Montana Historical Society asks Montanans to vote for the state's best place

The Montana Historical Society has launched "Montana Madness," a March Madness-style bracket competition to determine Montana's Best Place, featuring 16 historic and iconic locations from across the state. 

Voting is open at mths.mt.gov/education/Montana-Madness-2026, and participants can cast one vote per day, per device.

The 16 contenders were selected from "A History of Montana in 101 Places," the newest title from MTHS Press, by attendees of the society's annual Montana History Conference. The sites span all six of Montana's tourism regions — from the sweeping breaks and plains of Missouri River Country to the peaks of Glacier Country — and represent the remarkable breadth of the state's cultural and historical heritage.

"Montana has no shortage of extraordinary places, and we think Montanans will have a strong opinion about which one deserves the top spot. We can't wait to see how this plays out,” said Martha Kohl, outreach and education program manager for the Montana Historical Society.

The winning site will receive copies of the 101 Places book, a featured display in the Montana Heritage Center, and a customized trophy. The bracket will be narrowed on a weekly basis, with winners advancing until a single champion is crowned.

This contest marks the second installment of Montana Madness. The first contest invited participants to vote on their favorite object from the society's previous book, "A History of Montana in 101 Objects," to determine "Montana's Most Awesome Object." The winner was the 1943 Smith Mine Disaster board, a humble artifact now on display in the Homeland Gallery at the Montana Heritage Center.

The 16 contenders are:

Central Montana

Charles M. Russell Home and Studio, Great Falls

First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, Ulm

Fort Benton National Historic Landmark, Fort Benton

Glacier Country

Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park

CSKT Bison Range, Flathead Reservation

Missouri River Country

Fort Peck Dam, Valley and McCone Counties

Daniels County Courthouse, Scobey

Southeast Montana

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument / Battle of Greasy Grass

Pictograph Cave State Park, Billings

Medicine Rocks State Park, Carter County

Southwest Montana

Bannack State Park, Beaverhead County

Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, Jefferson County

Anselmo Mine, Butte

Grant-Kohrs Ranch, Deer Lodge

Yellowstone Country

Three Forks of the Missouri, Gallatin County

Bearcreek, Carbon County