What Every Small Town In Montana Had In The 1930s. It Was A Simpler Time.

Can you believe nearly a century has passed since the 1930s? Like the rest of the country, Montana was feeling the effects of the Great Depression during that decade. But the residents of the Last Best Place have always been resilient, and there were a few things you could find in practically every town. Let's take a look at life in the 1930s in Montana.

1. Farms

Unfortunately, many Montanans lost their land (and farms) during the Great Depression. That being said, plenty persevered, and you'd find farm land all over the Treasure State in the 1930s.

2. Barber shops

Almost every town's Main Street had a barber shop, and they were as charming as you can imagine. This barber shop was located in Billings in the late 1930s.

3. 1930s roadsters

We kind of wish these beauties were still on the road regularly. Can you imagine what it was like in the 1930s in Montana when these were fresh off of the assembly line?

4. Grain elevators

Montana has always produced tons of flour and grains.

5. Schoolhouses

Montana still had plenty of one-room schoolhouses in the 1930s.

6. Churches

Our faith has always been strong in the Treasure State.

7. Parades and festivals

Montanans have been celebrating holidays for well over a century. This is a photo from Billings' Go Western Parade in 1939, perhaps one of the oldest photos in Montana depicting a small town festival.

8. Charming Main Streets

Some of our Main Streets look pretty similar to the way they did back then. This is Hamilton in 1939.

Life in the 1930s in Montana may have been rough, but at least we have a photographic record to remind us that we are resilient. If you agree it is fun to look at photos of Montana's past, here are a few historic photos of Montana taken during World War II.

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/montana/rare-photos-taken-during-wwii-mt/

Yellowstone National Park was founded in 1872 as the first Federally protected park in the US. This beautiful natural wonder looked much the same in 1872 as it did in the 1930s and as it does today. Spend a day learning about the park and enjoying its stunning views with a small group tour.