Great Falls, County seat in Montana, United States
Great Falls is a county seat in Montana, United States, stretching along the Missouri River and serving as the economic and administrative center of Cascade County. The town sits at the transition from the Rocky Mountains to the Great Plains, where the river flows through a series of natural and dam-altered rapids.
The settlement emerged in the 1880s when entrepreneurs recognized the hydroelectric potential and built factories and copper smelters along the riverbank. The railroad arrived shortly afterward, transforming the small settlement into a hub for agriculture, mining, and industry in northern Montana.
The town takes its name from five waterfalls on the Missouri, though some now lie behind dams while Rainbow Falls remains visible in its natural form. At Giant Springs State Park, visitors can still watch water emerge from underground sources at a constant temperature, just as it has shaped the landscape for thousands of years.
Public transport is limited, so a car works best for reaching the spread-out museums and parks along the river. Most visitor centers and museums lie within a short drive from downtown, while some natural waterfalls sit beyond city limits.
One of the largest freshwater springs in the world emerges at the edge of town and feeds the Roe River, which was long considered the shortest river on Earth. The spring pumps out millions of liters daily from underground reservoirs, maintaining the same temperature year-round.
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