Montana Department of Transportation, Great Falls District Office records

Montana Department of Transportation, Great Falls District Office records, 1935-1991

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Montana. Department of Transportation.
Title: Montana Department of Transportation, Great Falls District Office records
Dates: 1935-1991 (inclusive)
19351991
Quantity: 13.2 linear feet
Collection Number: RS 492 (Formerly RS 406)
Summary: This collection is a sub-subgroup (Office) of the Montana Department of Transportation records, RS 492. The Great Falls District Office currently (as of 2024) operates under the Director's Office Division. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of Transportation records. This collection contains correspondence, subject files, and meeting minutes related to project planning, design, general maintenance, personnel, and public relations issues at the Great Falls District Office and district’s area office in Havre. Correspondence, files and minutes were primarily kept by the District Engineer.
Repository: Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions: Collection is open for research.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Montana State Highway Commission was created in 1913 by the state Legislative Assembly. The original Commission was composed of three members. In 1917 new legislation altered the organization of the Commission by authorizing the appointment of twelve members according to geographic highway districts. Membership was changed again in 1921 to three members appointed by the Governor and in 1941 to five members, also appointed by the Governor. In 1971 the Commission was renamed the Montana Department of Highways, created by Chapter 7 of the Executive Reorganization Act of 1971 and implemented by executive order of the Governor on December 16, 1971. The Department of Highways took over all but the advisory functions of the State Highway Commission.

By 1972, the Department consisted of seven divisions: the Legal Division, Personnel Division, Centralized Services Division, Engineering Division, Motor Pool Division, Gross Vehicle Weight Division, and the Maintenance Division. Each division is headed by an administrator. The Centralized Services Division, Engineering Division, Motor Pool Division, Gross Vehicle Weight Division, and the Maintenance Division are furthered sub-divided into bureaus, headed by Chiefs. In 1991, the Department of Highways became the Department of Transportation. This was primarily a name change. However, there were some structural and administrative changes.

The Highway Department, the Department of Highways, and Department of Transportation maintained regional offices in the five commissioner districts: Billings, Butte, Glendive, Great Falls, and Missoula. The District Engineer (later called the District Administrator) was the chief administrative officer in each district office. District office files document the activities of the district administrators, engineers, maintenance crew, and other district office employees. The district offices addressed administrative, functional, and project related issues of their particular area, including: highway needs, current construction projects, HR/training for employees, road design, federal and state aid and grants, reports to the Department of Highways/ Department of Transportation in Helena regarding general maintenance, construction, and area concerns, etc. District administrators held meetings every 6 weeks. Other employees in the district and area offices also attended duty-specific meetings with outside district staff members; including maintenance crew meetings, engineer meetings etc., in order to maintain consistent communication among the districts and with other state agencies regarding programs, projects, and district goals. The files in the district office were kept by the District Engineer/Administrator.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Records (1935-1991) of the Montana Department of Highways, Great Falls District Office, consist of the correspondence, meeting minutes and subject files of the Great Falls District and area offices, including the Havre Area Office. The records include correspondence files (1935-1993), subject files (1941-1997) and meeting minutes (1997-1998). Subject files are primarily correspondence which relate to specific subjects. The records document the function, operation, and communication of the offices that fell within the Great Falls District. Both correspondence and subject files document: general and special maintenance projects of highways, bridges, and signs; public concerns; municipal concerns and projects; Federal and State grants and funding, including Works Project Administration era projects; civil defense and transportation concerns; accident and safety monitoring; as well as district budget and project planning. A large portion of the files document flood damage, flood control, and repair projects.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The Great Falls District Files are arranged into 2 subgroups: The Great Falls District Office records, which are arranged into Correspondence and Subject files; and the Havre Area Office records, which are arranged into Correspondence and Meeting Minutes.

Location of Collection

39:8-1

Processing Note

In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Department of Transportation were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 492, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the MTHS catalog, and to follow best archival practices.

Collections from Montana Department of Transportation's various Divisions and Bureaus that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 492. Rather than reprocessing over 280 linear feet of Transportation materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those collections/finding aids, and provide access to them via links through the central finding aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding aids at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if this subgroup/sub-subgroup pertains to your research needs.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Great Falls District Office, 1935-1989Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Correspondence
Box/Folder
1/1	Correspondence (accidents, encroachments)	1935-1965
1/2	Correspondence (equipment, guardrails, Maintenance Engineer)	1935-1965
1/3	Correspondence (historic markers, road condition reports, Maintenance Engineer)	1935-1965
1/4	Correspondence (Preconstruction)	1944-1961
1/5	Correspondence (Personnel and Payroll)	1945-1962
1/6	Correspondence (sectionmen, weed control, Maintenance Engineer)	1935-1964
1/7	Correspondence (Havre)	1964-1969
1/8	Correspondence (construction Memos Re: Right of Way)	1947-1960
1/9	Correspondence (pre-construction)	1953
1/10	Correspondence (Bureau of Public Roads, Public Roads Administration Procedures)	1942-1959
1/11	Correspondence (Construction Practices and Reports)	1948-1968
1/12	Correspondence (general memos)	1936-1940
1/13	Correspondence (general memos)	1949-1955
1/14	Correspondence (general memos)	1958-1965
2	Correspondence (general)	1964-1982
3	Correspondence (general)	1983-1985
4	Correspondence (general)	1985-1987
5	Correspondence (general)	1987-1989
6	Correspondence (general)	1989-1991
7	Correspondence (general)	1991
	Subject Files
Box/Folder
8/1	Bureau of Public Roads, Inspections	1964
8/2	Construction Reports, Monthly	1964
8/3	Construction Funds, Status of Interstate	1964
8/4	County Planning Surveys, Cascade County	1949-1950
8/5	County Planning Surveys, Choteau County	1949-1950
8/6	County Planning Surveys, Lewis and Clark County	1950
8/7	County Planning Surveys, Pondera County	1949
8/8	County Planning Surveys, Teton County	1949-1950
8/9	Flood Damage Costs and Accounting	1964
8/10	Flood Damage Repair	1964
8/11	Flood Damage and Secondary Roads	1964
8/12	Flood Damage, Federal Aid / Emergency Relief	1964
8/13	Flood Damage, Construction and Emergency Relief	1964
8/14	Forest Highway Projects	1941-1962
8/15	General Maintenance / Snow Removal	1964
8/16	Laboratory Testing, Forms and Instructions	1959
8/17	Planning Surveys, Federal Aid and Research Studies	1964
8/18	Secondary Roads	1964
8/19	Signs and Signage	1964
8/20	Wage Scale and Public Employees Craft Council	1965
8/21	Budget	1966
8/22	Construction Reports	1966
8/23	Final Inspection Reports, Federal	1966
8/24	Funds: Status of State / Interstate Construction Funding	1966
8/25	General Maintenance	1966
8/26	Glacier National Park Guide Signs	1966
9/1	Proposal,separation of 2nd and 10th Ave, Great Falls	1966
9/2	Radiological Monitoring Program / Manual	1965-1966
9/3	Secondary Roads	1966
9/4	Blue Star Marker Garden Club	1967
9/5	Budget	1967
9/6	Bureau of Public Roads inspection Report	1967
9/7	Civil Defense	1967
9/8	Clippings, “New Roundup”	1967
9/9	Construction Reports	1967
9/10	Construction Engineering Costs	1967
9/11	Funding: State of Construction Funds	1967
9/12	General Maintenance	1967
9/13	Planning Surveys Fatal Accidents	1967
9/14	Secondary Roads	1967
9/15	Signs and Signage	1967
9/16	Budget	1968
9/17	Bureau of Public Roads Inspection Report	1968
9/18	Clippings, “New Roundup”	1968
9/19	Construction Reports	1968
9/20	Construction Funds	1968
9/21	Dike System – Great Falls	1968
9/22	Dupuyer Transfer Section	1968
9/23	Flood Damage and Repair	1968
9/24	General Maintenance	1968
9/25	Right of Way General	1963-1968
9/26	Special Maintenance and Betterment	1968
9/27	Secondary Roads	1968
9/28	Statewide Telephone and Telegraph Permit	1968
9/29	Specifications for Fire Protection Project: Stage 1	1968
9/30	Specifications for Fire Protection Project: Stage 1 – Maps	1968
9/31	Flood Damage and Repair	1968
9/32	Signs and Signage	1968-1969
9/33	Special Maintenance and Betterment	1969
9/34	Utility Agreements	1969
9/35	Wage Scale and Public Employees Craft Council	1969
9/36	Planning Surveys	1969
9/37	Pre-Construction – General	1969
9/38	Right of Way – General	1969
9/39	Road Oil	1965-1969
10/1	Budget	1969
10/2	Bureau of Public Land Reports	1969
10/3	Clippings, “News Roundup”	1969
10/4	Construction Reports General	1969
10/5	Construction Engineering Costs	1969
10/6	Flood Damage	1969
10/7	Funds: Status of Funds – Construction	1969
10/8	General Maintenance	1969
10/9	Signs and Signage	1969
10/10	Bridges	1953-1970
10/11	Budget	1970-1971
10/12	Bureau of Public Roads Inspection Reports	1970
10/13	Clippings, “News Roundup”	1970
10/14	Commission, State Highway Policies and Organization	1970
10/15	Construction General	1970
10/16	Construction Engineering Costs	1970
10/17	Funds : Status of Construction Funds	1970
10/18	Forest Highways, Kings Hill	1970
10/19	General Maintenance	1970
10/20	Interim Operating Procedures : Relocation Assistance And Payments	1970
10/21	Mapping	1970
10/22	Pre-Construction – General	1968-1970
10/23	Planning Surveys / Fatal Accidents	1970
10/24	Right-of-Way – General	1970
10/25	Safety	1959-1970
10/26	Work Study Program	1970
10/27	Advertising	1972
10/28	Average Bidding Pricing	1972
10/29	Campground and Beautification	1972
10/30	Invitation for Bids	1971
10/31	Bridge Maintenance and Inspection	1972
10/32	Budget	1972
10/33	Budget	1974-1975
10/34	Building Program – 2 and 10 year plan	1970-1974
10/35	Catastrophes / Natural Disaster	1971-1974
10/36	City Ordinances	1939-1969
10/37	Civil Defense	1971
10/38	Construction – General	1971-1973
10/39	Construction – General	1973-1974
10/40	Culvert Pipe / Interstate 15	1972
10/41	Department of the Army: Minutemen Access Records	1973
10/42	Engineering / Construction Costs	1971-1972
10/43	Monthly Construction Reports	1970-1971
10/44	Monthly Construction Reports	1972
10/45	Monthly Construction Reports	1973
10/46	Monthly Construction Reports	1974-1975
11/1	Army Missile Base	1971-1972
11/2	Contract on Bootlegger Trail	1971
11/3	Equipment Flasher Lights	1971-1973
11/4	General Maintenance Estimates	1971-1973
11/5	Gasoline / Fuel	1971-1973
11/6	Highway Joint Development Council Meetings	1970-1972
11/7	Highway Patrol / Fatal Accidents	1972
11/8	Safety Projects – 5 Year Program	1971
11/9	State Highway Commission Inspection Reports	1971-1973
11/10	Wage Schedules	1971-1972
11/11	Abandoned Right of Way	1975-1979
11/12	Agreements	1976-1979
11/13	Annexation – Right of Way	1977-1979
11/14	Beautification Projects	1976-1979
11/15	Bridges – Construction and Maintenance	1976-1979
11/16	Budget	1976-1979
11/17	Building Program – Long Range	1978
11/18	Campground and Recreational Signing	1976-1979
11/19	Contracts	1976-1979
11/20	Disasters – Maintenance	1976-1979
11/21	Emergency Energy Conservation	1976-1980
11/22	Explosives	1976-1979
11/23	Forest Service	1976-1979
11/24	General Construction	1977-1979
11/25	General Construction	1977-1980
11/26	General Construction	1975-1977
11/27	General Maintenance Correspondence	1975-1977
11/28	Hot Asphalt Plant Data	1970-1979
11/29	Historical Sites Maintenance	1976-1979
11/30	Laboratory – General	1976-1979
11/31	Legislation and Organization	1976-1979
11/32	Monthly Construction Report	1976-1979
11/33	Missiles – Maintenance	1976-1979
11/34	News Releases	1976-1979
11/35	Open Pit Mining	1976-1979
11/36	Personnel Policies	1976-1977
11/37	Priority Budgeting and Planning	1977
11/38	Public Hearings / Public Relations	1976
11/39	Rest Area Maintenance	1976-1979
11/40	Right of Way Subject Files	1974-1979
11/41	Right of Way Encroachment and Excess Lands	1977-1979
11/42	Road Surfaces Maintenance	1976-1979
11/43	Secondary Roads Construction	1976-1979
11/44	Seeing Projects	1967-1970
11/45	State Highway Commission Inspection Reports	1975-1976
11/46	State Highway Commission Inspection Reports	1975-1976
12/1	Special Maintenance and Betterment	1970
12/2	Signs and Signage	1970
12/3	SPOT Improvement Safety Program	1970
12/4	State Savings Fund Program	1970
12/5	Snow Removal and Sanding	1970
12/6	Signs and Signage	1975
12/7	Signs and Signage	1975-1978
12/8	Signs and Signals Construction	1976-1979
12/9	Flood Damage and Repair	1981-1982
12/10	Flood Damage and Repair	1981-1982
13/1	Flood Repairs Costs	1981-1982
13/2	Flood Control Documentation	1986
13/3	Flood Repair Pondera County	1986
13/4	Flood and Flood Costs	1986
13/5	Flood Damage Accounts	1986
13/6	Flood Damage Repair – Marias River and Dry Fork	1986
13/7	Flood Damage Repair – Marias River and Dry Fork Construction Diary	1986
13/8	Organizational Charts	1984

Havre Area Office, 1983-1998Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Correspondence
Box/Folder
14/1	Correspondence: Index / Filing register	1983-1987
14/2	Correspondence: Index / Filing register	1987-1988
14/3	Correspondence: Index / Filing register	1989
14/4	Correspondence: Index / Filing register	1990
14/5-62	Correspondence	1983 July-1988 June
15	Correspondence	1988 July-1993
16/1	Correspondence: Job Descriptions / Information	1981
	Meeting Minutes
Box/Folder
16/2	AASHTO Highway Subcommittee on Maintenance	1998
16/3	Area Maintenance Chiefs Meetings	1995-1997
16/4	District Administrators Meetings	1995-1997
16/5	District Staff Meetings (Great Falls)	1997-1999
16/6	District Staff Meetings (Great Falls)	2001
16/7	Field Maintenance Supervisors Meetings	1997
16/8	Maintenance Management System Steering Committee Meeting	1994
16/9	Maintenance Equipment Training Committee Meeting	1997-1998
16/10	Maintenance Chief Meetings	2001-2002
16/11	Safety Seminars	1995-1999
16/12	Safety Committee / Accident Review	1997-1998
16/13	Safety Committee / Accident Review	1998-1999
16/14	Safety Committee / Accident Review	1997-2000
16/15	Safety Committee / Accident Review	1997
16/16	Safety Committee / Accident Review	1998-1999
16/17	Safety Committee / Accident Review	1995-1999
16/18	Section Safety Meetings	1997
16/19	Section Supervisors Meetings	1997, 1999
16/20	Section Supervisors Meeting s	1999-2000
16/21	Sectionmen Meetings	1997-1998
16/22	Shop Superintendant Meetings	1995-1999
16/23	Sign Committee Meetings	1994
16/24	Staff Meetings	1995-1997
16/25	Staff Meetings	1997
	Subject Files
Box/Folder
16/26	Work Plans: Cut Bank	1996-1997
16/27	Supervisors' Area Spreadsheets	1984-1995

Archives West Finding Aid

Table of Contents