Archives West Finding Aid

Lewis M. Chittim was born in Bozeman, Montana on February 17, 1914 to Edward and Mertle Chittim, both of Missouri. In 1919, the Chittim clan moved to Sedan, Montana, and from there to many other cities in Montana, eventually settling in Stevensville, where Lewis graduated from high school in 1935. During his high school years, Lewis spent time working for the Highway Department as a surveyor. After graduation, he worked briefly for the Bill Kiely Construction Company in Butte, and as a fire guard for the Forest Service. Lewis attended Intermountain College, beginning in Fall of 1935; he was attending classes there when the 1935 earthquake struck, and the damage to the school resulted in classes being moved to Great Falls.

In August 1937, Lewis married Viola Downtain Keene. By 1938, he had secured a position with the Bureau of Public Roads. He and Viola then moved to Helena, and Lewis began his work with the Highway Department, stationed out of Stevensville but working on projects throughout the state, including Libby, Oilmont, Wilsall, Hamilton, Absorkee, and Valier. Lewis worked his way up through the ranks quickly, working as an "axeman" while in high school, and then as a rodman and instrument man; he was an acting project engineer by 1940. He took classes in Civil Engineering from the International Correspondence School during his employment with the Highway Department. In 1942, Lewis and Viola moved to Billings, where Lewis had taken a position with the Corps of Engineers stationed at Fort Peck. Lewis eventually enlisted in the Army, serving as a sergeant out of North Camp Hood, a southern branch of Fort Leavenworth. After his discharge in 1946, he, Viola and their children, Eddie and Bonnie, moved to Drummond, and Lewis returned to his work with the Montana Highway Department. He was eventually promoted to the position of District Engineer (one of five in Montana) in 1957, in charge of all maintenance, construction, and right-of-way purchasing in the district (which included Butte and Bozeman). In 1967, Lewis became the State Construction Engineer, and two years later was appointed the Chief State Highway Engineer by the Highway Commission. After a long and distinguished career, Mr. Chittim retired in 1971. Shortly after his retirement from the Highway Department, Mr. Chittim was called upon to assist in the establishment of a working highway department in Viet Nam. He and his family spent close to four years there, while Lewis inventoried equipment, made recommendations, and hired staff, among many other things. He passed away in Helena, January 22, 1998. Viola passed away four years later, August 1, 2002.