…and Historians Trace the History along the Trail.

When the Milwaukee Road abandoned its route over the Bitterroot Mountains, salvage companies stripped the line of all the rails, ties, signals, posts and everything else of value. The small fragments left behind are the remains of one of America’s proudest railroads.

From 1907 to 1911 thousands of people lived, worked and played in this secluded part of the Bitterroot Mountains. They constructed a railroad while leaving faint signs of their own passing.

Today, you may see archaeologists digging and sifting along the Route of the Hiawatha looking for clues about people and places not found in written documents.

Historical research and archaeological field work helps breathe lire into the history of the Milwaukee Road years.

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Artifacts tell a story if they are found in the context in which were used. It is illegal to remove or destroy artifacts from the Route of the Hiawatha Trail. This preserves the history of the Milwaukee Road for everyone to enjoy.