Montana's Historical Sites and preservation efforts (Great Falls, Bozeman: theater, construction, live)

[Reziac]

I found this interesting:

Preservation Cascade, Inc.
and the associated case study,
Section 4(f) Case Study: Historic Tenth Street Bridge, Great Falls, Montana

What other historical sites are out there that might not be common knowledge, or that might need help toward being preserved? (I don't think I'll ever forgive them for demolishing the Big Stack. Or the old brewery for that matter.)

Here's a list of bridges -- I hadn't realised the Fort Benton bridge was that old!!
List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Montana - Wikipedia

(What about the one that's on the back way from Willow Creek to Three Forks? I'm trying to remember if it's a covered bridge or not, tho I do recall the wooden bridge bed which struck me as rather old even 35 years ago. Seems I only went over it at night so I don't have a clear mental image of it.)

Some more sites, just in Cascade County:
National Register of Historic Places listings in Cascade County, Montana - Wikipedia

[Walter Greenspan]

Many folks here in Great Falls think that the time, effort and especially money spent on the Tenth Street Bridge is and continues to be a complete waste.

[Reziac]

I think turning such things into tourist attractions is the wasteful part. Indeed, one might argue that it damages or even invalidates their historical value when they're altered to be tourist-magnets. I'd also hazard that this is the part that spends the most money, and probably never really makes up for itself.

But preserving our history is never a waste -- you don't always know what you're losing until it's too late. Its significance may not be seen by the current generation... sometimes you have to get perspective to see historical value. Did anyone in 100AD (other than perhaps a handful of fanatic Hebrew elders) think Masada was more than a local eyesore and nuisance, best demolished ASAP??

The first cabin built in Great Falls is a shack by modern standards, but does that mean preserving it is a waste? it probably seemed so when it was deteriorating into a tumbledown shanty. But I think we need these reminders of our past, and of how we built our world.

[strudel42]

Offhand I am thinking of the Rialto Theater in Deer Lodge -- neat old Art Deco structure that was gutted by fire a few years ago. Come to think of it I think the old Penitentiary in Deer Lodge should also qualify as a place to be preserved for historic significance -- it's rather in shabby shape. And speaking of bridges, what happened to the old bridge over the Bitterroot going into Hamilton on Hwy 93? I remember reading that a local group was trying to preserve it, but I'm not sure what happened with the road reconstruction and all.

[Reziac]

I'm not familiar with Deer Lodge myself (I never spent much time over there) but those sound like two good prospects. Is that State Pen different from this place? Old Prison Museum

<goes off, roots around> Seems great minds think alike:
Deer Lodge Rialto
I read elsewhere that it had been totally restored, then sadly burned in 2006.

Here's another site listing historic bridges -- apparently there are "bridgespotters" just like there are "trainspotters"!
Historic Bridges of the U.S. | Recent Montana Updates
However, I didn't find any info about its preservation status.

What about the high train trestle on the NE corner of Bozeman? Is it still there? It had partially burned at some point in the past but was still in use when I lived there... along with the trains, we starving students often used it as a shortcut to get over into the hills for a day of tramping about the landscape. Way easier than clear down one side of the hill and trudging back up the other, through all that thick brush. Great view too.

[AndersonRM]

Prison is one in the same.

[Reziac]

Cool, looks like the prison is covered, then. Those old facilities sure had more character. Of course, they were probably more full of characters, too.

Come to mention it... what other historic jails are in MT, other than the obvious ones like in Virginia City?

[strudel42]

This is cool...

Ancient bison kill site uncovered on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

[AndersonRM]

Originally Posted by Reziac

Cool, looks like the prison is covered, then. Those old facilities sure had more character. Of course, they were probably more full of characters, too.

Come to mention it... what other historic jails are in MT, other than the obvious ones like in Virginia City?

The jail in Bannack is still standing.