Welcome letter from the County Chairman.

Glacier County Commissioners would like to welcome you to Glacier County.  Our County is located in northwestern Montana between the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains.  Our geographically and culturally diverse county includes the Blackfeet reservation, Glacier National Park and Lewis & Clark National Forest lands.  We are bordered by 75 miles of international boundary with two gates open year round and one seasonal international border crossing into Alberta Canada.

Four small communities and two incorporated towns are located within the county. Cut Bank, home of the county seat and approximately 3,500 residents, is located on the east end of the county at the start of the Great Plains. This community sprang up around the railroad and agriculture needs of the surrounding area and also reflects part of a large oil boom in the early part of the century. The diverse population is the result of this settlement.

In the western part of the county, situated in the foothills sits Browning, the home and government seat of the Blackfeet Tribe. The incorporated portion of Browning, with 1,400 residents does not reflect their population of 7,000 in the community and is largely representative of the Blackfeet tribe on a part of their ancestral homeland dating back over 5,000 years.

Other communities are East Glacier Park and St. Mary, both mostly summer recreation areas with entrances into Glacier National Park, and both located in the foot of the Rocky Mountains, known to the Blackfeet as the backbone of the world.

Cut Bank, the county seat has all the businesses you would expect to find in any of Montana’s smaller towns, including a hospital and clinic.  It also has an historic airport with regional and international connections to larger airports.  There is a very nice nine hole golf course, swimming pool, nearby sites of the Lewis and Clark expedition and other interesting historic and prehistoric sites that can be visited.  The Glacier County museum has an interesting collection of historical artifacts, buildings and memorabilia on display and also a very comprehensive archive history of early history and individuals of the area, including an enormous collection of data on Blackfeet history.

Browning, the seat of the Blackfeet tribal government and federal building also boasts a community college, as well as world-class Indian Museum and Heritage Center.  There is also a large new casino located next to a new fairgrounds, race track and Indian camp area that hosts and annual Indian celebration and pow-wow.  Many events center on this area during the summer months.  Blackfeet tribal fishing and recreational permits, along with guide and tour services to blue ribbon trout fishing and other recreational opportunities can be found here.

East Glacier Park, a small winter community, grows in the summer with many visitors and summer help from all parts of the globe that help meet the needs of the larger population. There is a very beautiful and challenging nine hole golf course, campgrounds, trail rides, boat rides, native interpretive tours and other recreational activities located at this stop on the railroad.

Saint Mary, another small winter community that grows with the influx of many summer visitors, is the east entrance to the Going-to-the-Sun Road, crossing the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 6646 feet.  The two large lakes in the St. Mary valley offer boat tours and fine fishing. There are many recreational opportunities both inside Glacier National Park and outside the park in this area.  We hope you will someday visit our beautiful county, attend a rodeo, Indian dance, hike, ride, bike, camp, shop, relax or just meet the friendly, interesting and diverse people that make Glacier County home.