Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA NA . C O M 69 P ERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TOWNS THAT ORIGINALLY CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE RAILROAD IS GREAT FALLS, although Great Falls developed a strong foundation around many other indus- tries after its founding. When I was in high school, Great Falls and Billings were always neck-and-neck for the claim as the largest city in Montana, lingering close to 90,000 apiece during the 1970s. Today, Great Falls is the third largest city in Montana, having been surpassed by Missoula. Great Falls' population has dropped below sixty thousand people, while Billings' has continued to grow well past a hundred thousand. G R E A T F A L L S D E F I N E D B Y T H E R A I L R O A D A N D T H E F A L L S SUZANNE WARING by RUSSELL ROWLAND Historical photos courtesy of The History Museum of Great Falls e town was founded by Paris Gibson, who saw the great potential for growth thanks to the hydroelec- tric possibilities of the falls. He enlisted the help of Helena businessman Charles Broadwater to build the basic businesses to get the town going, starting with a store and a flour mill. e town grew fairly quickly, with the ultimate goal being to provide a solid town before the arrival of the railroad, which happened in 1887. By that time, Great Falls had a planing mill, a lumber yard, a school, a bank, and a newspaper. When the Anaconda Copper Company decided to open a second smelter in Great Falls, the city really took off. Great Falls already had a strong blue-collar popula- tion before it became the site of the largest military base in Montana. e base that would eventually be known as Malmstrom Air Force Base was first con- ceived in the late thirties and opened in 1942 as Great Falls Army Air Base. It was renamed Malmstrom in 1955 to honor a decorated colonel who died in a crash while stationed at the base. Malmstrom is the only military base left in Montana, and today one of their main functions is to maintain and operate the Minute- man II missile operations. Having a military presence in Great Falls led to some interesting cultural influences that were not all that common for Montana, the most striking being one of the most active jazz scenes in the state. is scene was led by a club called the Ozark, a very popular venue for great jazz musicians until it burned down in 1962. e club was founded by a former boxer named Leo LeMar. LeMar, who was African Ameri- can, developed his boxing skills while waiting tables in the dining cars on the railroad. He opened the jazz club in 1933, and built a strong following among African Americans living in Great Falls due to the railroad. As the military presence grew in Great Falls, so did LeMar's business. e club was known to host a few tables in the back for gamblers as well. For decades Great Falls has seemingly provided a steady supply of good solid workers and services to a large part of Montana's population without drawing much attention to itself. Great Falls lies solidly in the middle of the state, both geographically and in per capita income, although it is the only

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