Chinook, small town charm -- big hearted ambience N estled in the Milk River valley, along Montana’s Hi-Line, is the cozy town of Chinook which grew up in the 1890s as people looked for a good trade point and farmers and ranchers settled both in the flat lands and the Bear’s Paw Mountains to the south. When the railroad came through in the 1880s, it opened the fertile lands to homesteaders and created a shipping center for crops, livestock and other goods. Later, farmers planted thousands of acres into sugar beets to supply the Utah-Idaho Sugar Co. which operated in the area from 1924 until 1951. The factory and its 225 ft. smokestack are Chinook landmarks even today. That thriving business led to schools' team name, the Chinook Sugarbeeters. Chinook, the county seat of Blaine County, is located on Lodge Creek where it empties into the Milk River. The town's name comes from an Indian word meaning "warm wind," and it is this wind which melts snow in winter months. The town of Chinook is rich in the cultural heritage of Mon tana. South of Chinook lies the Bear Paw Battlefield, where the last Indian battle in the United States was fought in 1877. Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce surrendered with the infamous words: “From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.” The Blaine County Museum is a site not to miss in Chinook. It offers people of all ages the chance to experience this area from prehistoric to pioneer times and through the two world wars. It is a part of the Montana Dinosaur Trail, and it offers Native American artifacts and culture including the outstanding multi-media presentation “Forty Miles to Freedom” which provides a comprehensive introduction to the flight of the Nez Perce. The Blaine County Wildlife Museum offers an array of mounted Montana animals and birds displayed in their natural Grande Villa Apt. 301 Pennsylvania • Chinook, MT 59523 406-357-2809 58 habitat. Exhibits include a buffalo jump, wetlands, Peaks to Plains and more. Chinook offers year-round entertainment opportunities as well. On Friday and Saturday, June 24 and 25, Chinook welcomes the Bear Paw Roundup and PRCA Rodeo for a two-day competition spectacular. A street dance is held on Friday and the Western Parade is on Saturday for the event. July offers the 1st Annual Blaine County Cruise and the Blaine County Fair with entertainment, rides, exhibits, 4-H competitions and a state-renowned demolition derby. The fair starts on Thursday, July 14, and runs through Sunday, July 17. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 23 and 24, Chinook offers the Sugarbeet Festival. This event includes an outdoor pancake breakfast, community parade, sugar beet growing contest, arts and crafts, food booths, car show and more. Thanksgiving evening, Nov. 25, is the town's unique holiday celebration with a Parade of Lights and Christmas Stroll. ——— On the Net: Chinook Web site: www.chinookmontana.com.