Distinctly Montana Magazine

106 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • FA L L 2 0 2 6 land, including a 200,000 acre cattle operation in what is now Pondera County. At roughly the same time, two railroad magnates sought to con- nect the coal mines of Alberta with smelters in Great Falls. Sir Alexander Galt, founder of Lethbridge, Alberta, was the first to complete the road which on the US side of the border had the name Great Falls and Canada Railroad. The line ran from Sweet Grass to just west of Great Falls, roughly parallel to today's Inter- state 15. In 1901, Galt's competitor, the Empire Builder James J. Hill, bought Galt's line, adding it to his Great Northern. In 1903, the Conrad Investment Company (another Conrad Broth- ers enterprise) deeded 600 acres adjacent to the railroad and the town of Conrad was born. The town grew quickly, with churches, hotels, shops, and of course saloons, and when the surrounding area became Pondera County in 1919, Conrad became the county seat. Today it is a pretty town of 2,318 residents (2020 US Census), and while the railroad is history, the town is served by two exits off Interstate 15 as well as Montana Secondary 534. It is the home of Montana's Lieutenant Governor, Kristen Juras. And as for the Conrads, Charles E. moved further west and found- ed the city of Kalispell where he built his family home, now a Ka- lispell city park and museum known as the Conrad Mansion. He also started a bison breeding program that grew into the herd that formed the National Bison Range at Moiese, Montana. A FAMILY IN MONTANA NEEDS YOU. When a family in the Gallatin Valley welcomes a new life, ZoeCare is there to provide a safe space, trusted medical services, and ongoing mentoring and material support, all free of charge. A Bozeman fixture since 1978, ZoeCare is the place for new moms, dads, and children to receive the support new families need. But we need the generosity of individuals like you to provide the services we do. Your generosity turns conviction into care. T O G I V E : WWW.FRIENDSOFZOECARE.ORG/DONATE Scan the QR code below or visit: Conrad's depot, from the line that became Hill's Great Northern. Conrad's City Hall, built 1913, the county's oldest government building. Dntn Belade's Btique Dispensy 406.580.4150 • www.mountainhighllc.com • 23 West Main St, Belgrade, Montana • Family ned & ated since 2016 • Organic, locally n cannabis all flower grown in-house Signature Thai Sticks (premium cannabis, kief, hash, shatter, distillate, 24k gold) • Infusi-s Juice B the only dispensary in Montana with one • M-tana-made t, po„y & appel • Closest dispensy to Bozeman Yellst-e Intnati-al A‰pŠt Mntain High MŠe Than a Cannabis Sh 2026 o f BEST M O N TA N A A S V O T E D B Y R E A D E R S O F BEST CDB company BEST cannabis dispensary BEST customer service BEST shop dog 2026 o f BEST M O N TA N A A S V O T E D B Y R E A D E R S O F T O P T H R E E E L I T E

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