View XML QR Code

Montana Department of Transportation, Maintenance Division records, 1927-2001

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Montana. Department of Transportation.
Title
Montana Department of Transportation, Maintenance Division records
Dates
1927-2001 (inclusive)
Quantity
8.8 linear feet
Collection Number
RS 492 (Formerly RS 407)
Summary
This collection is a subgroup (Division) of the Montana Department of Transportation records, RS 492. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of Transportation records. This collection is comprised of records documenting the work of the Department of Transportation and Department of Highways Maintenance Division and includes correspondence, "complaint" files, flood files, historical markers files, signing and landmark files, inspector field journals, meeting minutes, and subject files. Topics include: the statewide installation of fiber-optic cable through “Touch America” and AT&T, the Kootenai Hydroelectric Facility Project, and aerial photographs of Seeley-Swan Highway.
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)
Return to Top

Historical Note

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 was headed by an administrator. The Centralized Services Division, Engineering Division, Motor Pool Division, Gross Vehicle Weight Division, and the Maintenance Division were furthered sub-divided into bureaus, headed by Chiefs. In 1991, the Department of Highways became the Department of Transportation.

The Maintenance Division oversaw general maintenance throughout the entire Department of Highways/Transportation including flood mitigation and damage repair, installing and maintaining road signs and Montana’s recognized Historical Highway Markers, managing public complaints about road conditions, as well as other maintenance-related projects. The Maintenance Division also worked closely with the district offices, overseeing the districts’ maintenance projects.

Return to Top

Content Description

The collection contains files for the Maintenance division as it existed under the Department of Highways and then as part of the Department of Transportation.

The records for the Department of Highways consist of Subject Files (1927-1991) and Correspondence. Correspondence includes general correspondence of the Governor (1978-1985), and of the Maintenance Division Administrator and Engineer (1970-1985). Also included are files regarding the district and area offices (1953-1991), including: correspondence; "complaint" files; flood files; historical markers files; signing and landmark files; and miscellaneous report and project files, including Kootenai Hydroelectric Facility Project and aerial photographs of Seeley-Swan Highway.

The records for the Department of Transportation are comprised entirely of records documenting the Maintenance Division’s work with Power Engineers and “Touch America”/AT&T to install fiber optic cable in Montana. Documents include field diaries, both bound and loose leaf, written by inspectors and project managers overseeing the project; environmental reports and mitigation plans written by Power Engineers, one of the companies contracted to work on the project; general subject files about the project; and meeting minutes.

Return to Top

Use of the Collection

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.

Return to Top

Administrative Information

Arrangement

This collection is organized into two subgroups: (Subgroup 1) Department of Highways, Maintenance Division and (Subgroup 2) Department of Transportation, Maintenance Division. The two subgroups are further organized into series. Subgroup 1 is organized into the series Subject Files and Correspondence. Both Series are arranged alphabetically. Subgroup 2 is organized into the series Diaries, Minutes, Reports, and Subject Files.

Location of Collection

40:4-3

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

Return to Top

Detailed Description of the Collection

Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Highway engineering--Montana.
  • Highways--Flood Damage--Montana
  • Highways--Montana.
  • Highways.
  • Roads--Design and construction--Montana.
  • Transportation--Montana.

Geographical Names

  • Helena (Mont.)--Politics and government

Finding aid prepared by Rachel Lilley and Ellie Letterman; Updated by Lindsey Mick
2012; 2024

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West

Loading...
Loading...