Gov. Greg Gianforte last week continued his 56 County Tour, spotlighting innovations and investments in Montana’s rural communities in Big Horn, Rosebud, Treasure and Prairie counties.
“Across Montana, rural communities are welcoming innovation and new investments to preserve the culture and history of our past while growing our economy,” Gianforte said. “Thanks to the efforts of local leaders and community partners, our cities are securing a stronger future for the next generation of Montana families.”
In Big Horn County, Gianforte met with local leaders at the historic Hardin Train Depot to hear about community investments to renovate the building into a visitor center. The Montana Department of Commerce awarded the City of Hardin a five-year, $2.75 million Pilot Tourism Grant in 2025 to support updates to the depot, which will serve as a welcome center connecting travelers with local businesses, attractions and cultural sites.
Meeting with the mayor and city employees, the governor heard about the project and recent growth in the community, including the creation of several new businesses and additional community development grants.
“This center creates a nice focus for people for our area,” Hardin Mayor Riley Ramsey said. “There are some very unique things in our area and it’s nice to be able to pinpoint certain things and put together information for those visiting.”
Encouraging tourism in rural Montana has been a recurring priority for the governor and the Department of Commerce, which unveiled a new Montana state brand in May 2025 for the first time in 16 years and awarded more than $10 million in tourism-related grants statewide last year.
In Rosebud County, Gianforte toured the Business Innovation Center in Colstrip, a regional facility offering co-working space, prototyping and cross-sector collaboration for entrepreneurs in eastern Montana.
“Colstrip is changing, but it’s not closing,” said Jim Atchison, executive director of the Southeast Montana Development Council. “This facility has helped bring opportunity to Montanans in and around southeast Montana. Having a place where people can collaborate and work together to innovate is something we haven’t seen in Colstrip before.”
The visit came after Gianforte announced that Montana ranked 12th among states to start a business in 2026, following a top ranking the previous year from Entrepreneur Media.
In Treasure County, the governor visited a new firehall in Hysham, built with a $100,000 Department of Commerce grant through the Montana Coal Board that transformed a vacant building into a modern facility for emergency response.
“Opening this fire hall is critical to improving emergency response in our community,” said Treasure County Commissioner Ruth Baker. “I’m proud to see this project receive the attention it deserves and look forward to seeing the community benefit from this project.”
Gianforte signed House Bills 128 and 129, sponsored by Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, into law last year, creating an income tax exemption for volunteer firefighters and protecting them from termination at work.
In Prairie County, the governor met with representatives of the Badlands to Badlands Trail System in Terry to discuss the eastern Montana trail project, which received a Trail Stewardship Program grant from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to expand outdoor recreation access and boost tourism.
“These investments and community partnerships add vibrancy to our rural community and encourage more visitors to come, stay, and enjoy our restaurants, shops, and local accommodations,” said Russell Schwartz, a B2B board member and Terry hotel owner.
Since taking office, Fish, Wildlife & Parks has opened more than 245,000 acres of public land to access under Gianforte’s leadership, a priority the governor has tied to expanding recreational opportunities across the state.