Historic sites located by the Powder River in Prairie County, Montana

Terry, Montana street map

The Yellowstone River meanders through Terry and Prairie County in Eastern Montana

TOP 100 THINGS TO DO IN TERRY, MONTANA

1. Make your reservations early for activities on our www.visitterrymontana.com web site.

2. Breathe deep and feel the change in pace… you are now on “Terry Time”.

3. Get a free “The Terry Badlands Wilderness Study Area and Calypso Trail” brochure.

4. Visit the Evelyn Cameron Gallery; then match pictures up with sights and places around Terry and Fallon.

5. Visit the Scenic Way with spectacular views of the Terry Badlands.

6. Enjoy our free downtown street concert at the end of Terry Yippee! Day every last Saturday of July.

7. Hike to the Calypso Peak and be sure to bring your picnic basket.

8. Visit the 1907 Terry Community Presbyterian Church.

9. Take time to browse the shops, stores and restaurants downtown.

10. Follow the Historic Prairie Trail sponsored by the American Volkssports Association with the brochure available at the Kempton Hotel.

11. Explore historical Indian camps located north of Terry.

12. Drive at leisure to look for deer, rabbits, eagles, turkeys, raccoons and other critters.

13. Visit the Prairie County Historical Museum and see memorabilia from yesteryear.

14. Play tennis and basketball on our outdoor courts at Murn Park and Terry High School.

15. Have your children enjoy the various play areas in Murn Park and at the schools.

16. Explore for agates and other exotic rocks, which can be found along the banks of the Yellowstone River.

17. Check out the Big Sky Backcountry Byway kiosk located at the 4 Corners Gas Station and explore to your heart’s content on your way up to Brockway.

18. Check a book out at the Prairie County Library, find a sunny spot to lounge, read and relax.

19. Pamper yourself with a great haircut or a permanent at Sassy Scissors.

20. Find out about the history of the Prairie County cemetery at the museum.

21. Hike to the cemetery setting, which is steeped high in history and is the final resting place of Lady Evelyn Cameron.

22. Meet a buddy here or bring your own.

23. Take your children to fly their kites and have barbecue in Murn Park.

24. Plan to attend the outstanding Prairie County Fair held each August.

25. Attend the 4th of July Terry Roping Club Rodeo held at the Prairie County Fairgrounds.

26. Try to recognize places from the rich history from the early Terry family pioneer days with the Prairie Historical Trail along the Yellowstone Trail.

27. Go fishing or tubing in the Yellowstone River or in one of our many lakes.

28. People watch from the many benches in downtown Terry or Murn Park.

29. Watch sports on big screen T.V. at the Roy Rogers Tavern and Casino.

30. Take a pretty stroll from Murn Park to downtown Terry.

31. Join us for our Veterans Day Parade held on Veterans Day in November.

32. Ask our friendly local ranchers about their many types of stock they grow.

33. Treat yourself to a sweater, coat, shawl, and scarf at the Sassy One Clothing Store.

34. Catch some of our garage sales to meet locals and find bargains.

35. Have a café latte or mocha at the Badlands Café and Scoop Shoppe.

36. Do some bird watching; we have an amazing variety to satisfy almost any ornithologist.

37. Pick wildflowers for your room or a friend.

38. Take lots of photos for memories of your Prairie County adventures.

39. Bicycle around town to really enjoy the scenery.

40. Visit the Prairie County Fair Grounds where many local events are scheduled throughout the year.

41. Bring your remote control trucks, cars and planes, have races; and check out the fine selection of the same at the Prairie Unique.

42. Attend the Evelyn Cameron Gala held each year in the old Rialto Theater undergoing remodeling as the Evelyn Cameron Heritage Center.

43. Speak to a stranger and make an instant new friend.

44. Take your kids to the Prairie Unique for a new toy or souvenir to remember their visit.

45. Plan to visit Netzer Trustworthy Hardware Store stocked full of all kinds of merchandise necessary to keep a home, farm or ranch running efficiently.

46. Treat yourself to a locally produced Ranch Star Burger at the Badlands Café and Scoop Shoppe.

47. Order pizza at the Roy Rogers Saloon, you won’t taste any better anywhere.

48. Have a hardy breakfast and cup of coffee at the Dizzy Diner to get your day going.

49. Write an article about your local adventures and submit it to the Terry Tribune.

50. Take your kids for a scavenger hunt for various prizes.

51. Buy local art from the Evelyn Cameron Gallery, Prairie Unique and the Evelyn Cameron Heritage Center. You can also order them on line on their web sites.

52. Take your “Hunny” out for a romantic dinner at any of our restaurants with great menus.

53. Wave at the locals, we greet back to everyone and we do mean everyone!

54. Attend the Christmas Lights Festival activities in December.

55. Buy a canvas, paints and create your own art painting many of our old barns.

56. If you’re very lucky, you might see a “cattle drive,” with local ranchers on horseback.

57. Test the food at various restaurants and write a review for a food magazine.

58. Play baseball at the field near the High School.

59. Explain the sport of “spotting rabbits” to your kids.

60. Play volleyball at Terry High School.

61. Get an ice cream cone and sit on a street bench and “people watch” on Logan Avenue.

62. Order a pizza to go and enjoy the sunset from the shores of the Yellowstone River

63. Send postcards to family and friends telling them about being in Custer Country.

64. Find a skipping stone to see how many “skips” before it sinks into the water.

65. When a local is doing some yard work, offer to lend a hand to make a new friend.

66. Attend a Chamber of Commerce meeting held the 2nd Wednesday of each month.

67. Swim to your heart’s content in our newly refurbished WPA Municipal Pool.

68. Fill’er up on gasoline or diesel at 4 Corners Gas Station and Convenience Store.

69. While there sit down at the table, have a cup of java and hear the locals tell tales.

70. Make a stop at the Prairie Community Hospital and visit with the residents.

71. Play pool at the Prairie Community Center located behind the museum.

72. Visit ancient Indian burial grounds on Gary Larsen’s ranch.

73. Find Cahn’s Coulee where Big Nose George buried his stage coach robbery loot.

74. The MacLean Ranch was the site of a battle between General Miles and Sitting Bull.

75. General Terry’s camp was located where Powder and Yellowstone Rivers meet.

76. It is also the burial site of Pvt. William George, who died after the Battle of Little Bighorn. Another burial site is located west of the Powder River.

77. Names were carved in sandstone on Sheridan Butte by soldiers of General Miles.

78. The northern most headquarters of the old XIT ranch is on Frank Ban’s ranch.

79. Indian teepee rings can still be found on the Verlon Hines ranch.

80. Visit the Buffalo Jump on the Jim Smalis ranch.

81. Follow landmark signs along the old Lewis and Clark trail on Yellowstone through Terry.

82. Visit the Far West Steamer dock at the Powder River.

83. Visit the Lord and Lady Cameron Ranch east of Fallon Flat.

84. Watch the smoke from the still burning abandoned coal mine north of Terry

85. Visit the Baker Battle site in northern Prairie County.

86. Visit the old Terry Train Depot re-located behind the Prairie County Museum.

87. Visit the site of old Opera House now the location of the new County courthouse.

88. Visit the steam heated outhouse as part of the outside exhibit at the museum.

89. Visit the Terry Cowboy Band Stand in Murn Park, the sight of many concerts in the early settler days.

90. Tour the Kempton Hotel and hear about Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok staying there.

91. Visit the old Courthouse on Garfield Avenue burned in a fire but still being lived in.

92. Buy copy of the “Tracing Terry Trails” booklet was written by Norm Clarke, who is a native of Terry now the Las Vegas Review-Journal gossip columnist.

93. The old Terry Tribune building on Logan Ave is now the home to Prairie County Title Company. Visit the new office across the street and get a newspaper.

94. Old log homes and even a home built in the round can be found in Terry.

95. Visit the aptly named Buffalo Rapids in the Yellowstone River.

96. Stop by the only steel cable car built over the Yellowstone River at the Haughian Ranch just off old West Old Highway 10 going towards Miles City from Terry.

97. The old locomotive train bell hangs from the porch at the Haughian Ranch, which is near the 1938 Milwaukee Railroad train wreck in which 52 passengers died in the Custer Creek bridge collapse.

98. Visit the sight of the site of the old Terry Bridge across the Yellowstone, which is accessible going across the new bridge with the first dirt road off Highway 253.

99. Check into the old Terry Township Jail located on Russ and Susan Waples Ranch.

100. Shoot targets and clay pigeons at the Prairie County Sportman’s Assocation Range near the Prairie County Fairgrounds.

Prepare to back to the “hustle and bustle” of everyday life with great memories of your visit to Terry, Montana and plan to return as soon as possible.

This article was originally published in his column for the Las Vegas Review Journal on Jul. 31, 2011

On the last day of Norm Clarke’s Colorado getaway two weeks ago, he witnessed an incredible act of compassion by a young horse named Skids.

The drama unfolded as a reddish sunset ran the length of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Skids, a black 2-year-old quarterhorse, saw his pasture mate collapse on the Roberts ranch near Westcliffe.

While Hank, a 26-year-old retired saddle horse, appeared to be giving up, Skids gave his all to save his friend.

Skids watching over Hank in his last few hours

Incredible-video-of-horse-trying-to-will-another-horse-back-to-life-126338318.html

Skids assisting Hank, the 25-year old quarter horse, in his last hours

The PCSA Early Bird Coyote Calling Contest will be conducted from September 30th at 7 pm until October 1st at 5 pm

Wild Coyote in Prairie County

60% of the entry fees will be paid back in bounties for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

Registration meeting will be held from 5 to 7 pm on September 30, 2011 at the American Legion Hall in Terry, Montana followed by the mandatory attendance rules meeting being held from 7 pm until 8 pm.

All coyotes must be hunted with no trapping, and other efforts to control coyote predation allowed by the contestants. All coyotes shot during the contest time period are to be brought to the alley by the Roy Rogers Taverm and Casino in Terry by 5 pm on Saturday, October 1st.

Prairie County Sportsman's Association Clubhouse in Terry, Montana

Ron Kiosse and Gary Huber in front of the PCSA club house at the Prairie County Fairgrounds

Prairie County Sportsman’s Association
P.O. Box 355
Terry, Montana 59349
(406) 635-2154
Email: tridemoil@midrivers.com

Please print out the Prairie County Sportsman’s Registration Form below and mail to address shown:

Team Name: ______________________________________________________

Email address: _______________________________________________________

Street Address: _______________________________________________________

City, State, Zip________________________________________________________

Cell Phone: __________________________

Minimum 2 to 3 persons per team @ $20 each.
All local & federal laws will be strictly observed and enforced.
One person from each team must be present at the rules meeting.
All entry fees must be paid at the rules meeting.
The clock at the Stockman Bank in Terry will be used to keep official start and end times.

Local lodging and restaurant information can be found on our website at:

Visit Terry Montana web site address

Prairie Green Florist & Gifts

Prairie Green Florist & Gifts
Prairie Gourmet Coffee
(406) 635-4211
504 Adams Ave., Suite 6
Terry, Montana 59349
Email: prairie@midrivers.com
Web site: http://www.prairiegreenfloral.com

Prairie Green Floral proudly serves Terry and surrounding areas. We are family owned and operated. We are committed to offering only the finest floral arrangements and gifts, backed by service that is friendly and prompt. Because all of our customers are important, our professional staff is dedicated to making your experience a pleasant one. That is why we always go the extra mile to make your floral gift perfect.

Let Prairie Green Florist be your first choice for flowers.

Store Hours:

Prairie Green is open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. We are glad to accommodate your schedule, please phone and let us know you’ll be coming, we’ll be happy to wait for you.

We are closed on Sundays, except by appointment.

To help assure on-time delivery during the busy holiday season, place your order at least 1 day prior to the following major holidays: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Administrative Professionals Week, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.

Our shop will always be closed on the following holidays: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.

Small Towne RV Park & Campgrounds

Owners: Myra and Manard Criswell
803 1/2 Towne Ave
Terry, Montana 59349
(406) 635-4501

Myra and Manard Criswell

Small Towne RV Park invites you to come spend some time with us in our spacious, clean, and quiet RV Park. We have easy smooth access close to 1-94 with a very friendly host and hostess.

We are the most reasonably priced park in town or the area at $14.95 plus tax. Stay with us six nights and the seventh night is free. Water, electric, sewer, trash removal, and a RV dump are all part of a great deal that come with a lot of extra perks from that friendly host and hostess.

We have the easiest pull-thrus in town with no unhooking necessary for the big rigs or you can park that spare vehicle out front. We have lighted walkways/drives and a continually running water fountain that not only the birds enjoy but you can too.

It is not unusual to see deer, antelope, fox, and coyote from the park. If you enjoy swimming the city pool and beautiful city park is a very short walking distance away. We enjoy pets and welcome yours. If you enjoy pitching horseshoes the park provides a pit and shoes upon request. If you enjoy Agate hunting, fishing, hunting, history, sight seeing, and photography your host and hostess will direct you to all Terry and the area has to offer.

Happy RVing! Come, enjoy the great outdoors with us in Terry, MT!

Directions: Small Towne RV & Campground is located in Terry, Montana. Take the 176 exit off Interstate 94 make left to the town of Terry; take first left (Yellowstone Street), take 3rd left (Towne Avenue), 2 1/2 blocks to the:

Features:

WiFi

Activities

Horseshoes

RV Camping

Services

Electricity

Parking

RV Hookups

Sewer

Water

Terry Roping Club Rodeo - July 4th, 2010

Terry Roping Club Board of Directors for 2011

On Saturday, February 5, 2011 the Terry Roping Club held their annual meeting at the Lazy JD Bar & Restaurant in Fallon, Montana to elect new officers and discuss their upcoming 63rd Annual July 4th and Ranch Rodeos. The picture above shows the Board members for the year 2011.

The Board of Directors for the Terry Roping Club are as follows:

Pat O’Neil – President
Tanner Schillinger – Vice President

Kim Erickson – Secretary
Shelly Cole – Secretary

Directors:

Mark Dalotta
Kerry Erickson
Daw Harrington
Tim Kortum – not shown
Loren Larsen – not shown
D J Martin – not shown

September 2, 2010 by Brian White – Travel Writer

We’ve traveled the state far and wide, even hit the most obscure corners, and one thing we’ve never failed to miss is the innumerable “free museum” offerings. The most recent one we found, however, is easily the biggest and best of the free museums, and the value was second to none.

The Prairie County Museum in Terry, Montana, really tops the list of free museums, and maybe even by a mile. What’s better is that it’s right in Terry, Montana, right along I-94, so it’s a perfect stop for east-west road-trippers.

This place is simply fantastic. If you hit them when they’re open, you’ll get access to a half-block of buildings, and if you hit them on the off-season when they aren’t as open as they would be otherwise… they’ll open for you, and just to share the history,

The first building you’ll find is right off the main drag, just a spitting distance north of the Stockman Bank building. From there you’ll see a sandwich board saying they’re open, but if they aren’t, that doesn’t mean you can’t check it out.

This museum is a true historical society, meaning they really and truly care more about the preservation of the history than they do about raking in a few bucks from the exhibits. I’ve met these people, and I have yet to meet a single one of them that doesn’t believe the preservation of the history doesn’t all-but trump everything else… Even Trump himself, but he’s barely on TV anymore, so the focus remains squarely on the museum.

I don’t call this a museum, I call it a museum complex… or at least I tried to when I met with them, and they didn’t much care for the concept. The lady I spoke with said she didn’t want people outside of Terry knowing they had so much to offer, because she didn’t know how the city would deal with everybody if they found out that they have a whole block of exhibits to show.

I say they can figure that out when the time comes to pass, but for now, they need to get a few more faces on the exhibits… am I right?

The first thing you’ll find, should you go to the wonderful Prairie County Museum, is the old bank building, which has been lovingly stocked with an assortment of exhibits from wall to wall, and the old upstairs offices have been no less lovingly appointed. Yes, that’s right, there are three times as many exhibits upstairs as you’ll find downstairs.

And if you catch the right curator on the right day, you’ll also get access to the Evelyn Cameron Gallery next door, which appears closed from outside, but you just need an unlock from the free museum next door.

Beyond that you’ve got some serious stuff you can take a gander at and fully enjoy… Like what? Read on to find out, naturally.

One of the bigger and more obvious outside exhibits includes the old caboose. Did you know that trains don’t use them anymore? They don’t. The whole concept of the caboose was rendered obsolete decades ago, but the museum still has one so you can still tell your youngsters about them, and explain how technology has changed things.

The adjacent building (just behind) is an even older bank building, and though it’s long out of commission, much of it is still in place, and the history is even richer here than in the first bank building museum.

The easy biggest attraction is the massive back-building put in place in recent years. From the curb it might look like a large steel building, but from inside it looks more appropriately like what it really is, which is a massive repository for donated items the main building didn’t have room to house. This isn’t exactly the storage space for all things that couldn’t fit in the main building, but in practice, that’s kind of what it is. Are you looking for old fire fighter hats? Antique items you can’t even figure out the use of? This is where they all live.

How about a Truly Regal Toilet? Oh yes, they have that. How about a steam heated toilet built and sold to the miners and ranchers sold at prices so premium that, well, that they could build a steam heated stone building specifically for the purpose of outhouse poop-ery… There was one such thing in Terry at a time, and it was so well built that it remains today.

How about a night or month in the world’s smallest Jail? Oh yes, Terry still has possession of what I’ve found to be the smallest jail in all of the old west, the western world, or the greater world at large. If you doubt our founding fathers’ ability to be horrible people, how about putting them in a tiny wooden shed in the dead of summer or winter… how many convictions can survive long enough to come of such situations? I’m going to say the answer is painfully few.

This museum is a great find, and it’s free by donation, and I do suggest you make a donation, because they rely almost entirely on donations. They don’t get wicked Federal Pork money (though they might like it,) so every penny you put in really goes to the place you intend it.

Onlookers at the Grand Opening of Archie's Car Museum

The Town of Terry, Montana has really been working overtime over the past few years to make their city into a true tourist destination along the I-94 corridor. Now thanks to the efforts of a number of folks in town, it’s becoming more and more of a reality every day. Today we’re happy to carry the story of Archie’s Car Museum, and their grand opening.

Archie’s Vintage Car Museum’s grand opening on September 4, 2010 was hosted by the Mayor of Terry Ron Kiosse, who officiated the ribbon cutting ceremony. In addition to the initial display of restored vintage and classic cars was a vast assortment of Americana license plates from Don Hubber’s vast collection.

Owner Doug Braun bought the old lumber yard building early last year, and since then he’s invested serious effort into bringing the building up to a standard neccessary to store and show off his collection of vintage and classic cars. To the surprise of many, he beat his schedule and the museum was able to announce its grand opening during the Cruisin’ the Badlands Car and Horse & Buggy Parade and Show on the 2010 Labor Day weekend.

Mr. Braun owns over 100 classic cars, many of which are already on display at Archie’s Car Museum, and more will follow in coming months and years, as each of them get up to museum grade. The formal invitation hasn’t yet gone out but collectors are welcome to display their vintage car memorabilia (or maybe even your whole car) if you’d like to keep them in a secure, publicly available space where everyone can enjoy it. You can contact Doug Braun directly by email at ddb147@hotmail.com to find out more about the space allocated for such collections.

So if the owner is Doug Braun, who the heck is Archie? Well it’s actually the name of Mr. Braun’s father, who owned a gas station on Spring Street in Terry during the 1940s. Doug was born and raised in Terry, and eventually joined the Navy where he served 28 years, including a stint on the USS Enterprise, and even saw action in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War.

Archie’s Car Museum is located at 115 S. Garfield Avenue, in fascinating Terry, Montana,

Evelyn Cameron Gala Dinner on August 21, 2010 in Terry, Montana
Evelyn Cameron Heritage – Gala Dinner – 8 21 10
Video Length 6:49

Donna Lucey showing her Evelyn Cameron belt with English silver buckle to Bob van der Valk

Over $10,000 was raised at the gala dinner on August 21, 2010 celebrating the opening of the Evelyn Cameron Heritage Theater. The theme was “Windows to the Past” at the historic Rialto Theatre located on Laundre Ave in Terry, Montana, which was appropriately decked out for the occasion. The heat from the 100 degrees weather outside did not seem to faze the over 110 people attending the annual festivities now in its 10th year.

Many civic and other local dignitaries were introduced by Tricia Harding including Mayor Ron Kiosse and Eric Moore, Montana State Senate candidate for District 20 in which Prairie County is located.

Donna Lucey at the Evelyn Cameron Gala Dinner held in Terry, Montana

Greg Klevgard and guest Tom Smith carrying the table designed by Jordan Lassle up to the auction.