Taft, Montana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Taft, Montana
|
|
|---|---|
|
Populated place
|
|
 Taft, Montana
Location in Montana
Taft, Montana
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Mineral |
| Named for | President William Taft |
| Elevation | 3,708 ft (1,130 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| Area Code | 406 |
| GNIS feature ID | 791856 |
Taft was once a busy place in Mineral County, Montana. It was located in the Bitterroot Range mountains, close to the Idaho border. This area was along the path of the historic Mullan Road. Around 1908, Taft was a lively railroad town. It was named after William Howard Taft, who became president in 1908.
Some stories say that the town got its name in a funny way. William H. Taft, who was then the Secretary of War, was traveling by train. He saw the work camp and reportedly told the people there that it needed to be cleaned up. The crowd cheered, and they decided to name the town "Taft" in his honor.
Contents
History of Taft
Taft started as a "boomtown," which means it grew very quickly. This happened because the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, also known as "The Milwaukee Road," was building a new railway line. This line, called the Pacific Extension, was built between 1906 and 1909.
Building the Railroad Tunnel
To build the railway, workers had to dig a long tunnel through the mountains. This tunnel, called Tunnel #20, is also known as the St. Paul Pass Tunnel or Taft Tunnel. It is about 1.66 miles (2.67 km) long. The eastern entrance of the tunnel is about 2 miles (3.2 km) southwest of where Taft was. It is located about 4,150 feet (1,260 m) above sea level and goes into Idaho.
Life in Early Taft
In its first years, most of the people living in Taft were men. They worked for the railroad, in mining, or in the forest industry. It was a very active and busy place.
The Great Fire of 1910
Taft was completely destroyed on August 21, 1910. This happened during a huge forest fire known as "The Big Burn." Strong winds from the Palouse area made the fire spread quickly. After the fire, Taft was never rebuilt. You can read more about this event in the book The Big Burn by Timothy Egan.
Taft Today
Today, if you travel on Interstate 90, you will see "Taft" marked at exit 5. The area now has a maintenance yard for the Montana Department of Transportation.
It also provides access to the Route of the Hiawatha rail trail. This trail is popular for biking and hiking. You can also reach St. Regis (Sohon) and Mullan Pass from here. This is done by taking Randolph Creek Road, which goes north and west from Interstate 90.
