Central Montana Rail and Judith Basin Railroad Heritage in Stanford, Montana
Museum with a major rail exhibitFreeJudith Basin County Museum open Memorial Day to Labor Day
In the Judith Basin, railroads built towns and carried homesteaders onto the open range, and the free Judith Basin County Museum in Stanford keeps a piece of that train era alongside the county's ranching and Charlie Russell story.
- Judith Basin County Museum opened 1967
- Free will donation
- Open Memorial Day to Labor Day
- Jawbone train reached Lewistown in 1903
- 84-mile Central Montana Rail line
Central Montana Rail and Judith Basin Railroad Heritage at a glance
- Hours
- Memorial Day to Labor Day, Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm
- Admission
- Free; free will donation
- Plan for
- About 1 hour
- Best for
- Road-trippers between Lewistown and Great Falls
- Best ages
- Ages 5 and up
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Central Montana Rail and Judith Basin Railroad Heritage? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Stanford.
Rally Takes the Train
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The Jawbone, the homesteaders and the basin's short line
Railroads came late to central Montana and changed it quickly. The first Montana Railroad train arrived in Lewistown on October 21, 1903, on a line people locally called the Jawbone, and the town of Moore, about 15 miles west of Lewistown, was founded that same year by the railroad and grew into the basin's leading wheat town. A historical marker titled The History of Central Montana Railroads tells this story with photographs.
Rails still cross the basin today. Central Montana Rail, Inc. is a short line with a main line of about 84 miles between Moccasin and Geraldine through Judith Basin, Fergus and Chouteau counties, meeting BNSF at Moccasin.
To see the basin's past up close, start at the Judith Basin County Museum in Stanford, the county seat. Opened in 1967 beside the courthouse, it traces the move from open range cattle to sheep and homesteaders, with displays on the stagecoach and train eras. Ask the volunteers what railroad pieces are on view, since the museum does not list them online.
Inside the Judith Basin County Museum
The museum mixes historic photographs, handmade homesteader clothing, history books and artifacts, including a display on the train era. Its quirkier collections draw comment too: just over 2,000 sets of salt and pepper shakers and about 5,000 buttons. There is a display of Indian artifacts and prints of paintings by Charles M. Russell, who lived in the county.
Don’t miss
- Train era displayThe museum covers something of the railroad years that brought homesteaders into the basin.
- Charles M. Russell printsPrints of the cowboy artist's paintings, many showing places in this county.
- The White Wolf storyPictures and information about the wolf that preyed on ranchers' livestock; the wolf itself is at the Basin Trading Post in town.
A short, free stop with lots to spot
Kids who like to look for things will enjoy the salt and pepper shakers, the button collection and the White Wolf story. The museum is air conditioned and has a public restroom, which helps on a hot summer road trip. There are no rides or hands-on rail exhibits listed, so keep the visit short with little ones.
Plan your visit: tips for Central Montana Rail and Judith Basin Railroad Heritage
- Walk-ins are welcome; reservations are not taken.
- Stanford sits off Highway 200, midway between Lewistown and Great Falls.
- Postcards and small gifts are for sale at the display counter.
- Stop at the Basin Trading Post to see the White Wolf.
A county museum kept by donations
The Judith Basin County Museum charges no admission and runs on free will donations, along with sales of postcards and small gifts at its counter. Leaving a donation and buying a postcard are the simplest ways to help keep its collection on display each summer.
Rail stops near the Judith Basin
The Charlie Russell Chew Choo, about 38 miles away, runs a dinner train on an old Milwaukee Road spur near Lewistown. The Montana Museum of Railroad History in Great Falls is about 56 miles off. Our full list of Montana rail museums has more.
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Charlie Russell painted this country, and I imagine the first riders on the Jawbone pressing close to the train glass to watch the basin roll past. In our book, Rally does the same thing at an arched window, watching the ocean and greeting a white bird. My mom loved a good view from a train. If your kids want to draw their own, try our coloring pages.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Montana: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Montana
- Halloween train rides in Montana
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Central Montana Rail and Judith Basin Railroad Heritage?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Judith Basin railroad heritage: 20 visitor questions
Where can you see railroad heritage in the Judith Basin?
The best indoor stop is the Judith Basin County Museum at 93 3rd Street South in Stanford, which includes displays on the area's train era. A historical marker called The History of Central Montana Railroads covers the Jawbone line, and Central Montana Rail still operates a short line across the basin.
What are the Judith Basin County Museum hours?
As of October 2026, the Judith Basin County Museum is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. It is closed Mondays and Tuesdays and outside the summer season. Call 406-566-2277 extension 130 to confirm before you drive out.
How much does the Judith Basin County Museum cost?
There is no admission charge. The museum asks only for a free will donation, so give what you can. Postcards and a few small gifts are also for sale at the display counter, and those purchases help support the museum as well.
Where is the Judith Basin County Museum?
The museum is at 93 3rd Street South in Stanford, Montana 59479, on the south side of the Judith Basin County Courthouse. Stanford is the county seat and sits off Montana Highway 200, about midway between Lewistown and Great Falls. The mailing address is PO Box 315.
Does the Judith Basin County Museum have train exhibits?
Yes, in part. The museum describes its displays as covering the stagecoach era and something of the train era, alongside ranching, sheep herding and homesteading. It does not list specific railroad objects online, so ask on arrival what is on display if trains are the main reason for your visit.
What was the Jawbone Railroad?
The Jawbone was the local nickname for the Montana Railroad, whose first train arrived in Lewistown on October 21, 1903. The railroad also founded the town of Moore that year, about 15 miles west of Lewistown, and Moore became the leading wheat producer in the Judith Basin.
What is Central Montana Rail?
Central Montana Rail, Inc. is a short line railroad with trackage in Judith Basin, Fergus and Chouteau counties. Its main line runs about 84 miles between Moccasin and Geraldine and connects with BNSF at Moccasin. It is a freight railroad, and no public excursions are listed.
Can you ride a train in the Judith Basin?
No public rides are listed on Central Montana Rail. The closest passenger excursion is the Charlie Russell Chew Choo, a dinner train that boards about 10 miles northwest of Lewistown, roughly 38 miles away. Check its own website for the season's dates, since its trains often sell out.
Where is the History of Central Montana Railroads marker?
The marker titled The History of Central Montana Railroads is listed in the Historical Marker Database with photographs, including the first Montana Railroad train to reach Lewistown in 1903. Look up the marker online before your trip to get its exact location and directions.
What else is in the Judith Basin County Museum?
Besides the train era display, the museum has historic photographs, handmade homesteader clothing, history books, a display of Indian artifacts and prints of Charles M. Russell paintings. It also holds just over 2,000 sets of salt and pepper shakers and around 5,000 buttons.
What is the Charlie Russell connection to the Judith Basin?
Charles M. Russell, the cowboy artist, rode with the Judith Basin Pool and made his home in the county, painting many of its places. The Judith Basin County Museum displays prints of his work, and the C.M. Russell Auto Tour booklets point out sites between Lewistown and Great Falls shown in his paintings.
What is the White Wolf of the Judith Basin?
The White Wolf was a wolf that preyed on area ranchers' livestock. The Judith Basin County Museum has information and pictures telling its story, and the wolf itself is displayed at the Basin Trading Post in Stanford, along with historic photographs.
Is the Judith Basin County Museum good for kids?
It makes a good short stop. Kids tend to enjoy hunting through the salt and pepper shakers and buttons and hearing about the White Wolf. The museum is air conditioned and has a public restroom. There are no hands-on train exhibits listed, so plan about an hour.
Do you need a reservation for the Judith Basin County Museum?
No. The museum does not take reservations, and walk-ins are welcome during summer hours, Wednesday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. For a larger group, calling 406-566-2277 extension 130 ahead of time is a courtesy to the volunteers on duty.
How long should I spend at the Judith Basin County Museum?
About an hour covers the museum. Add time to see the White Wolf at the Basin Trading Post, browse the Basin Gallery downtown, or follow part of the C.M. Russell Auto Tour if you are driving on toward Lewistown or Great Falls.
Is there parking at the Judith Basin County Museum?
The museum does not post parking details online. It sits beside the county courthouse in Stanford, a small town of a few hundred people, so street parking nearby is usually the plan. Call 406-566-2277 extension 130 if you are bringing a large vehicle or RV.
When did the Judith Basin County Museum open?
The Judith Basin County Museum opened in 1967 on the south side of the County Courthouse in Stanford. It tells the county's story from open range cattle ranching through sheep herding and the arrival of homesteaders, which the railroads helped make possible.
How can I support the Judith Basin County Museum?
Leave a free will donation when you visit, since the museum charges no admission, and pick up postcards or small gifts at the display counter. Telling friends traveling Highway 200 about the museum also helps. Call 406-566-2277 extension 130 to ask about other ways to help.
What else is there to do in Stanford, Montana?
Stanford has the Basin Gallery, showing work by members of the Montana Mid-State Arts Society, Steven Lillegard's bronze studio and foundry with the Prairie Past Museum next door, and the Basin Trading Post. In fall, the Scarecrows in the Garden festival fills town with homemade scarecrows.
What train museums are near the Judith Basin?
The Charlie Russell Chew Choo near Lewistown is about 38 miles away, the Montana Museum of Railroad History in Great Falls about 56 miles, and the Livingston Depot Center about 104 miles. Great Falls and Lewistown both sit along Highway 200 with Stanford in between.
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