Frontier Gateway Museum - Lewis and Clark Trail Experience

Information

Monday-Saturday 9:00-5:00; Sunday 1:00-5:00

406-377-8168

Admission is free

lat: 47.1248329 long: -104.6893556

The Frontier Gateway Museum is the official museum of Dawson County, Montana, offering a wide variety of historical items and interpretive displays chronicling the human and natural history of Eastern Montana. The museum interior and its grounds house an eclectic collection of local historical artifacts ranging from Native American to mid-20th century as Glendive and Dawson County grew from a rugged frontier outpost to a modern community. The museum also contains a paleontology exhibit. It is also the first official stop on the Montana Dinosaur Trail. Those traveling the Montana Dinosaur Trail can obtain their Dinosaur Trail Passports, passport stamps, and related memorabilia at the museum.

The Main Floor:

Period Dress Displays

Military Uniforms

1895 Piano

Musical Display

Sewing Display

Armor

The Basement:

See a recreation of early Glendive stores with names of some of the earliest shops in Glendive. This includes the Glendive Times, Bee Hive Store, a general store and much more!

Struthiomimus fossil

Struthiomimus fossil

Stegoceras fossils

Stegoceras fossils

Hadrosaur leg bone

Hadrosaur leg bone

Triceratops horn

Triceratops horn

Montana Dinosaur Trail

Montana Dinosaur Trail

William Clark interpretive sign

William Clark interpretive sign

Woodcut statues of William Clark and Sacajawea

Woodcut statues of William Clark and Sacajawea

Native American artifacts

Native American artifacts

Authentic covered wagon

Authentic covered wagon

Original Golden Valley schoolhouse (1910) on museum grounds

Original Golden Valley schoolhouse (1910) on museum grounds

Northern Pacific Railroad caboose

Northern Pacific Railroad caboose

Historic wagons & stage coach

Historic wagons & stage coach

Museum grounds

Nearby Attractions

Distance Unit:

City of Glendive

City of Glendive

Glendive, MT, USA
Distance: 1.62 Away

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The Gallery

The Gallery

109 Merrill Avenue, Glendive, Montana 59330, United States
Distance: 1.78 Away

Galleries and Venues Shopping

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Hell Creek Music & More

Hell Creek Music & More

Hell Creek Music & More, North Merrill Avenue, Glendive, MT, USA
Distance: 1.80 Away

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Brett Fitch Memorial Skate Park

Brett Fitch Memorial Skate Park

Brett Fitch Memorial Skate Park, Glendive, MT, USA
Distance: 2.08 Away

Outdoor Experiences

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Makoshika State Park

Makoshika State Park

Makoshika State Park, Snyder Street, Glendive, MT, USA
Distance: 2.55 Away

Outdoor Experiences

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Pamela Harr Sculpture Trail

Pamela Harr Sculpture Trail

461 Hwy 16 Glendive, MT 59330
Distance: 2.96 Away

Galleries and Venues

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Intake Fishing Access Site, Montana

Intake Fishing Access Site, Montana

Deer Creek Elementary School District, Montana 59330, USA
Distance: 9.97 Away

Outdoor Experiences RV and Camping

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Prairie County Museum and Evelyn Cameron Gallery

Prairie County Museum and Evelyn Cameron Gallery

Prairie County Museum And Evelyn Cameron Gallery, Logan Avenue, Terry, MT, USA
Distance: 37.27 Away

Galleries and Venues Museums and Interpretive Centers

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Terry, Montana – Below the Badlands

Terry, Montana – Below the Badlands

Terry, Montana, USA
Distance: 37.30 Away

Cultural Districts

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Prairie County Fair

Prairie County Fair

31 Fairgrounds Road, Terry, Montana, USA
Distance: 37.64 Away

Festivals and Events

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Prairie County Historic Sites of Interest Along the Trail

Prairie County Historic Sites of Interest Along the Trail

Prairie County, MT, USA
Distance: 40.58 Away

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MonDak Heritage Center

MonDak Heritage Center

MonDak Heritage Center, 3rd Avenue Southeast, Sidney, MT, USA
Distance: 47.75 Away

Galleries and Venues

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Sign Up for the Lewis & Clark Trail Experience Newsletter

Our bi-weekly newsletter provides news, history, and information for those interested in traveling along along the Lewis & Clark Trail.

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Instagram Feed

Check out our YouTube Channel! We have some great

Check out our YouTube Channel!

We have some great content being posted there every Saturday - you’ll see videos related to personal stories and adventures on the trail, special reports on various trail locations, and much more!

Be sure to subscribe and share with friends as well!

https://www.youtube.com/@lewisandclarktrailalliance

Our new APP is now available! Check it out if you

Our new APP is now available! Check it out if you haven’t yet to bring the adventure and magic of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail on your mobile device. Scan the QR code here or find it on your app store.

Site of the Week: Pompey’s Pillar National Monum

Site of the Week: Pompey’s Pillar National Monument

William Clark christened the rock formation “Pompey’s Tower” on July 25, 1806, as he and his party descended the Yellowstone River. Clark gave the huge monolith the nickname that he himself had fondly bestowed upon Sacagawea’s young son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. Nicholas Biddle, as he edited the journals upon Lewis and Clark’s return, changed the name to “Pompey’s Pillar.”

Pompey’s Pillar is known for being the only site with visible physical evidence of Lewis and Clark’s journey: Clark carved his name and the date onto the rock’s face. Now covered by a clear panel, the signature is protected from the elements while still being visible to visitors willing to climb up the steps to see it. Visitors can continue up the steps to the top of the rock where they can enjoy a 360-degree view of the landscape surrounding the site. There is also a highly informative and very well-designed visitor’s center at the base of Pompey’s Pillar, along with several outdoor educational structures and hiking trails.

Photos credited to Cait Clark.

#lewisandclark #history #adventure #travel #pompeyspillar #Montana #pompeyspillarnationalmonument

Check out our YouTube Channel! We have some great

Check out our YouTube Channel!

We have some great content being posted there every Saturday - you’ll see videos related to personal stories and adventures on the trail, special reports on various trail locations, and much more!

Be sure to subscribe and share with friends as well!

https://www.youtube.com/@lewisandclarktrailalliance

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Here’s a summary of a recent video you can find there:

“The phrase "Point of Departure" originates from Captain Meriwether Lewis himself. On May 14, 1804, he wrote in his journal: "The mouth of the River Dubois is to be considered as the point of departure." That spring day, as the Lewis and Clark Expedition set out from what is now Wood River Creek, they embarked on a journey that would reshape the future of the United States.

After more than a year of preparation, the Expedition launched from Camp River Dubois on May 14, 1804. The crew included Captain William Clark, Clark’s enslaved servant York, interpreter George Drouillard, Seaman the dog, 34 enlisted men, and several French engagés—all traveling in a barge and two large pirogues. Their destination: uncharted territory up the Missouri River, starting with a stop in St. Charles where Captain Meriwether Lewis joined them after traveling overland.

Preparation began in December 1803, with winter quarters built at Camp River Dubois, across from the Missouri River’s mouth. Lewis gathered intelligence from St. Louis traders and secured supplies and gifts for diplomacy with Native nations. Meanwhile, the soldiers trained under strict military discipline, preparing for the immense challenges ahead.

A pivotal moment came in March 1804, when Lewis and Clark witnessed the transfer of Upper Louisiana from Spain to France—and then, just one day later, to the United States. This marked the dawn of a new American frontier, and the Expedition was ready to set forth into the unknown.”

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yvhg1Gs3cvs)

Site of the Week: Knife River Indian Villages Nati

Site of the Week: Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site

The Knife River area, according to archaeological studies, has been inhabited by people for over 11,000 years. For hundreds of years it was a significant place of trade for the local tribes, a characteristic that would eventually be used to the advantage of fur traders starting in 1750. It remained a place of trade and mixing cultures until a smallpox epidemic decimated the population in 1837. Following this, the local Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara moved north and established another village.

During the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Knife River villages were flourishing, providing a booming trading economy in what is modern-day North Dakota. It was from one of these villages that a young woman by the name of Sacagawea would emerge and take her place in the history of the expedition. She was Shoshone and had been taken captive by the Hidatsa during a raid against her tribe before she was won or otherwise purchased by French Canadian fur trader Toussaint Charbonneau.

Today, Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Park has a visitors center as well as a rebuilt earthlodge which holds replica artifacts in the summer months. Knowledgeable park rangers are available for tours, and there are multiple trails of varying lengths that are available to hike. There are birding checklists available in the visitors center, so make sure to pick one up so you can keep an eye out for the various bird varieties that are present at the site.

https://www.nps.gov/knri/index.htm

Photos credited to Cait Clark

#lewisandclark #history #adventure #travel #kniferiver #kniferiverindianvillagesnationhistoricsite #nationalparkservice #northdakota