Montana Historical Society
Archives
RS 423_RS 492
Montana. Department of
Highways.
Montana Department of Highways, Mail and File Unit
records
1935-1979
5.4 linear feet
This collection is a sub-subgroup
(Unit) of the Montana Department of Transportation records, RS 492. The Mail and
File Unit formerly operated under the Administrative Division (Formerly Centralized Services
Division). Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of
Transportation records. This collection (1935-1979) consists of correspondence,
general subject files, and petitions from the public.
41:4-4
English
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.
In the 1970s, the Mail and File Unit, specifically, operated within the General Services Bureau,
which itself operated within Centralized Services Division.
This collection is comprised of records documenting the work of the Mail and File Unit of
the Montana Department of Highways, including: correspondence, general subject files, and
petitions from the public.
Collection is arranged by series.
Collection is open for research.
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.
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.
Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers.
Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.
Acquisition information available upon request
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society
Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places
should search under these terms.
Roads
Transportation--Montana.
Roads--Montana.
Montana
Transportation
Detailed Description of the Collection
Subject Files
1 / 1
Planning and Economic Development
1969-1973
1 / 2
Montana Aeronautics Commission
1965-1973
1 / 3
Government Policy Initiatives
1977
1 / 4
State Board of Examiners, Attorney General, Historical
Society, PERS
1952-1975
1 / 5
American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials (AASHO), General No.
1957-1974
1 / 6
Fish and Game Commission
1972-1977
1 / 7
Libby Dam Project (U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers))
1959-1973
1 / 8
Miscellaneous Montana
1976
1 / 9
Governor
1961-1974
1 / 10
Glacier and Yellowstone Pars
1941-1967
1 / 11
Civil Rights Bureau
1965-1974
1 / 12
Congressman File
1972-1974
1 / 13
Railroad File
1945-1973
1 / 14
Natural Resource Council
1957-1973
1 / 15
U.S. Air Force
1953-1971
1 / 16
U.S. Army Engineers – Paradise Dam
1948-1966
1 / 17
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
1940-1971
1 / 18
U.S. Soil Conservation Service
1960-1972
1 / 19
U.S. Forest Service
1957-1971
1 / 20
Bureau of Indian Affairs
1954-1973
1 / 21
American Trucking Association
1956-1970
1 / 22
ABM Impact Funds
1970-1971
1 / 23
Agreements #2
1972-1973
1 / 24
Associated General Contractors
1955-1972
1 / 25
Montana Historic Preservation Plan
1970
1 / 26
Montana Highway Salvage Program
1971-1972
1 / 27
Highway Archaeological Reconnaissance
Survey
1971
1 / 28
Engineering Consultants: A-M
1970-1977
2 / 1
Engineering Consultants: S-Z
1970-1977
2 / 2
Engineering Consultants: Miscellany
1970-1977
2 / 3
Registration of a Claim to Copyright
1975
2 / 4
State Office Building: Original, Improvements,
Annex
1935-1964
2 / 5
Colorado Building Agreements
1955-1956
2 / 6
SMP 208-3211-02 and 205-1309-02 (Lewistown and
Missoula Office Buildings)
1963-1967
2 / 7
Maintenance Stockpile Project
1957
2 / 8
Miscellaneous SMP and AR Projects
1951-1973
2 / 9
Beautification and Rest Areas
1962-1966
2 / 10
Miscellaneous Beautification
1966
2 / 11
Beautification #2
1967-1970
2 / 12
Records Management: Document Retention and
Microfilming
1958-1962
2 / 13
Hydraulic Study
1968
2 / 14
Agreements and Contracts
1968-1972
2 / 15
“A” Miscellaneous
1966-1977
2 / 16
Department of Highways, Montana Action
Plan
1973-1976
2 / 17
American Society of Civil Engineers
1953-1963
2 / 18
Camp Areas
1967-1969
2 / 19
Accelerated Public Works Program
1962
2 / 20
Certification Acceptance
1973-1974
2 / 21
“C” Miscellaneous
1969-1973
2 / 22
Consultant Selection and Agreement File
1961-1962
2 / 23
Columbus Interchange
1964-1968
2 / 24
Creek Contract Building
1970
2 / 25
“G” Miscellaneous
1968-1970
2 / 26
Environmental Council
1971-1976
2 / 27
Economic Growth Center
1965-1974
2 / 28
Diesel Fuel Tax
1960-1963
3 / 1
Equal Employment Office
1970-1972
3 / 2
“’E’ Miscellaneous”
1971-1977
3 / 3
Highway Research Board
1971
3 / 4
Highway Safety Contract
1972
3 / 5
Highway 12 routing
1972
3 / 6
Highway Joint Development Council
1969-1971
3 / 7
House Bill 371
1973
3 / 8
“’H’ miscellaneous”
1962-1972
3 / 9
“Inspection in-depth R/W Construction”
1966-1972
3 / 10
“’I’ miscellaneous”
1968-1970
3 / 11
Insurance on all contracts
1967-1971
3 / 12
Internal Review Verification Program
1969
3 / 13
Labor
1957-1969
3 / 14
Primary program (project approvals)
1968-1973
3 / 15
Urban Program
1960
3 / 16
Legislation—misc.
1959-1963
3 / 17
Laboratory Commission
1956-1971
3 / 18
“’M’ miscellaneous”
1963-1971
3 / 19
Montana Contractors’ Association
1953-1968
3 / 20
Annual Maintenance Report
1966-1967
3 / 21
Montana Minuteman Access Roads—Final
Inspection
1961
3 / 22
“’N’ miscellaneous”
1968-1972
3 / 23
Old West Trail
1966
3 / 24
North Frontage Road—Billings
1965-1971
3 / 25
Missile Access Roads
1960-1965
3 / 26
Bootlegger Trail (FAS 224)
1969-1973
3 / 27
Prebil (Central Services Division)
1979
3 / 28
Gruel (Maintenance Division)
1978-1979
3 / 29
G. Anders (Utility Section)
1979
3 / 30
Broughten (Highway Personnel)
1979
3 / 31
Hahn (Planning and Research Bureau)
1978-1979
3 / 32
Ivanovitch (Landscape and Environment
Unit)
1978-1979
3 / 33
Champion (Right of Way Bureau)
1979
3 / 34
Larson (Consultant Design Section)
1979
3 / 35
Kologi (Preconstruction Bureau)
1978
3 / 36
Greg Jackson (Traffic Unit)
1979
4 / 1
Ronald Richards (Director)
1979
4 / 2
D. Johnson (Engineering and Specialties)
1979
4 / 3
J. Ulberg (Location and Road Design)
undated
4 / 4
R. Anderson, J. Anthony, LaRoux, O’Donnell, Stratton,
Rotering, Skoog
1979
4 / 5
Mackey (Construction Bureau)
1979
4 / 6
Harris (Secondary Roads Unit)
1979
4 / 7
Wheeler (Engineering Division) and Blake (Dep.
Director)
1979
4 / 8
Beckert (Engineering Division)
1979
4 / 9
Data Processing
1979
4 / 10
“Misc. Correspondence”
1979
4 / 11
Proposed Letting
1979
4 / 12-13
Federal Highway Administration (misc.)
1979
4 / 14
FHWA: progress reports, contracts, misc.
1979
4 / 15
Internal Cost Verification Manual
1979
4 / 16
ICCW (Inter-Department Coordinating Committee for
Women) and litigation
1979
4 / 17
Informational Memoranda
1979
4 / 18
Program progress
1979
4 / 19
Department of the Army
undated
4 / 20
Bureau
1979
4 / 21
Consultant
1979
4 / 22
Petition: West Glacier 4-lane to Hungry
Horse
undated
4 / 23
Petitions
1956, 1958-1962
5 / 1-13
Petitions
1963-1975
6 / 1-4
Petitions
1976, undated