Day 6 - The Huntley Project


“Harvest Host/Boondockers Welcome” is a program for RV travelers that we just joined this year. It is a neat program across the US where businesses like museums, breweries and wineries, and for farmers who don’t mind a visitor or two overnight, allow RV’ers to stay overnight on their premises.

Our first such attempt landed us at the Huntley Project Museum not far east of Billings, Montana. The museum displays artifacts from the turn of the century when settlers were first establishing their homes in this area. Construction of the irrigation ditch (pictured above) was begun in 1905 and delivered the first water to farmers in 1907 as part of the Reclamation Act of 1902.

The museum sits on a 10+ acre site dotted with mature cottonwood trees and borders the Huntley Project Irrigation District canal. There are original and refurbished buildings that were built in the early 1900’s.


Artifacts that settlers would have used for farming and processing what they grew are scattered around the property for visitors to learn about. Although the museum was closed by the time we arrived, we were still able to stroll about looking at all of the antique items. 


One interesting structure was a Russian Style Barn. It was built completely with cottonwood 2x4’s that are laid flat and stacked. At the price of 2x4's nowadays that would cost a fortune.



Our camp for the night was on the grassy strip just outside the property’s fence. Just across the road is an active train track.  The only downside for this site were the train whistles that blew as they approached the railroad crossing. And then the "clickety clack" of the rail cars as they passed.  This is a busy freight line so the trains ran ALL night long and they were lo-o-o-o-ng trains.

However, the price was right and we learned some history too!

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