Ravalli County Museum & Historical Society - Hamilton

The Ravalli County Museum, the former Ravalli County Courthouse, built by A.J Gibson in 1900, served as the Ravalli County Courthouse until 1979 when it was saved from the wrecking ball by a vote of the people. It now houses what is considered by many to be the finest little museum in the northwest. Permanent collections include a Native American collection based on Salish culture and Lewis and Clark, an extensive Bertie Lord photo collection, Bitter Root valley logging and agriculture and vast historical archives. Rotating exhibits in the former courtroom add to the ambience of this local cultural center, rich in the history of the Bitter Root Valley. The Hamilton Farmer's Market takes place Saturday mornings out front of the museum May through October. Annual events include Bitter Root Day: a street festival celebration of the Montana state flower and the Salish Culture, Mclntosh Apple Day: a street festival aptly described "The Biggest Bake Sale Under the Big Sky" for the hundreds of homemade apple pies, kabobs, caramel apples and cider sold there, Annual Cider Night: Bringing local Montana and beyond cideries together for an cider night under the stars- For more in-depth information, please visit us at www.ravallimuseum.org.