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The Surprising History Hiding In Montana’s Eighth Largest Town
The road less traveled in Havre
Located thirty miles from the Canadian border sits a town of just 9,000 people. At first glance, there is nothing remarkable about Havre, Montana. It is one of hundreds of similar towns scattered across the United States. The Milk River flows north of town, flanked by a sizable trunk railway line. Havre is a town that was built up and sustained by the railroad. Ever since the late 19th century, people have lived and worked around Havre.
The great thing about Havre is that it represents all of the small, out-of-the-way towns that escape the notice of the vast majority of people. Chances are you’ve never heard of Havre, much less been there. Despite that, Havre has a number of interesting historical sites. Like most small towns, Havre has its own history, and it’s not derivative. It’s interesting.
With just 9,000 people, Havre is the eighth largest town in Montana. In my home state of Florida, Hialeah is the eighth largest city, with a population of 221,000, which makes it 24.5 times larger than Havre. This gives you a picture of how small this town is and how remote parts of Montana can be.
Here are some of the interesting things hiding in this seemingly unremarkable town.
1. A Remarkably Small Airport
Havre is home to the least used commercial airport in the continental United States. Intrepid travelers can book a flight to Havre from Billings. Havre averages just 7.5 outbound and inbound flyers per day. Atlanta’s airport, one of the busiest in the world, sees 229,000 passengers per day across 2,100 flights. You can fly into Havre for a very reasonable sum on a very small plane if it interests you.
2. An Underground History
Havre also has a fascinating underground museum. In 1904, the central business district in the city burned to the ground. Buildings in the Old West were largely wood and surrounded by flammable things like pitch, straw, and liquor. When a fire starts, it often spreads…
