Articles written by Rick & Susie Graetz

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Fort Benton: The birthplace of Montana

Fort Benton rests along the mighty Missouri River. Founded in 1846, it's the oldest town in Montana. During its first century, Fort Benton would become a springboard for trade as goods would be...

 

Beargrass and Yucca, two signature Montana plants

Two particular flowering plants are the toast of late spring and summer in Montana. In the mountain forests and openings of northwestern Montana, beargrass – the official flower of Glacier National...

 

UM geologist describes where the gold comes from

David Alt, author and a retired professor of geology at the University of Montana, explains why gold was found in Grasshopper Creek and the surrounding gulches. "At Bannack, as in many gold mining...

 

Missouri Headwaters are central to Montana history - Part 2 of 2

When the Corps of Discovery returned to St. Louis in September 1806, fur trappers already were on their way to the new country. In North Dakota, after meeting a group of trappers heading upriver, the...

 

Missouri Headwaters are central to Montana history - Part 1 of 2

A labyrinth of channels, willow bottoms, islands and a general mix of wetlands interact to piece together the headwaters of the Missouri River. The point where the three forks – the Jefferson,...

 

Swan Mountains a Gateway to Montana Adventure

South of Swan Peak, Lion Creek Pass offers another important route into the Bob Marshall Wilderness by way of Palisades and Little Salmon creeks. The route up the Swan-face side travels through...

 

Events Reveal Crown of the Continent Timeline

It took more than 60 years to create Glacier National Park, which is the foundation of the much larger natural system called the Crown of the Continent that we study and celebrate today. The events...

 

Bits of Montana Wisdom (Part 5)

At a recent book signing, a gentleman who knew quite a bit about the Judith Basin country explained how Utica, a small town in the basin on the road into the Little Belt Mountains, received its name....

 

Bits of Montana Wisdom (Part 4)

Call it 670 miles – or perhaps more precisely 674 miles – but either way, the Yellowstone River remains the nation's longest undammed waterway. It's a great river that meanders through some of...

 

Bits of Montana Wisdom (Part 3)

Do you sometimes think the state is being inundated with new ways and we are losing the real Montana? In some places perhaps yes, but most of the state is still the Montana we have always known and...

 

Bits of Montana Wisdom (Part 2)

Have you ever wondered how certain Montana places, rivers and towns got their unusual or just plain unfathomable names? Thanks to the incoming railroad across the top of the state, towns along the Hi-...

 

Bits of Montana Wisdom (Part 1)

With winter gripping Montana, let us point out that the national record for cold in the lower 48 states – 70 degrees below zero – was documented right here in Montana at 2 a.m. on Jan. 20, 1954, o...

 

Montana Remains 'High, Wide and Handsome'

“Colorado is high, having more peaks within its borders than any other state. Wyoming is wide, with the breadth of the plains between the Bighorns and the Grand Tetons. California is handsome, with...

 

Montana Winters Aren't for Wimps

It seems that this year much of Montana is experiencing a tough winter but it’s actually not. We are just getting back to winter after last year’s weird spell. Temperature readings haven’t gone wild – yet. No reporting stations have recorded...

 

Yellowstone, Hellgate: A Discussion of Two Montana Names

Call it 670 miles or perhaps more precisely 674 miles, but either way, the Yellowstone River remains the nation’s longest undammed waterway. It’s a great river that gathers some of the finest mountain and prairie topography on the planet as it...

 

How Montana's Bob Marshall Wilderness was Created

In 1897, President Grover Cleveland established the Lewis and Clark Forest Reserve under the provisions of the Forest Reserve Act. At that time, the reserves were administered by the Department of the...

 

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