Southwest Montana

1threeforks_townsend_and_whitesulpher.gifTRAVEL_MT2004-12-22T11:43:04330YVISITOR INFORMATIONhttp://www.southwestmt.comSouthwest MontanaYLOCAL INFORMATIONhttp://www.townsendmt.comTownsend Area Chamber of Commerce10003410<DIV class="cityaspfont"><ul class= "fotocolumn"><li class="brewfoto"><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/Townsend_Town.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=222 HEIGHT=140 ALIGN=BASELINE>DowntownPhoto courtesy: Townsend Chamber</li><li class="brewfoto"><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/Townsend_CanyonFerry.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=222 HEIGHT=140 ALIGN=BASELINE>Canyon FerryPhoto courtesy: Townsend Chamber</li><li class="brewfoto"><center><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/Townsend_CantonChurch.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=117 HEIGHT=187 ALIGN=BASELINE></center>Canton ChurchPhoto courtesy: MTOT</li><li class="brewfoto"><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/Townsend_MainStreet.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=222 HEIGHT=140 ALIGN=BASELINE>Local BusinessesPhoto courtesy: John Ansotegui</li></ul> Townsend is a county seat advantageously "surrounded by the grandeur of the great <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=713">Missouri River</a> and its valley" and under the protection of the Big Belt Mountains. The first passenger train to travel from St. Paul to Portland (September 1883) stopped at Townsend. The town had been laid out and developed in anticipation of the coming of the railroad, and it was named by railroad officials, reportedly in honor or the wife of Charles B. Wright, president of the Northern Pacific 1874-1879—her maiden name was Townsend. A $10 thousand hotel, the Townsend House, was built. Town lots sold for $5 apiece and pioneer families built fine houses, giving the new town a dignity that it has maintained throughout the years. Agriculture gradually replaced the railroad as the dominant economic factor. (from Cheney's Names on the Face of Montana, Mountain Press Publishing Company) Townsend is in great hunting country. Visit the <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=2101">Chamber of Commerce</a> for information and maps for self-guided tours through historic mining and scenic areas in the nearby Elkhorn and Big Belt Mountains.<map name="nearbycities"><area shape="rect" alt="White Sulphur Springs, Montana" coords="156,41,197,75" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=352"><area shape="rect" alt="White Sulphur Springs, Montana" coords="198,62,244,75" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=352"><area shape="rect" alt="Clyde Park, Montana" coords="196,163,244,176" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=65"><area shape="rect" alt="Wilsall, Montana" coords="188,145,236,160" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=361"><area shape="rect" alt="Ringling, Montana" coords="170,88,206,104" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=280"><area shape="rect" alt="Toston, Montana" coords="96,116,131,128" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=329"><area shape="rect" alt="Winston, Montana" coords="73,63,111,75" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=364"><area shape="rect" alt="Bozeman, Montana" coords="91,202,186,239" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=38"><area shape="rect" alt="Belgrade, Montana" coords="125,189,165,201" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=20"><area shape="rect" alt="Belgrade, Montana" coords="145,174,166,188" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=20"><area shape="rect" alt="Manhattan, Montana" coords="104,177,144,187" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=212"><area shape="rect" alt="McAllister, Montana" coords="49,236,88,246" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=217"><area shape="r546531TOWNSENDGOLD WEST75Broken Hart Adventures1220Goose Bay Marina & Campground1251Hidden Hollow Hideaway Cattle & Guest Ranch11431Mustang Motel11965Canyon Ferry Lake KOA12043The Silos Marina & Campground12101Townsend Area Chamber of Commerce12138Old Baldy Golf Course12401Skidway Campground12879Battle Creek Ranch14461Cedar Bar Faulkner Trail14464Crow Creek Trail14465Tizer Poe Peak Trail14466Longfellow Park Trail14467Beaver Creek Trail14468Sheep Park Trail14469Belt Mountain Divide Trail14470Carl Creek Trail14474Crazy Creek Longfellow Trail14475Falls Creek Trail14478Camas Trail14480Boulder Lakes Trail14481Kentucky Trail14484Birch Creek Trail14485Gipsy Lake Trail14486Duck Creek Pass Trail14487Edith Lake Trail14489Nary Time Trail14490Cayuse Trail14491Hunters Gulch Trail14492Little Hellgate Gulch Trail14493Bar Gulch Trail14494Vigilante Trail14495Thompson Hellgate Trail15997Cabin Gulch/NorthFork Deep Creek Snowmobile Trail16315Bar Gulch Cabin16356Townsend Ranger District18868Broadwater County Fair & NRA Rodeo19658Rillway Cabin19659Grassy Mountain Trail113897Thompson Guard Station113898Eagle Guard Station113953Gipsy Lake Campground114558Crimson Bluffs115443Goose Bay Handblown Glass115498Creative Closet117511Canton Church Historic Site120293The Commercial Bar120660Copy Cup LLC120712Townsend Farmers Market120939Broadwater Lions Perch Derby121663Canyon Ferry Brewing121799Jillaroo's121811The Cook Mansion121898Bread and Butter Cafe121982Many Abilities Fun Run 1K/5K & Festival122076Duck Creek Ranch122225Reading Leaves Books122233Lakeside Distillery122453Townsend Fall Fest122556The Mountain Silos122683Last Cast Montana - Roberson Fly Fishing LLC122733The Betsy SportsZone1MT59644