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Research Questions:

Research Resources:
 

The History Museum
422 2nd Street South
Great Falls MT 59401
(406) 452-3462

As part of the Cascade County Historical Society, the mission of the Historical Society’s Archives is to preserve historical documents and records considered important to the heritage of the area and to utilize those resources in providing educational opportunities to the public.

How to use the archives:
 
  • The CCHS Archives maintains 4500 square feet of closed stack resources. These are accessible to the public through indexes and the help of the Cascade County Historical Society staff.
  • Historical Society staff and volunteers are available to help you get started in your research. If you need to have research conducted for you, such services are available for a fee.
Resources in the archives:
 
  • Photographs: Over 30,000 photographic images (late 1800’s to present) with indexes available.
  • Archival and Manuscript Collections: Original documents from local people, businesses and organizations.
  • Newspapers: Bound copies of the Great Falls Tribune (1893 to 1953), the Great Falls Leader (1888 to 1961), the Belt Valley Times, The Eagle and the Cascade Courier.
  • Official Documents: Poll registers, assessors books, civil and criminal court cases, abstracts and deeds, naturalization records.
  • Directories: City directories (1893 to 1991), Roundups, various yearbooks from area schools.
  • Homestead Research: Over 7,000 original land patent holders recorded alphabetically by name and mapped by location.
  • Historic Building and Site Research: Survey of original townsite of Great Falls; surveys and nominations of Lower North Side Historic District, Railroad Historic District, and Fairgrounds Historic District, plus renovation information.
  • Oral Histories: Local oral histories, indexed by speaker’s name
  • Books: Local community histories, period encyclopedias and textbooks, regional historical fiction and nonfiction.
  • Vertical Files: General information, news clippings, ephemera.
  • Maps: Sanborne Insurance Maps (1890 to 1930), plat maps, blueprints and elevations, mining and power lines.

To help you learn more about the heritage of Central Montana, the Cascade County Historical Society also maintains a museum, gift shop and administrative offices at The History Museum, 422 2nd Street South, Great Falls, MT 59401. Call (406) 452-3462 or e-mail for further information.

Great Falls Genealogy Society:
 

The Great Falls Genealogy Society was founded in 1975 as a non-profit educational and research organization. Our genealogy library was begun the following year.

The mission of the Great Falls Genealogy Society is to promote and encourage active interest in genealogy, encourage active interest in genealogy, compile accurate and complete genealogies, and collect and preserve genealogical records. Additionally, the Society will foster education and training in genealogy through courses and instruction in genealogy, lectures, forums, seminars, and special work.

Our genealogy library is located on the third floor of the Great Falls Public Library and is staffed entirely by volunteers. We are open Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and everyone is welcome to use our library resources. The Society holds monthly meetings September through June which are free and open to the public. Workshops are held at various times throughout the year.

Our Society belongs to the Montana State Genealogical Society.

Our Society works closely with the officials of Cascade County to ensure that records vital to the researcher are preserved and made available to the public.