State review board to consider five Montana historic nominations

Montana's State Historic Preservation Office and the State Historic Preservation Review Board will meet virtually on Jan. 23 to review and forward five National Register nominations to the Keeper of the National Register at the U.S. Department of the Interior. The session is the board's first meeting of 2026 and will decide whether a slate of sites across the state moves forward in the federal preservation process.

Among the nominations under consideration are properties and landscapes that reflect diverse aspects of Montana history. Mountain Brook School in Flathead County, constructed in 1922, is nominated for its dual role as an educational facility and rural community gathering place. Northern Pacific Engine 1356, built in 1902 and based in Missoula, is noted for routine railroad service and for helping evacuate people during the 1910 fires. Big Hole Lookout in the Lolo National Forest, built in 1930, is one of only two surviving log L-5 style lookouts designed by Forest Service engineer Clyde P. Fickes. Nominations also include sites of cambium-peeled Ponderosa pines in the Bitterroot National Forest, identified as living artifacts of Indigenous cambium harvesting traditions. The board's notice says five nominations will be considered, including one submitted as a multiple property document.

The review board's role is to assess nominations and, if approved, forward them to the federal Keeper for final consideration. That federal step can bring project-level implications; listing on the National Register can trigger federal review requirements for projects that receive federal funding or permits and can affect eligibility for preservation funding and technical assistance. For local governments, land managers and tribal partners, board action starts a sequence that may change planning priorities, funding opportunities and stewardship responsibilities.

For Lewis and Clark County residents, Helena's virtual hosting of the meeting underscores how decisions made here influence preservation across Montana. Though the properties under review lie in other counties and federal forests, the state's preservation decisions shape statewide priorities, grant competition and tourism messaging that can affect local economies and cultural programming in Helena and the Capitol region. The inclusion of sites tied to Indigenous harvesting practices highlights the continuing intersection of cultural rights, land management and historic recognition.

The meeting will be held virtually; meeting link and nomination details are available on the State Historic Preservation Office website. Questions may be directed to the Montana Historical Society, with Melissa Munson listed as the contact in the notice. Community members with an interest in local history, tribal cultural stewardship or land management are encouraged to attend virtually and follow the board's recommendations as they move to the federal stage.

What happens after the board votes will determine whether these sites advance to final federal review and potential listing, and what funding, review or management changes may follow for communities across Montana.