Montana Places

An absorbing guide to the historical sites of this remarkable state.

Explored by Lewis and Clark, fought over by Native Americans and settlers, mined for gold, copper, and coal, and eventually abandoned by the industries that made it, Montana has proven itself to be the most resilient of the nation’s states. Montana Places looks at the dramatic beauty of Little Bighorn Battlefield and the Rocky Mountain Front Range, as well as the character of small towns, such as Jordan and Harlowton, that have survived economic hardship. Today’s Montana is a place where  traditional religious groups like the Hutterites coexist with unorthodox organizations such as the Church Universal and Triumphant, where the descendants of miners live alongside Hollywood celebrities, and where self-proclaimed "freemen" tangle with government environmentalists over control of the land.

Beginning where other travel guides leave off, Montana Places is certain to provide visitors to the west as well as armchair travelers a rich, fascinating look at today’s Montana and how it came to be.

John B. Wright is the author of Montana Ghost Dance and Rocky Mountain Divide: Selling and Saving the West. He is associate professor of geography at New Mexico State University.