Project Overview
The Montana New Deal Heritage Partnership is a statewide initiative to document, interpret, and preserve the cultural landscapes shaped by New Deal programs between 1933 and 1942. This project brings together Tribal Nations, counties, museums, agencies, and community members to build a comprehensive, inclusive record of Montana’s New Deal history.
Mission
To create a unified, accessible, and community‑driven archive of New Deal projects across Montana’s counties and Tribal Nations, foregrounding ecological change, cultural landscapes, and historical justice.
What the Project Includes
- Tribal Nations Index: Nine stand‑alone Nation pages with deep contextual histories
- County Index: Fifty‑six county pages with consistent structure and research pathways
- Cultural Landscape Archive: Photographs, maps, documents, and geospatial data
- Institutions Index: Overview of New Deal agencies and their roles in Montana
- Tribal–County Crosswalk: A statewide reference linking counties and Tribal Nations
Why This Work Matters
New Deal programs reshaped Montana’s landscapes, communities, and institutions. Their legacies are visible in forests, rangelands, irrigation systems, public buildings, Tribal homelands, and county infrastructure. Documenting these histories supports:
- Historical justice and inclusive storytelling
- Tribal sovereignty and cultural stewardship
- County and community heritage preservation
- Ecological and landscape research
- Education and public interpretation