In 1955, the Bitter Root Valley Historical Society founded a small historical museum which was operated out of the old depot in Hamilton, MT. Upon demolition of the depot, the museum artifacts were moved into barns and basements. They were stored all over the valley until the Society convinced county voters to save the Old Courthouse, built by architect A.J. Gibson, as the new site of the Museum. The Ravalli County Museum opened its doors in 1979 and has become a tremendous community asset dedicated to the preservation of the Bitter Root Valley’s Heritage. These collections have grown steadily over the years as Valley residents and businesses donated records, historical collections, family heirlooms, and historic photos.
The Museum is the hub of community activities such as the Annual McIntosh Apple Day Festival and many other signature events. There are new rotating exhibitions every year. Each school year, the museum welcomes scores of students through the doors to explore and learn about our history through our permanent collections and through the incredible amount of information found in our archives. Back to About page |
