Headwaters Heritage Museum - Three Forks, MT
Posted by: T0SHEA
N 45° 53.581 W 111° 33.156
12T E 457128 N 5082309
Though twice a bank, that didn't take and today this substantial brick and stone building houses the Headwaters Heritage Museum.
Waymark Code: WMWNEY
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 09/21/2017
Views: 1
Three Valleys State Bank opened in Three Forks in 1910, just two years after the town was platted. The majority of its clients were homesteaders scratching out a living in the surrounding countryside, which, for the bank, would not be a good thing. Drought hit Montana in 1917 and lasted for several years, forcing many farmers off their land. Eventually, the banks which held the mortgages on these farms would fail, as well. In fact, over half of Montana's banks would disappear as a result of the protracted drought, this one included. After several changes in ownership the bank was, at that time, American National Bank.
A bank again in 1960, it, too is now gone and the old bank is now home to the Headwaters Heritage Museum, open June 1 through September 30 (and by appointment in the off season). While the museum has been open since 1982, we can't state with certainty that it has been in this building for all of those thirty years.
The Three Forks Area Historical Society opened the museum in July of 1982, and it contains a vast and fascinating array of artefacts from the Missouri River Headwaters area. To list just the highlights...an anvil found at the headwaters (possibly the oldest American-made anvil in existence), Montana's largest brown trout caught in 1966 and weighing in at 29.5 pounds, an extensive barb wire collection, a dugout canoe used in a Lewis and Clark TV documentary, and a log cabin from Gallatin City (first county seat) built in the 1860s.
Upstairs is a nostalgic journey to the past with an old fashioned kitchen, school room, dress and millinery shop, beauty shop, tool room, and dental office. Three Forks was founded in 1908 by the Milwaukee Railroad, and there is a station agent's office filled with memorabilia. A military room is dedicated to those of this area who served our nation.
An extensive collection of obituaries, photo archives, and a newspaper microfilm library of the earliest issues of the Three Forks Herald, as well as the highly inflammatory Pink Reporter, published between 1938 and 1942, are available.
Our gift shop offers souvenirs, gifts, post cards, and a wide assortment of books about the Lewis and Clark expedition, the fur trapping era, Native American topics, railroad, and local history.
From Visit Montana
Following is a bit of a walk through of the museum, from the NRHP data sheet, allowing one to get a feel for the museum and its setup.
The "Official Tourism" URL link to the attraction: [Web Link]
The attraction’s own URL: [Web Link]
Hours of Operation: Monday - Saturday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am - 3:00pm
Admission Prices: At present admission is free, though a donation
would be greatly appreciated.
Approximate amount of time needed to fully experience the attraction: Half of a day (2-5 hours)
Transportation options to the attraction: Personal Vehicle Only
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