Montana Moment

It's more than 400 miles from the Pacific Ocean to Charlo, Montana. Not exactly the place you would expect to find saltwater shrimp. But Jim Vaughan has brought a bit of ocean to this Lake County ranch community. Jim owns and operates Mission Valley Shrimp on his small farm. NBC Montana met Jim at his business in the shadow of the Mission Mountains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...

Off Route 66, that iconic American highway, stands a sculpture of a young man holding a guitar.  In the late 1990's, Libby, Montana sculptor Ron Adamson was commissioned to create the statue for Winslow, Arizona. It was in honor of the classic Eagles' song, Take it Easy.  It's a uniquely American story. But the statue, named 'Easy' has connections to two continents dating back 90 years. Learn more...

The Double Front Cafe has been serving patrons at the same location on two streets in Missoula since 1909. The restaurant has no back door.  But it has two front doors, one on West Alder Street, and the other on West Railroad Street. It's been owned and operated by the same family since 1961. The number 61 is an important milestone for this Missoula business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

Garrison has always been a crossroads of trade and travel. It sits at the intersection of Highway 12, leading to Helena, and Interstate 90, connecting Missoula to Butte and points west and east. In recent years, the town has seen economic decline. But one man is working to help change that.  Chance Tant is a diesel mechanic in Garrison. His Diesel Daddy Mobile Truck Repair provides on-Location ser...

For many of us, our cell phones sprung ahead for Daylight saving time automatically. If you have an old-fashioned mechanical clock you had to adjust the hour by hand.  Digital clocks may be more convenient.  But at Grandfather's Clocks in Stevensville, there's just something about the ticking of a vintage clock. NBC Montana visited the clock shop as dozens of ticking clocks, some chiming, some wit...

Almost 10 years ago, fourth-generation Dillon sheep rancher John Helle co-founded Duckworth Apparel Company in Montana. Duckworth outdoor wear is now marketed all over the world. The family ranchers are meeting contemporary clothing needs by keeping their pioneer history alive. The company brands its products "from sheep to shelf." In this week's Montana Moment, NBC Montana profiles the family beh...

When birds are building nests for their new families, it's nice to find homes that look and feel like their natural environment.  Helena's Kirk Johnson builds birdhouses from pieces of Montana history. NBC Montana met Kirk at his shop, where he keeps a steady supply of building supplies. He keeps a large collection of old tree remnants and assorted odds and ends to make his creations. To show us,...

The Rodney Street Neighborhood in Helena was born soon after the discovery of gold in Last Chance Gulch. In it's 150-or so years, the neighborhood really hasn't changed that much, at least when you compare it to other neighborhoods. If you're an artist that is something to celebrate. “The Rodney Street Neighborhood," said artist Amanda Reese, " is this funky little neighborhood nestled in historic...

They call the lumber harvested from trees killed by mountain pine beetles blue pine. The beetles that burrow into those trees leave their marks in bluish gray, often mixed with greens, pinks and oranges. NBC Montana traveled to Vaughn to meet a master carpenter who values such wood as prized building material. Brad Opheim builds caskets and urns from blue pine. "I love my job," he said. "I remind...

At the Ott-Kimm Conservatory in Three Forks, the senses of sight, sound and smell are magnified. It's a place where life forms come together in what some have called the Circle of Life. John Hemighaus built the conservatory to create a Zone 8 growing environment. It's a zone of warmer climates and longer growing seasons than Montana's. John grew up in a Pennsylvania family that has operated large...

On a cold, March day in 2021, Montana Moment featured a Wise River ranch family that uses draft horses and sleds to feed their cattle. This summer, NBC Montana returned to the Kirkpatrick Ranch where the family and its crew were putting up hay for next winter. Here, old fashioned work ways never went out of fashion. On the Kirkpatrick Ranch, haying doesn't look much different than it did 100-years...

Off the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway between Wise River and Polaris is an abandoned mining settlement. NBC Montana spent time in this ghost town, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and an important touchstone of Montana history.  Coolidge was the unfulfilled dream of a former Montana Lieutenant Governor.  It's found high in the mountains and stands testament to a way of life l...

Molten granite formed the Pioneer Mountain Range in southwest Montana about 72-million years ago. As the granite cooled, water carried quartz and other minerals through the rocks and deposited them in veins. With time, the minerals were exposed to air and ground water, leaving a repository of gems. Few places in the country showcase that more than Crystal Park. You will find Crystal Park off the P...

You've probably seen the 50,000 Silver Dollar billboards on Interstate-90. They're hard to miss. The signs advertise what is certainly one of Montana's most extensive collections of silver dollars. Located about 16-miles from the Idaho border, Lincoln's 50,000 Silver $, has long been a stop off for travelers, tourists and truckers. There's a motel, RV park, convenience store, casino, fuel stop, re...

Montana Moment is your front row seat to the last best place! NBC Montana reporter Kevin Maki explores the history, stories, people and places that make Montana well, Montana.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices