The drive was incredible! Such beautiful scenery and unfortunately, because it was the Interstate, there was absolutely nowhere for us to be able to pull over for picture-taking. Consequently, it was just several hours of me going “Wow!” We passed through rolling hills, and higher mountain peaks … lots of lush green trees. So many interesting rocky outcrops and lots and lots of red rock. And, we crossed the Missouri River!
Before arriving in Great Falls, we made a side-trip, turning off the highway at Cascade. You drive about 12 miles on a dirt road, through ranch land, along a broad flat-topped mesa, to reach the site of the old St. Peter’s Mission. This church was founded in about 1874 by a group of Ursuline nuns. It was part of a boarding school for Native Americans – which I've been assured not to be mistaken for the horrendous Resident Schools set up in Canada for Aboriginal children. At one time (1883), Louis Riel had taught there for a brief time until he was summoned back to Saskatoon.Near the church are the ruins of the old school and on the hill is the Hillside Cemetery where the nuns, children from the school, and Stagecoach Mary are buried.
Continuing on to Great Falls! We were staying at the O’Haire Motor Inn in downtown Great Falls. Definitely not a posh place (especially compared to the previous night’s accommodation at the Toad Hall Manor), but it was clean, comfortable, quiet (we had a huge corner room), and cheap! I had been attracted to this place because of its famous bar – the Sip & Dip. The bar shares a wall with the hotel swimming pool, and sometimes you are treated to the sight of mermaids swimming up to the glass to visit with you … or, in our case, just goofy kids. We did enjoy a couple of glasses of outstanding Pig’s Ass Porter – one of the finest porters we’ve ever enjoyed. However, it’s an extremely popular spot at night, and it doesn’t seem to have been very long ago that it became a non-smoking bar, so I found it a bit choking. But at least I can say we’ve been.
We went out to dinner. ‘Nuff said, though Bob really enjoyed his dinner. Now we’re even. Then a quiet evening of relaxing.
Up and at it! A busy day – Fort Benton in the morning and the Charlie Russell Museum in the afternoon.
Fort Benton, because of its historical significance, was of great interest to Bob. I, on the other hand, while interested in that as well, had my own agenda.
On our way to Fort Benton, we made a stop at the famous Decision Point. This is where, during Lewis and Clark’s great expedition, they reached a point of confluence between the Missouri River and the Marias River. The dilemma was which of those rivers would take them (eventually) to the Pacific 
Ocean. They camped at this point for ten days while they explored both options. In the end, they chose the Missouri which, as we now know, was the right choice and history was made at that point.
Fort 
Benton is a beautiful, quiet little town along the Missouri River, full of history. It’s been called “The Birthplace of Montana”. At one point in its history, Fort Benton had become what has been called the Old Forts Trail. Goods went between Fort Benton up toward Canada, to Fort Whoop-Up (Lethbridge), Fort McLeod, and Fort Calgary and Fort Edmonton and from those Forts back again to Fort Benton … furs, whiskey.
Fort Benton was also the home of a wonderful sheep-dog named Shep (and this was my agenda). Shep was a dog who was the best friend of a sheep herder who became ill and died in 1936. His body was loaded onto a train heading east while his faithful dog watched on the platform. For five and a half years, Shep met every train that pulled into the station, four times a day. He searched the faces of every passenger, waiting for his friend … who never arrived. Then, one cold winter night, Shep (who was an older dog then) didn’t hear the sounds of the approaching train. When he did, it was too late – he slipped on the snow and was killed.
A funeral was held for Shep two days later and hundreds of people attended. Shep was laid to rest on a high wind-swept bluff, overlooking the train station and tracks. Passenger trains no longer stop there, and the old station is no longer there either. A more modern station has been abandoned as 
well. But up on the bluff … Shep maintains his vigil for eternity. 
(Click on this link for the Shep Story ... but grab some Kleenex first.)
Another Fort Benton landmark is the Grand Union Hotel, originally built in 1882. It operated for a hundred years until the mid 1980’s when, because of hard times, it had to close its doors. A Montana couple purchased it in 1997 and began an amazing renovation. It reopened in 1999. We explored the lobby, the restaurant, and the meeting room off the lobby. It’s a fabulous place.
There was so much to do in Fort Benton – we visited the museum adjacent to the Fort, we visited the interpretive centre. But we were running out of time because we really wanted to get back to Great Falls to visit the Charlie Russell Museum – one of the main purposes of the trip. So … another trip … another time. We definitely would love to come back to the area with more time.
The C.M. Russell Museum! It was everything two Charlie Russell fans like Bob and I could ever dream of. For those not familiar with his work, Charlie Russell (“Kid” Russell) was probably one of the most prolific artists ever, creating thousands of pictures of cowboys, Indians, and landscape depicting the Old American West. He was also a sculptor and a story teller.
We visited Charles and Nancy Russell’s home (refurnished with donated antiques because, after Charlie died in 1926, Nancy moved to California and of course took the furniture with her.
We also visited Charlie’s studio next door to their home. All the artifacts in the studio were Charlie’s and the room was set up exactly as it was when he worked there.
The museum itself was incredible! The main floor is divided into nine galleries – only seven of which we visited. They cover an introduction to Charlie Russell, his early career, his maturing career.
The lower floor includes a library and a series of rooms devoted to the bison. In one small room, when you walk in it triggers a video presentation of close up of bison stampeding – it feels like you’re really close to their heads and you can hear the sounds of their breathing and their hooves pounding. Meanwhile, the floor shakes. You feel like you’re really in the middle of a bison stampede. Amazing.
The Russell Museum was one of the most remarkable things we’ve seen. But being there for a couple of hours did not do it justice. It became overwhelming and we couldn’t remember pictures we’d seen fifteen minutes earlier. We made a decision to return at another time to spend considerably more time there. The Charlie Russell Museum needs a day of its own.The next day, with Great Falls behind us and a lot of wonderful memories, we’re heading back to Canada.
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