The history of the area in Central Montana known as Grass Range dates back to the 1880’s. According to the Grass Range History Book, it was a trading post as early as 1880. By 1883, a post office was established and in 1890 The Grass Range Mercantile opened for business. In 1912, the Milwaukee Railroad bought the town site and divided it into lots & streets. The town boomed immediately. By the time the first train came to town, there were 3 lumber yards, at least 3 hotels, 10 restaurants, several saloons, a blacksmith shop, at least 3 livery stables, a Moose Hall, 3 grain elevators, a land office, a drug store, a lawyers office and several other stores. They even had a newspaper--The Grass Range Review.

In 1915, the town incorporated and in 1917 the first bank was built and telephone service was offered for the first time. Until 1919, McDonald Creek flowed directly through the town with a foot bridge and a roadway bridge. That year the road crew came in and leveled the streets. During the process, they moved the creek channel to the edge of town, voiding the need for the two bridges.

1919 was a very dry year forcing many ranchers to leave the area. This drought started the decline of Grass Range and the surrounding area and the Dust Bowl of the 1930’s brought even more hard times for the area. The depression was being felt by everyone and when added to the drought, severe hail and a major infestation of grasshoppers, it was more than most people could withstand. The combination forced most ranchers and businesses to go under. The bank closed in 1920 and by the late 1930’s most of the town’s businesses had closed their doors.

Finally, by the 1950’s, things started to pick up again and the people that remained in the area began to build better houses and add on to the few businesses still in operation. The town began to come back to life once again, but this time on a smaller scale. By the 1960’s, Mid-Rivers Telephone Cooperative installed dial phones replacing the switchboard; and the Malta-Billings highway was finished, placing Grass Range at the intersection of two of the most traveled highways in Montana. Grass Range had become a stopping place for people traveling through Central Montana. To this day travelers can stop into Little Montana…or Daum’s Store…or the local bar… to fill up their cars, their bellies, or just meet friendly people and hear about what’s happening in small town Central Montana.