The state Legislative Assembly created the Montana State Highway Commission in 1913. 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 changed again in 1921 to three members appointed by the Governor and in 1941 to five members, also appointed by the Governor. Through an executive order empowered by the Executive Reorganization Act of 1971, Governor Forrest Anderson’s administration renamed the Montana Highway Department as the Montana Department of Highways and, without changing the Commission’s composition, centered highway development as the Commission's primary responsibility. In 1991, the state legislature rebranded the Montana Department of Highways as the Montana Transportation Department while leaving the Commission unchanged. The 1995 state legislature, however, renamed the Montana State Highway Commission as the Montana Transportation Commission and broadened the Commission’s responsibilities beyond highways.
The Montana State Highway Commission records consist of correspondence (1967-1970), ledgers (1917-1956), meeting minutes (1913-2006), and subject files (1928-1996). The meeting minutes, which are available online on the Montana History Portal (MHP), detail the state-wide projects overseen by the Highway Commission and its successor, the Montana Transportation Commission. The subject files are primarily related to the design and construction of the Missouri River Wolf Point Bridge. Additionally, the three ledgers (1917-1956) detail the Commissions' involvement in Federal Aid projects across the state.
The collection is arranged by series: Correspondence (1967-1970); Ledgers (1916-1956); Meeting Minutes (1913-2006); and Subject Files (1928-1996).
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives. The Library & Archives does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.
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
Item description and date. Montana State Highway Commission records. RS 344. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Library & Archives, Helena, Montana.
Acquisition information available upon request.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search under these terms.