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The 1964-1965 Montana Centennial Train

"From God's Country to the Atlantic" was the title of the train's biography.

For two World's Fair seasons the Montana Centennial Train took Big Sky Country to the Big Apple - and everywhere in between.

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The Montana Centennial Train began with an outdoorsman's notion that Montana should tell the world more about itself and its treasures. When the idea got to rancher Howard Kelsey he took it straight to the Montana Territorial Centennial Commission - who promptly made him chairman of the effort.

Howard Kelsey took charge of a project that grew and grew. A modest effort at first, it soon expanded to fit the occasion - and then grew some more as plans were made to take the Centennial Train far beyond the borders of the Treasure State.

The Montana Centennial Train took shape with the purchase of the former West Virginia Centennial Special that had toured that state in 1963. The purchase instantly gave Montana nine railcars to configure as needed. To the Montana Centennial Train that meant a power car, three exhibit cars, three converted to carry horses, a vehicle car to carry a Conestoga wagon (among other vehicles) and a dormitory car. The exhibit cars would feature exhibits from state agencies, as well as the famous Don C. Foote collection of western art and artifacts. Also aboard would be over $1,000,000 in gold and some $800,000 in western paintings and sculptures.

The plan to tour the state of Montana was soon expanded to also take the train on a tour of 23 states - on the way to the New York World's Fair and back. The train would be there to open the fair -- and soon return to anchor the vast Montana exhibit for two seasons of the fair.

For the initial round trip to the fair the train expanded to 25 cars - most of them sleeping cars for the 300+ boosters traveling with the train. This included a troop of Indian dancers, state officials, and state legislators. Plus at least 72 horses and four vehicles. Sixteen display cities were set along the route and at each stop a grand parade would run through town.

Tens of thousands toured the exhibit cars along its routes inside and outside Montana. At the World's Fair many thousands more toured the train.

The Montana Centennial Train was the biggest public relations effort ever undertaken by the state of Montana. For two years the world got a taste of Big Sky Country hospitality everywhere the train went.