Distinctly Montana Magazine

88 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 5 - 2 0 2 6 Other than food and drink, there are plenty of ways to amuse and inform yourself. The Polson Flathead Lake Museum at 708 Main Street has exhibits of local history, including the original trading post, items from the Reservation, artifacts donated by early home- steaders, and the Flat- head Lake Monster, a 7 1/2 foot long, 181 pound sturgeon taken from the lake in 1955. On the south end of town, the Miracle of America Museum cov- ers approximately five acres. With forty-two buildings, the museum is home to some 300,000 items, from pieces of sheet music to cars, airplanes, farm equipment and more. The owner's son told a mutual friend that his father had found a way to make a career out of hoarding. The muse- um is easily the largest in Montana, and well worth a visit or three. One time through will not be enough. Fourteen miles south of Polson lies the only other in- corporated city in the county, Ronan. Salish people first gathered in the area in 1883, according to the city's web- site. The community became known as Spring Creek, but in 1893, the town's name changed to Ronan Springs and later just Ronan in honor of Maj. Peter Ronan who served as BIA Agent on the Reservation from 1877 to 1893. The 2020 US Census counted 1,955 residents in the city, the most in the city's history. Halfway between the two cities you find Pablo, one of twen- ty-one "census-designated places" in Lake County. Pablo is home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Offices, THE TRIBALLY RUN CSKT BISON RANGE (FORMERLY THE NATIONAL BISON RANGE), ALMOST 19,000 ACRES IN SIZE, OFFERS A TWO HOUR (SEVENTEEN MILE) SELF-GUIDED TOUR UP AND OVER THE MOUNTAIN AT THE CENTER OF THE RANGE.

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