State of Montana Newsroom
Montana Historical Society Invites Montanans to Vote for the State's Best Place
Helena, MT — The Montana Historical Society has launched "Montana Madness," a March Madness-style bracket competition to determine Montana's Best Place, featuring 16 historic and iconic locations from across the state. Voting is open now at mths.mt.gov/education/Montana-Madness-2026, and participants can cast one vote per day, per device.
The 16 contenders were selected from A History of Montana in 101 Places, the newest title from MTHS Press, by attendees of the Society's annual Montana History Conference. The sites span all six of Montana's tourism regions — from the sweeping breaks and plains of Missouri River Country to the peaks of Glacier Country — and represent the remarkable breadth of the state's cultural and historical heritage.
"Montana has no shortage of extraordinary places, and we think Montanans will have a strong opinion about which one deserves the top spot. We can't wait to see how this plays out,” said Martha Kohl, outreach and education program manager for the Montana Historical Society.
The winning site will receive copies of the 101 Places book, a featured display in the Montana Heritage Center, and a customized trophy. The bracket will be narrowed on a weekly basis, with winners advancing until a single champion is crowned.
This contest marks the second installment of Montana Madness. The first contest invited participants to vote on their favorite object from the Society's previous book, A History of Montana in 101 Objects, to determine "Montana's Most Awesome Object." The winner was the 1943 Smith Mine Disaster board, a humble artifact now on display in the Homeland Gallery at the Montana Heritage Center.
The 16 Contenders
Central Montana
- Charles M. Russell Home and Studio, Great Falls
- First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, Ulm
- Fort Benton National Historic Landmark, Fort Benton
Glacier Country
- Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park
- CSKT Bison Range, Flathead Reservation
Missouri River Country
- Fort Peck Dam, Valley and McCone Counties
- Daniels County Courthouse, Scobey
Southeast Montana
- Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument / Battle of Greasy Grass
- Pictograph Cave State Park, Billings
- Medicine Rocks State Park, Carter County
Southwest Montana
- Bannack State Park, Beaverhead County
- Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, Jefferson County
- Anselmo Mine, Butte
- Grant-Kohrs Ranch, Deer Lodge
Yellowstone Country
- Three Forks of the Missouri, Gallatin County
- Bearcreek, Carbon County
Voting begins March 9 and the bracket will advance on a weekly basis. To vote, visit mths.mt.gov/education/Montana-Madness-2026. To purchase A History of Montana in 101 Places and learn more about the 16 contenders, visit shopmths.mt.gov.
For questions or more information, contact Martha Kohl at mkohl@mt.gov.