Havre

Havre is a city in northern Montana at 773 meters elevation and 45 miles from the Canadian border. The Great Northern Railway runs through town and shapes its position as the administrative seat of Hill County.

The settlement emerged in 1893 along the railway line pushing through the northern plains. Settlers with French roots voted for the name, recalling the Atlantic port in Normandy.

The French heritage lives on in the town name, chosen by early settlers who remembered the port on the Seine. The Wahkpa Chu'gn site on the edge of town offers insight into traditional hunting techniques of native peoples who drove bison over steep cliffs.

The city council meets every first Monday of the month in the Council Chambers at 520 4th Street, where residents can discuss community topics. Main streets run parallel to the tracks and make navigation fairly simple.

Below the streets runs a tunnel network where businesses continued operating during Prohibition. These underground passages connected shops, saloons and storage areas when the sale of alcohol was forbidden.

Location: Hill County

Inception: 1893

Elevation above the sea: 773 m

Website: http://ci.havre.mt.us

GPS coordinates: 48.54528,-109.67750

Latest update: December 13, 2025 19:36