LOCALLY Powered
Sculptures pay tribute to the Nez Perce & to Fort Benton as a "Contributing Site"
on the Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo) National Historic Trail
The Big Sky Country National Heritage Area is an all-volunteer nonprofit formed to establish the first National Heritage Area (NHA) in Montana. Our area is particularly blessed to have four National Historic Landmarks! For more info these landmarks, check out these websites: see the C.M. Russell Museum and Studio National Historic Landmark, Fort Benton National Historic Landmark, the Great Falls Lewis and Clark Great Falls Portage National Historic Landmark, and the First People's Buffalo Jump National Historic Landmark.
We are working collaboratively with local communities to define this nationally significant landscape along the Missouri River, from Fort Benton through Cascade County, as a National Heritage Area. The designation is honorary.
Although Congressional designation provides eligibility for competitive modest federal funding, the Heritage Area is locally powered and managed by a Board of Directors and largely dependent on locally raised funding. All funds raised will be used to promote economic development and tourism within the Upper Missouri River area.
The federal legislation will have NO impact on private property rights. It does NOT require property owners to permit public access to his or her property or modify any provisions with regard to public access or use of private lands. A National Heritage Area is NOT a government land grab. The National Park Service does NOT manage the Heritage Area. The heritage area will be a nonprofit organization run by your neighbors, friends and colleagues.
We are working collaboratively with local communities to define this nationally significant landscape along the Missouri River, from Fort Benton through Cascade County, as a National Heritage Area. The designation is honorary.
Although Congressional designation provides eligibility for competitive modest federal funding, the Heritage Area is locally powered and managed by a Board of Directors and largely dependent on locally raised funding. All funds raised will be used to promote economic development and tourism within the Upper Missouri River area.
The federal legislation will have NO impact on private property rights. It does NOT require property owners to permit public access to his or her property or modify any provisions with regard to public access or use of private lands. A National Heritage Area is NOT a government land grab. The National Park Service does NOT manage the Heritage Area. The heritage area will be a nonprofit organization run by your neighbors, friends and colleagues.
The Latest News
Old Toman Barn, Sun River Crossing
The BSCNHA works to tell all the history of the region. Our most recent project was to capture the oral history of the last plant manager at the Black Eagle Anaconda Smelter, Dick Sloan.
We also help local organizations accomplish their mission, in partnership with many other stakeholders. Our 2023 grant recipients included:
- Sun River Valley Historical Society/ Fort Shaw: Restoration of the Old Toman Barn, helping to creating footings after the original barn was moved from the Sun River Crossing to Fort Shaw. Created in the 1860s, the barn had stables and a blacksmith shop.
- Mandan Boat Repair, Phase II/ Fort Benton: The Mandan Boat Repair, done by the Fort Benton Community Improvement Association, focused on repairing the keelboat that appeared in the 1952 film, "The Big Sky." The keelboat was one of the vessels used by the Lewis and Clark Expedition as the traveled up the Missouri River.
- Brother Van Home Museum/ Great Falls: The museum hired a docent and assistant to lead tours of the museum during the summer, which resulted in over 100 visitors.
- International Games Society/ Great Falls: Funding helped the International Games Society to host a week-long Gathering of Families that highlighted and celebrated Montana's Native American culture, while bringing together members of all Montana tribes for family fun, traditional games, and cultural events in October 2023.
- Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art/ Great Falls: The Square received support for their bat remediation project, to help them ethically remove bats that had been roosting in their attic for nearly 50 years.