| Long Description | <DIV class="cityaspfont"><ul class= "fotocolumn"><li class="brewfoto"><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/Loma_Outdoor.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=222 HEIGHT=140 ALIGN=BASELINE><p class="fotocap">Scenic View</p><p class="fotocred">Photo courtesy: MTOT</p></li><li class="brewfoto"><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/Loma_DecisionPoint.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=222 HEIGHT=140 ALIGN=BASELINE><p class="fotocap">Decision Point</p><p class="fotocred">Photo courtesy: Bureau of Land Management</p></li></ul>
<p>Loma is northeast of <a href="/categories/City.asp?CityID=120">Fort Benton</a> where the <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=11083">Marias River</a> joins the <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=713">Missouri River</a>. Lewis and Clark camped here on June 3, 1805, and named the smaller river after Capt. Lewis's cousin, Maria Wood. In 1831 Fort Peigan, a trading post, was established here by James Kipp of the American Fur Company. A year later the post was abandoned, burned by the Indians, and replaced by Fort McKenzie. Ferryboat service was available for many years at Loma. (from Cheney's <I>Names on the Face of Montana</I>, Mountain Press Publishing Company)</p><P>The tiny community of Loma has an interesting museum. Visit the <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=11053">Earth Science Museum</a> for a look at a wide collection of gems, minerals, fossils, Native American artifacts and train memorabilia.</p><P>Cross the Missouri River by ferry upriver at <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=3863">Carter</a> or down-river at <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=11815">Virgelle</a>; both ferries operate from March through October. Just one mile south of Loma, in June 1805, is where the Lewis and Clark Expedition spent nine days at the <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=11083"> Marias River</a> deciding which fork would lead them to the northwest passage. The <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=11813">"Decision Point"</a> marker on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is where they determined whether or not the Marias was a main stem of the <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=713">Missouri</a>. They concluded that it was not. Decision Point is only one mile off of Highway 87, near the town of Loma, and a visit will reward you with a beautiful overlook of the confluence of the Marias and Missouri Rivers.</p> |
| Map HTML Tag | <map name="nearbycities"><area shape="rect" alt="Virgelle, Montana" coords="138,6,184,20" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=344"><area shape="rect" alt="Loma, Montana" coords="113,22,150,37" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=206"><area shape="rect" alt="Geraldine, Montana" coords="133,70,176,83" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=137"><area shape="rect" alt="Fort Benton, Montana" coords="85,48,179,62" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=120"><area shape="rect" alt="Buffalo, Montana" coords="187,224,218,240" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=47"><area shape="rect" alt="Moore, Montana" coords="210,210,243,222" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=231"><area shape="rect" alt="Utica, Montana" coords="151,212,174,228" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=338"><area shape="rect" alt="Moccasin, Montana" coords="157,197,196,207" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=228"><area shape="rect" alt="Stanford, Montana" coords="142,165,194,181" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=315"><area shape="rect" alt="Neihart, Montana" coords="81,200,129,222" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=235"><area shape="rect" alt="Monarch, Montana" coords="66,181,117,193" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=230"><area shape="rect" alt="Coffee Creek, Montana" coords="149,120,180,138" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=66"><area shape="rect" alt="Belt, Montana" coor |