Welcome to Havre, Montana

Located in the rolling plains of north central Montana, Havre was founded more than 100 years ago. This area was first called Bull Hook Bottoms, after a stream by that name that flows out of the Milk River. The town was founded in the fall of 1891, when the original railroad station at Fort Assiniboine on the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway was abandoned. James J. Hill sent his construction crew out in 1887 and, finding plenty of good water in the area, he decided to build a branch line south to Great Falls from here instead of going on towards the West Coast. The name of the town was changed to Havre in honor of the birthplace (in France) of Simon Pepin and Gus DesCelles, the original homesteaders on land that was later used as the townsite. (from Cheney’s Names on the Face of Montana, Mountain Press Publishing Company)

Havre, a rural agricultural city, is situated close to the Canadian border amidst the wide panorama of the open plains. Also a railroad town, it offers modern city conveniences in a remote setting, surrounded by unaltered and uncluttered plains. The economy is diversified with farming, ranching, hospital and health services, education, professional and retail businesses and the railroad.

Havre is the home of Montana State University-Northern and the headquarters for the Montana Division of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. Havre is surrounded by the Milk River, wheat fields and the Bears Paw Mountains at an elevation of 2,494 feet.

Buffalo Jump Archeological Site is one of the largest prehistoric Indian bison kill- and camp-sites. The site was frequently used from approximately 2,000 to 600 years ago. Discovered in the fall of 1961, the site, situated on county land, has been kept in its natural state. The walking tour provides a unique and unequaled view of the area's cultural history.

Havre Beneath the Streets is a re-creation of Havre's history. When fire destroyed most of Havre, business owners moved underground to carry on their business until the town could be rebuilt. Step back in time as far as 100 years ago, into the Sporting Eagle Saloon, a turn-of-the-century honkytonk where cowboys gambled, kicked up their heels and drank good old-fashioned frontier rot-gut. Saunter along the streets beneath Havre and the Sporting Eagle Saloon, and visit an opium den (one of three known to have existed in the early days), a Chinese laundry, bakery, barbershop, an ethnic restaurant, and of course, a bordello. They all look as they did at the turn of the century.

Tour a military post of yesterday. Historic Fort Assinniboine, a late 19th-century Army installation, is one of the oldest in existence and the largest in Montana. Previously the frontier home of battalions of American infantry and cavalry and the site of John J. Pershing's first field assignment, the fort stands today as a monument to our state's exciting past. Historic Fort Assinniboine, complete with preserved buildings, lies six miles southwest of Havre near the Milk River.

Located in the Holiday Village Shopping Center on Highway 2 West, the H. Earl Clack Museum gives an accurate picture of the history and development of Havre and the Hi-Line area. The museum features an archaeological excavation of a buffalo jump and a detailed explanation of a buffalo-kill. Four dioramas grace the museum, one by nationally known artist, Bob Scriver.

The Havre/Hill County Historic Preservation Commission offers self guided walking tour maps for the Havre Residential Historic District. Stroll back in time and see where many of Havre's founding fathers lived. The Havre Residential Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Maps are available at the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce and the Havre Hill/County Library. High Line Heritage Resources offers three great guided walking tours throughout the Havre Residential Historic District, a wonderful Old Downtown Havre tour, and a  fantastic Combination Historic Homes and Old Downtown Stroll. Tours are available by appointment throughout the year, weather permitting, except some holidays. Please call 265-6233 for more information on cost and where the tours start.

In the Bears Paw Mountains to the south is Beaver Creek Park. This 10,000-acre park, one of the largest county parks in the United States, features rolling grasslands, wooded groves, rocky cliffs and rushing streams. The Rocky Boy's and Fort Belknap Indian reservations are nearby.