The small town of Saco, in Phillips County, Montana, got its start as a watering station for the Great Northern Railroad. A boxcar served as a section house for two years until one was built in 1889. Tradition has it that the railroad agents were unable to decide on a name so they spun a globe and a finger landed on Saco, Maine. A town grew up around the railroad section house, a post office was opened in 1892, and Saco was incorporated in 1918. In the early days of the town, it had local outlaws such as Kid Curry and Long Henry. In the 1930s, much of the gravel and rock used to build the Fort Peck dam came from an area northwest of Saco, which developed into a community called Cole. The holes left from mining operations there are now filled with spring water, and are known as Cole Ponds, a source of bass and trout. Around the same time, natural gas was discovered in the region, and the town of Saco drilled its own gas well in 1936. During some of the area drilling operations, underground hot water springs were discovered, around which resorts were developed. The Nelson Reservoir was constructed for irrigation of crops, and has become a recreation area with cabin sites, boating, swimming, and fishing. Dinosaur fossils have also been discovered in the Saco region. The newsman, Chet Huntley, attended a one-room school in Saco, now known as the Huntley school. Saco is accessed by US Highway 2. It is northwest of Beaverton and Hinsdale, northeast of Malta, and near the Saskatchewan border.
Recommended Resources
Open year round, Murph’s Landing is just west of Saco, near the Nelson Reservoir, in an area suited for upland bird and water fowl hunting, boating, and fishing. The store carries pop, liquor, and domestic beer, as well as pizza, gambling and other activities.
http://murphslanding.blogspot.com/
Todd Mandeville’s original oil paintings depict scenes from northeastern Montana and the Hi-Line. A biography is offered, and his exhibitions and awards are highlighted. A gallery of paintings and an online shopping area are included.
http://www.paintingsbymandeville.com/
Offering professional disk jockey, karaoke jockey, or master of ceremony services for wedding receptions, dances, meetings, office parties, reunions, or other events, the business is based in Saco, Montana, and serving the Hi-Line region. Photographs and a description of its services are put forward.
http://www.pippindj.com/
The K-12th grade public school system is based in the town of Saco, Montana. Class schedules, a calendar of events, breakfast and lunch menu, and faculty and school board contacts are presented, and announcements are posted to the site.
http://www.sacoschools.k12.mt.us/
The official municipal web site offers a history and profile of the community, a town calendar, meeting agendas and minutes, contacts, and a guide to local services, schools, businesses, and attractions.
http://www.sacomontana.net/
The hot springs near Saco, Montana were discovered in 1922 during oil explorations, and named for a nearby rock that resembled a buffalo. General information about the resort built around the natural hot springs is put forward, along with photographs and contact data.
http://sleepingbuffalo.blogspot.com/
