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The town of Chester, Montana is the county seat of Liberty County. The town began as a watering town for the Great Northern Railroad’s steam locomotives. Prior to the Great Northern Railroad extending its tracks to the region, in order to bring their cattle to market, ranchers had to drive them all the way to Minot, North Dakota. During this trip, Chester was a favorite resting spot. The town was incorporated in 1910, and named by the first telegraph operator there after his home town in Pennsylvania. In 1919, Chester beat out Joplin in an election to become the county seat. Prominent early citizens of the town were Brown Weldy and Charles Baker. Brown owned a hostel known as the Prairie Inn, which was filled to capacity during the early days of the town. He was also a land locator, postmaster, merchant, justice of the peace, and newspaper editor, and was one of the town’s most avid boosters. Charles Baker bought the Chester Trading Company in 1908, and made a very good business of it. Today, Chester is a small town in north-central Montana, located on Highway 2 about halfway between Havre to the east and Shelby to the west, and separated from Canada by the Sweetgrass Hills to the north.

 

 

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