Welcome to the Culbertson Montana Picture Tour
We wanted to show Culbertson, Montana during two of the prettiest time of the year. You will see pictures of Culbertson surround by the lush green hills of June followed by the blazing autumn colors of September. Before we start exploring, how about a little town history. Culbertson was created in June 1887 following the arrival of the Great Northern Railway, then known as the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway. The town was named after Major Alexander Culbertson (1809-1879), former head of the American Fur Company. The name Culbertson, should sound familiar because it was Major Culbertson who was instrumental in the establishment of Fort Benton in 1846. The town of Culbertson saw a population spurt with the influx of dryland farmers after the passage of the amended Homestead Act in 1909. With its railroad connection, Culbertson became the center of the area’s agricultural trade.
Homestead Act
The Homestead Act of 1862 opened up settlement in the western United States, allowing any American, including freed slaves, to put in a claim for up to 160 free acres of federal land. On the relatively arid western plains, 160 acres was not enough land to survive on using traditional farming practices. The Enlarged Homestead Act, was passed in 1909 and doubled the allotted acreage from 160 to 320 acres. Another amended act, the national Stock-Raising Homestead Act, was passed in 1916 and again increased the land involved, this time to 640 acres.
The Culbertson Bridge On The Missouri River
Ride three miles southeast of Culbertson, Montana on Highway 16 and you will find the spectacular Missouri River crossing, called the Culbertson Bridge. Culbertson Bridge is one of only two Missouri River public fishing access sites that can be found on the last 94 mile stretch of the Missouri River before it enters North Dakota. This section of river is an important juvenile rearing area for several species of fish that spawn further upstream in the system. This is the only area of the Missouri River downstream of Fort Peck Dam where the young of sauger, shovelnose sturgeon and channel catfish are routinely found.
Respect Private Property
The fall colors near the Culbertson Bridge make the area a popular destination for photographers. Please remember the land on both sides of the bridge is private. Before you run off to get the perfect photograph, be sure you get permission from the land owner. Residents in the area are amazed at the number of visitors who risk their life by stopping mid-span on the bridge to snap a picture while fast moving semi-trucks hauling sweet potatoes narrowly pass by.
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