Near Greenough in Missoula County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Big Blackfoot Milling Company
The mill decided to build semi-permanent camps further up the river and bought two Shay engines from Lima Locomotives in Lima, Ohio. They hauled all the materials, including the disassembled engines, in wagons and sleighs 11 miles up the Blackfoot to McNamara's Landing. They constructed the Big Blackfoot Railroad from the landing through Potomac to Greenough, some 14 miles. It was completed by 1904, but horses still brought the logs to the railroad in the winter. This track had temporary branch lines, which could be moved when the area was cleared of timber. When logs reached McNamara's Landing, they were dumped in the river and floated to Bonner.
In 1913, Anaconda sold the Big Blackfoot Railway to the Milwaukee Railroad who completed the line to McNamara's Landing and eventually on into Bonner from Potomac. To get to Milwaukee's main line, it crossed the Clark Fork over the so-called Duck Bridge just east of the Milltown Dam. Lumber from the mill would go into Missoula and then be attached to trains going east or west. The grade of the Big Blackfoot Railroad can be seen looking east and west of this rest area.
One of the Shay Engines remains today resting at the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula.
Erected by Montana Department of Transportation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars.
Location. 47° 0.126′ N, 113° 22.158′ W. Marker is near Greenough, Montana, in Missoula County. Marker is at the intersection of State Highway 200 and State Highway 83, on the right when traveling east on State Highway 200. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 44601 Montana Highway 200, Bonner MT 59823, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 12 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. A Vast Network of Indigenous Trails. (here, next to this marker); Souvenirs of the Ice Age (within shouting distance of this marker); Big Blackfoot Railroad (approx. half a mile away); The Blackfoot River Corridor (approx. 3.2 miles away); Seaman (approx. 7˝ miles away); Ghost Town Byway (approx. 9.1 miles away); Historic Logging Shaped These Woods (approx. 9.9 miles away); Sand Park Cemetery (approx. 11.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Greenough.
More about this marker. This marker is located at the Clearwater Rest Area.
Also see . . . The Big Blackfoot Railway -- Missoulian. The Milwaukee Railroad acquired the Big Blackfoot Railway as a branch line about 1910 and the trains ran until 1916, when logging ceased for ten years. Both resumed in 1926, but the railway’s years were numbered. Logging trucks came on the scene in the 1920s and by 1948 had dominated the industry. Hauling by rail had ended by 1957. Trucks also eliminated the need for logging camps, so most of the small communities disappeared too. (Submitted on September 9, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)
Credits. This page was last revised on April 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 9, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 297 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 9, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 3. submitted on April 3, 2023, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.