The Last Best Place: A History of Montana

By Drew Ponder

Montana's story is not just one of rugged landscapes and big skies-it's a sweeping saga of endurance, upheaval, and reinvention. In The Last Best Place, Drew Ponder brings to life the rich, layered history of the Treasure State-from ancient Indigenous cultures and the fur trade frontier to the gold rush, copper empires, Cold War missile silos, and the 21st-century tech and tourism boom.

With vivid storytelling and deep research, this book explores:

The spiritual and political legacy of Montana's Native nations

Gold rush chaos, vigilante justice, and territorial lawlessness

Butte's rise as the "Richest Hill on Earth" and the Copper Kings' industrial empire

Labor wars, union triumphs, and the lynching of Frank Little

The creation of Yellowstone and Glacier and the birth of conservation

The secret Cold War frontier of missile silos and air bases

The cultural shift from ghost towns to resort towns in the modern boom era

Through every era, The Last Best Place captures the paradox of Montana: wild yet governed, remote yet coveted, ancient yet always new. A must-read for lovers of American history, Western landscapes, and the complex story of a state constantly redefining itself.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FCDBQCJW
• ISBN13: 9798287250171
• Release Date: June 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 84 Pages
• Weight: 0.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"