Hill 57 facts for kids

Hill 57 is a special hill near Great Falls, Montana, in the United States. It's covered with sandstone rock. For many years, from the 1880s to the 1960s, it was home to a small community of Native American people, including the Cree, Métis, and Ojibwe (also called Chippewa) tribes. These families faced many challenges and lived in poverty. Because of this, "Hill 57" became a well-known symbol for how hard life was for Native Americans who didn't have their own land in Montana. Even today, some of these families still live on Hill 57.

What is Hill 57? (Geology)

Hill 57 is a low, flat-topped hill, almost like a small plateau. It's right next to the city of Great Falls, Montana. You can find it about 2,000 feet (610 meters) north of 9th Avenue North/Northwest Bypass, near Stuckey Road and the Valley View neighborhood.

The rocks that make up Hill 57 are mostly shale, which is a type of soft, layered rock. This shale belongs to a larger rock group called the Colorado Group. Inside this group, there's a part called the Blackleaf Formation. It's mostly shale but also has some fine sandstone. At the very bottom of the Blackleaf Formation is another layer called the Flood Member. This layer is made of different kinds of sandstone, some very hard and some softer. On top of the hill, there's a very large, hard sandstone layer.

About 65,000 years ago, long before the last Ice Age, the Missouri River flowed north instead of east. As it flowed, it left behind a lot of gravel made of quartzite. A thick layer of this gravel, about 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6.1 meters) deep, now covers the top and sides of Hill 57.

Then, about 15,000 years ago, a huge sheet of ice called the Laurentide Ice Sheet blocked the Missouri River. This created a giant lake called Lake Great Falls. Over time, fine silt from the lake settled on top of the gravel, forming the soil we see on Hill 57 today. Around 13,000 years ago, the ice melted, and Lake Great Falls drained away. This left Hill 57 looking much like it does now.

Hill 57 is different from a nearby, slightly taller hill called Mount Royal, which is to its north and northwest.

How Hill 57 Got Its Name

There are different stories about how Hill 57 got its name. The most common story is that in 1926, a salesman for "Heinz 57" food products named Art Hinck (or Henck) arranged rocks on the hillside to form a giant "57." He then painted them white so they could be seen from far away. Some historians say this happened even earlier, around 1900, or during President Theodore Roosevelt's time (between 1901 and 1909). Everyone agrees that this "57" sign was huge and could be seen for miles around Great Falls.

Another idea is that the hill was partly named after James J. Hill, who was the head of the Great Northern Railway and a friend of Great Falls' founder, Paris Gibson. Some people also say the name came from all the empty "Heinz 57" cans that were found scattered on the hill.

By 2009, the original "57" advertisement could no longer be seen on the hill.

The Great Falls High School Logo

Since the 1920s, students from Great Falls High School have kept up a giant "GF" logo on the side of Hill 57. This logo is made from whitewashed stones. Students regularly repaint these stones and make sure they stay in place. It's a long-standing tradition for the school!

Native American Community on Hill 57

The Hill 57 Camp

It's not exactly clear when Native American families first started living on Hill 57. Some records suggest it was around 1900. A severe drought in Montana from 1917 to 1920 forced many Native Americans who didn't own land to move closer to towns like Great Falls.

At first, many landless Native Americans settled along the Missouri River. But the most lasting communities were on Hill 57, Mount Royal, and other areas near Great Falls. White residents sometimes called these settlements "moccasin flats" in a disrespectful way.

Winters at the Hill 57 camp were extremely difficult. During the warmer months, many families would find food, clothing, and firewood by looking through the town's garbage dump. But in winter, with snow and ice, this was impossible. Many families had to rely on the county government for basic help to survive.

During World War I, starting in 1917, the Anaconda Copper company began hiring many local Native Americans to work in their smelter (a factory that melts metal). However, the Great Depression began in 1929, causing copper prices to drop sharply. The smelter closed on May 7, 1932. Some angry white workers blamed Native Americans for taking their jobs and even stealing from the plant. They burned down many of the Native American camps around Great Falls. Because of this, most Native American families then moved to Hill 57, which was owned by a Native American woman at the time.

By 1937, some families had moved from Hill 57 to other unused land.

Hundreds of Native Americans continued to live on Hill 57 into the 1970s. By 2013, the area was mostly empty. However, the community of landless Native Americans is still strong in Great Falls. About 3,000 members of the Little Shell Chippewa tribe live in the city today.