Treasure State Lifestyles Montana

Treasure State Lifestyles Montana A monthly magazine by Montanans, for Montanans. Community based, highlighting local artists and writers and Montana history.

One hundred years ago, in 1925, the Chinook Sugarbeet factory was built by the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company and became the e...
12/09/2025

One hundred years ago, in 1925, the Chinook Sugarbeet factory was built by the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company and became the economic heart of Montana's Milk River Valley. For decades it processed local sugar beets which were made into molasses and beet pulp. Utilizing German immigrant expertise, the factory brought profitability, by creating jobs which employed people.
Although for years, the factory prospered, eventually it began to face challenges.
During WW II, the factory was short on laborers, so 500 Mexican nationals were hired to take care of the sugarbeet crops. However, they were still short on men to work the beet crop, so in October that year, 250 German POWs were also brought in to help with the beet harvest. They even built a "tent city" at the fairgrounds for the POWs to sleep and in the mornings they would drive them to work in the fields.
A few years later, declining sugar prices and competition threatened its viability.
In March 1952 the Sugar Factory was closed and its equipment was moved to
Moses Lake, Wash.
Today the iconic large brick chimney (smokestack) from the former Sugarbeet factory is now a historical landmark.
The community celebrates its legacy with an annual event, the Chinook Sugarbeet Festival, in September, which honors the significant impact the sugar beet industry had on the small town's development.
The Chinook High School athletic teams became known as the "Sugarbeeters" back in 1929 after the local sugar factory donated uniforms to the boys' basketball team. The name stuck and has endured and became a source of community pride and national recognition. The mascot is considered one of Montana's most unique high school monikers, reflecting the town's industrial and agricultural history.
The mascot gained national attention when it placed in the top 3 in a USA Today contest for the oddest high school mascot in the nation.
Today the high school has a new costume that brings the Sugarbeeter mascot to life. With fundraising help, the high school purchased “Shug,” the embodiment of the Sugarbeeters
two-dimensional logo. Striped pants became a compromise on the whirring beaters depicted in the school logo. With an intense expression fixed on a beety face and "Beeters" emblazoned on a shirt, Shug was born.
Attached historic photos from Montana State University archives.
Photo of smokestack from Mandys Adventures 100th Anniversary of the Chinook Sugarbeet Factory Smokestack lighting in 2025, on YouTube
Sugarbeet logo from Chinook school
Treasure State Lifestyles Montana

Nestled in the stunning landscape of Whitefish, Montana, “Big Mountain Jesus” stands tall as a serene historical landmar...
12/09/2025

Nestled in the stunning landscape of Whitefish, Montana, “Big Mountain Jesus” stands tall as a serene historical landmark. This awe-inspiring statue serves as a beacon of peace, attracting tourists with its breathtaking views and tranquil ambiance. Whether you're a history enthusiast or seeking spiritual solace, this site offers an unforgettable experience amidst nature's beauty.
The six-foot tall statue of Jesus with his arms outstretched, known as "Big Mountain Jesus," was originally erected at the Whitefish Ski Resort in Montana by the Knights of Columbus in 1953 to commemorate U.S. soldiers who fought in World War II.

12/08/2025

The Montana Heritage Center is now open to the public after a 20 year journey. Treasure State Lifestyles is sharing a reel of our impressive tour of this remarkable landmark experience with very informative and family friendly displays that are interactive for Montana families.
Treasure State Lifestyles Montana

Montana Historical Society

12/08/2025

This Tuesday from 4:30-8 in Shelby at the Maria’s Museum is the Open House Supper and Gingerbread Contest.

Marias Museum of History & Art

MONTANA WINTERS*Montana holds the U.S. record for the most rapid temperature change: +47°F in 7 minutes (Great Falls, 19...
12/08/2025

MONTANA WINTERS
*Montana holds the U.S. record for the most rapid temperature change: +47°F in 7 minutes (Great Falls, 1980) and an 84°F drop in 12 hours (Fairfield, 1924) due to warm Chinook winds.
*Rogers Pass, MT, recorded the coldest temperature in the lower 48 states at -70°F in 1954.
*Cook City has the coldest year-round average, while Westby has the coldest winter average.
*Western mountain areas can see 300+ inches annually.
*In April 1969 a devastating late-season blizzard in southeast Montana caused massive livestock losses (100,000+ head) due to 20-foot drifts and power outages.
*Montana experienced some of its most severe winters in the late 1970s, particularly the 1976-77, 1977-78, and 1978-79 seasons, which brought record cold, massive snowfall, and brutal blizzard conditions, with 1977-78 often cited as the coldest ever recorded in some areas, featuring intense cold snaps and heavy snow that paralyzed the state.
*Montana is also known for strong winds. In 1989, during an arctic air mass Shelby saw winds of 100 mph, Cut Bank saw 102, Augusta 114, Browning 117 and Cut Bank saw winds of 124 mph.

When I was a kid for many of us, the visit to the A&W was a treat. I have great memories of stopping at the A & W in Le...
12/08/2025

When I was a kid for many of us, the visit to the A&W was a treat. I have great memories of stopping at the A & W in Lewistown on our way home from shopping and going back to the farm. I loved this place and still have great memories of their frosty mugs and I loved the Teen Burger!
This photo is from a Missoula A & W but they were in many towns in Montana and most of us can remember one in our hometown.
Here are a few fun facts:
The "A" and "W" in A&W stand for the last names of its founders, Roy W. Allen and Frank Wright, who started the root beer business in 1919 with a roadside stand in California, using their initials to create the famous brand name.
The business grew, becoming one of the first franchised restaurant chains in the U.S., known for its frosty mugs and drive-in service.
Papa Burger, Mama Burger, Teen Burger, and Baby Burger were introduced in 1963.
A&W claims to have introduced the first bacon cheeseburger, created by franchisee Dale Mulder in Lansing, Michigan, after a customer repeatedly asked for bacon on their cheeseburger. Today Approximately 15% of all burger servings ordered out from fast food restaurants are bacon cheeseburgers.
Treasure State Lifestyles Montana

Interesting Facts about some of our favorite Christmas songs.From a past issue of Treasure State Lifestyles Montana
12/07/2025

Interesting Facts about some of our favorite Christmas songs.
From a past issue of Treasure State Lifestyles Montana

Charles M. Russell's "Waiting for a Chinookoriginated from the devastating 1886-87 Montana winter, where he sketched a s...
12/07/2025

Charles M. Russell's "Waiting for a Chinook
originated from the devastating 1886-87 Montana winter, where he sketched a starving cow and wolves for absentee ranch owners instead of writing a report, capturing the cattle industry's hardship;
the sketch, published as "The Last of 5,000," launched his career as a renowned cowboy artist by illustrating the grim reality of the open range and the hope for a warm Chinook wind to melt the snow and reveal grass.

Borries Supper Club in Black Eagle, MT decked out for Christmas
12/07/2025

Borries Supper Club in Black Eagle, MT decked out for Christmas

Just outside Wilsall, Montana, "Welcome to the Shields" (base of "Thunder Jack" statue):The mountain men, weathered and ...
12/06/2025

Just outside Wilsall, Montana, "Welcome to the Shields" (base of "Thunder Jack" statue):
The mountain men, weathered and wind-bitten were adventurous explorers who led America deep into new regions of the Rockies and beyond. Names like John Colter, Thomas Fitzpatric and Jim Bridger were among hundreds of men that were unsurpassed as marksman, horseman, naturalists and the ultimate masters of survival while in the pursuit of beaver pelts.
- This sculpture is dedicated to all those who came, endured and made a home in this mountain valley before and since Capt. William Clark named it in 1806.
Artist - Gary Kerby 2006

Many great memories were made in this theatre in Lewistown, Montana.The Westernaire Drive-In opened on June 5, 1949 with...
12/05/2025

Many great memories were made in this theatre in Lewistown, Montana.
The Westernaire Drive-In opened on June 5, 1949 with Dennis Morgan in “My Wild Irish Rose”. It was closed on July 12, 2008 with Harrison Ford in “India Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”. Car capacity was 200. Before closing, the Westernaire Drive-in was one of the oldest remaining drive-ins in the United States.

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