About

History & Interpretive Signs

Preserving a rich history for future generations

Our History

Railroad Heritage

Late 1800s

Railroad Expansion Begins

In the late 1800s the Milwaukee Road was a prosperous railroad out of Chicago that had over 6,000 miles of track in the upper Midwest. Experiencing competition from other rail lines, the company decided to expand west to take advantage of the expanding West Coast markets, as well as the Pacific Rim trade.

1900s

Exploration and Route Planning

The route proposed for the new line was through the rugged Bitterroot Mountains. The exploration and reconnaissance crews reportedly covered over 2,000 miles crossing the territory of many Tribal nations along the way in country that was wild, with very few trails, and virtually no maps.

The exploration work on the Montana side began in November, 1904. The exploration on the Idaho side began in May, 1905. In November of 1905, the Milwaukee Railroad Board of Directors formally approved the line’s extension to Seattle-Tacoma, Washington.

1900s – 1910s

Construction and Early Operations

By early in 1907 the construction work began. The cost of the project which was originally estimated at $45 million, ended up exceeding $234 million. All in all it took nearly 9,000 men working together from 1906 to 1911 to construct this Pacific extension.

Intercontinental freight service on the new line began on July 4, 1909, with passenger service following six days thereafter.

1910s

Fire, Innovation, and Growth

In August of 1910 one of the most devastating forest fires in recorded American history burned 2.5 to 3 million acres. Reportedly over 600 lives were saved by railroad employees who drove engines and box cars filled with people through the flames to the safety of the longer tunnels.

After this disastrous fire, the Milwaukee Road electrified the line between Avery and Harlowton, Montana,
a distance of 440 miles. This innovation was the first use of electrification over an extended distance.

1920s – 1940s

Railroad Expansion Begins

1960s – 1980

Railroad Expansion Begins

Passenger travel fades, operating costs rise, and the western extension becomes harder to maintain as rail competition, highways, and air travel reshape transportation. By 1980 The Milwaukee Road abandons much of its western line, including the scenic stretch through the Bitterroots. The tunnels and trestles remain, but trains no longer run here.

1998 – Present Day

Opens as a Bike Trail

The first portion of the former rail bed opens to the public as a scenic route for biking and hiking, beginning its transformation into the Route of the Hiawatha. In 2001 the St. Paul Pass Tunnel reopens for trail users, completing one of the route’s most iconic experiences: riding through the long, dark tunnel under the ID/MT state line.

Interpretive Signs

There are 47 interpretive signs found on the Route of the Hiawatha. Click the sign name to view the image.