Culbertson was established in 1887, when Montana was a territory. There were some big things happening in the area during that time. 1886 and 1887 were watershed years for the early cattle industry in northeastern Montana. The Great Northern Railway had also arrived, bringing in additional settlers, businesses, and a flurry of activity that surrounded the railroad. While these were certainly formative years for Cultbertson, the history of the area goes back much farther than that.

For centuries, buffalo and Native Americans roamed freely over the plains of present-day Montana. The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 began the expansion of the United States to land west of the Mississippi River. It is believed that the land around Culbertson was first viewed by white men in May of 1805, when Lewis and Clark came up the Missouri River, amazed by its abundant grasslands and wild game and surely impressed by its big sky. By the end of the century, Culbertson had transformed from a little cow town to a trade center for the cattle industry, home to settlers and outlaws. This little town is rich in history, all of which can be explored at the Culbertson Museum and Visitor Center.

Home to a great collection of artifacts and historical photographs, a walk through the rooms of the museum is like taking a walk back in time. Culbertson’s history comes to life in the little country church, a one-room school, a general store and post office, doctor’s office, and barber shop. Not to mention the country kitchen, living quarters, blacksmith shop, and wagon barn. An authentic Sioux teepee and a 1923 Great Northern Caboose take you back to bygone eras. Imagine all the stories Culbertson could tell of cowboys, outlaws, Native Americans, and settlers! Many of these are on display in the Culbertson Museum and Visitor Center!