":48.19954460000000295849531539715826511383056640625,"longitude":-114.3132832000000007610651664435863494873046875,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/426369b2cef16216e4fb8ce031c7a76f.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/426369b2cef16216e4fb8ce031c7a76f.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"15 Depot Loop, Kalispell, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":63,"title":"Izaak Walton Inn","latitude":48.2784692999999975882019498385488986968994140625,"longitude":-113.61198050000001558146323077380657196044921875,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/3f3c385e9a38b0740a70c3947453b859.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/3f3c385e9a38b0740a70c3947453b859.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"Off U.S. 2 adjacent to railroad, Essex, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":62,"title":"Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railway Historic District","latitude":46.0225420000000013942553778178989887237548828125,"longitude":-112.7798679999999649226083420217037200927734375,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/ea9d29a3d9418f426b37e8a026c095e4.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/ea9d29a3d9418f426b37e8a026c095e4.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"Right-of-way begins in Butte and travels to Anaconda, generally along the course of Silver Bow creek, Butte and Anaconda, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":61,"title":"Geraldine Milwaukee Depot","latitude":47.60383014697399772785502136684954166412353515625,"longitude":-110.265725255010011096601374447345733642578125,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/04f7cfb8d374cf6c8bd670d4a53999c9.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/04f7cfb8d374cf6c8bd670d4a53999c9.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"191 Railroad Avenue, Geraldine, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":60,"title":"Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Depot, Great Falls","latitude":47.507102000000003272361936978995800018310546875,"longitude":-111.30856199999999489591573365032672882080078125,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/dd9da82f2d2fc30e2c2500ab9a8bab28.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/dd9da82f2d2fc30e2c2500ab9a8bab28.jpg","subtitle":"Great Falls West Bank Historic District","address":"River Drive North, Great Falls, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":2165,"title":"Oliver Building","latitude":45.78155550000000317822923534549772739410400390625,"longitude":-108.5039709999999786305124871432781219482421875,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/f6eeaabe481ca88a55b3af481a011edb.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/f6eeaabe481ca88a55b3af481a011edb.jpg","subtitle":"Billings Old Town Historic District","address":"2702 Montana Avenue, Billings, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":46,"title":"Great Falls Northside Residential Historic District","latitude":47.51033319999999804394974489696323871612548828125,"longitude":-111.29756520000000818981789052486419677734375,"thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/72089351b6cedaa156b347fc35e099d7.jpg","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/72089351b6cedaa156b347fc35e099d7.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"200-900 blocks on 4th Avenue North; 100-900 blocks on 3rd Avenue North; 500-900 blocks on 2nd Avenue North, Great Falls, Montana","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}}]}