Montana Moment

Malmstrom Air Force Base began as the Great Falls Army Air Force Base during WWII. It trained bomber crews in WWII, and has played key roles in the military for more than 80-years. The Malmstrom Museum and Air Park hosts visitors from all over the world. Here, they learn about Malmstrom's history, and get a firsthand look at vintage planes and vehicles. When you enter the park you can't miss the I...

For thousands and thousands of years, it's been a trade that has stood the test of time. From the Great Pyramids to the Taj Mahal, craftsmen have used this simple material to erect some of the greatest buildings and monuments in history. Stone is prized for both its sturdiness and beauty. Karl Marcus is a stonemason. NBC Montana went with Karl to a riverbed near Virginia City, where he collects ri...

After gold was discovered in Alder Gulch in 1863, throngs of fortune seekers poured into Virginia City and its surrounding area. Coming from all points of the compass, most of them were men. But in this male-dominated rough and tumble town, two pioneer women rose to prominence as successful and respected pillars of their community. The obstacles they overcame is one of amazing resilience.  Virgini...

Imagine what Montana and the rest of the west looked like 220 years ago. When President Thomas Jefferson launched Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery in 1804, Montana was wild and untouched. The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls explores the history of that monumental trip, taking visitors on a historic and visual experience back in time. The Interpretive Center stands high above...

Good conversation and a good laugh create healthy connections to community. Getting together with old and new friends keeps the blues away. It all makes the day brighter. This is a story NBC Montana calls 'Coffee with George.' To begin, we meet Jeff Martin at 5 a.m. at the Talking Bird Saloon in St. Regis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bordering the Montana State University campus in Bozeman, is a little sub sandwich shop that's been a hit with college students for generations. But it's just as popular with tourists, and the Bozeman area community as a whole. Now, the restaurant at 809 West College, is celebrating its 50th anniversary.  The restaurant looks the same as it did in 1974. It's still packing customers into a tiny spa...

America has always had a love for the open road, and it's promise of adventure. Whether it's on an interstate, black-top highway, or country road, driving offers freedom, and the allure of what's waiting 'round the bend.  Since 1953, the Chevrolet Corvette has been a symbol of that American tradition.  The Hellgate Corvette Club in Missoula has been at the forefront of bringing Corvettes to Missou...

From our skies, to the mountains, and open fields, Montana's wildlife ensure a vibrant and healthy environment. As predators and prey, reptiles play an essential role in the balance. Montana Reptile Rescue's director and chief executive officer Jeremy Allestad protects and rehabilitates both native and non-native reptile species. Jeremy started the non-profit in Great Falls eight years ago. But hi...

To be creative, it helps to immerse yourself in an environment that sparks creative thought and action. A fine artist from Walkerville can tell you all about it. To inspire innovation, Mike Hamblin built his own ideal world. From the exterior, Hamblin's garage looks typical. But when he opens the door you step into a whole other environment. It's a hot, sunny day in Walkerville. But inside Hamblin...

Between Sheridan and Alder stands an inn once known as a major transportation hub. The building has long since been retired as a place of business, and is now one of southwest Montana's most historic sites. After gold was discovered in Alder Gulch in 1863, fortune seekers and other travelers rested here before moving on to their destinations. It was touted as a notorious stop off, but like many ta...

If you stroll through downtown Bozeman, slow down and check out the public art. Scattered about are 50 to 60 sculptures, all with their own unique stories. The Gallatin Art Crossing Sculpture Park may be one of Bozeman's most intriguing amenities. NBC Montana met Quiana and Chris Conlon on the pathway at the Bozeman Public Library. "As you walk along the pathway there are sculptures on both sides,...

For 17 years, he lived alone in the mine yards at Montana Resources, the open pit copper and molybdenum mine in Butte. He survived in a barren landscape near the toxic Berkeley Pit. But his life was free and filled with friends. His name was The Auditor. He was a dog. To learn more about him, NBC Montana visited those mine yards. We hopped in a pickup with Montana Resources Vice President of Human...

In the early 1900's especially, the Bitter Root Valley grew several hundred varieties of fruit trees, most of them apple. But many of those antique fruits were lost or forgotten. For decades, nurseryman Roger Joy has been working to bring them back. Roger has grafted antique fruit varieties onto thousands of trees at his wholesale Canyonview Nursery in Corvallis. He learned the art as a young man...

In Montana, few outdoor scenes remind us more of spring than a crop of new calves. NBC Montana visited Lifeline Farm near Victor to see the latest additions to Ernie Harvey's cattle herd. It was a warm spring day. Some calves were sleeping in the sun. One youngster jumped and bucked, relishing the energy of youth on a nice day. The ancestors of Ernie Harvey's calves came from Switzerland. Learn mo...

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...