What is the history of Great Falls, Montana?
Founded in 1883 by Paris Gibson and railroad magnate James J. Hill, Great Falls began as a planned power city, situated to take advantage of the hydroelectric power of the waterfalls of the Missouri River. Historian William J. Furdell described it as “a businessman’s town” and it was said that the city “couldn’t pont to a Boot Hillboot hill or a hangin’ tree.” In 1884, the Great Falls post office was recognized by USPSThe United States Postal Service. In 1889, construction on the Black Eagle Dam began, which would provide the city with hydroelectric power by the following year. Great Falls quickly became a thriving industrial center and, by the early 1900s, was on route to become Montana’s fastest growing community. The rustic studio of famed Western artist Charles Marion Russell was a popular attraction, as were the famed “great falls,” after which the city was named. It prospered further with the opening of a nearby military base, but as rail transportation and freight slowed in the
