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Noxon Senior Citizens (NSCI) and the Women for a Better Sanders County (WBSC) have been notified that the Montana Office of Tourism has awarded them a $9,150 grant to help pay for interpretive signs being placed along Highway 200’s Road to the Buffalo in western Sanders County.

Since last fall, with strong support from local communities, the group managed to raise more than $4,000 in matching funds to qualify them to receive the grant. 

Linda Haywood, WBSC, said, “It is going to take several months to get everything in line, and before we can spend any money, we need to appropriate the funds accordingly.”

Financial matters will be handled by NSCI, according to Donna Anderson, NSCI President. All other logistics will be taken care of by WBCS.

WBSC is still in the process of finishing the final design for each sign. Haywood stated the next step will be “getting the design approved by Montana Department of Transportation (MDOT) Historian Jon Axline, for accuracy.”

Next, the group will apply for encroachment permits for key turnout locations where they want to place the signs.

Top Sign and Graphics in Helena will construct the signs. According to Haywood, this business was recommended for providing top quality products. The signs will be constructed of aluminum and printed and finished with vehicle-grade top coating materials. “The signs should last at least 14 years, much longer than a plastic one would,” Haywood said.

David Thompson, North West Company mapmaker and trader, referred to the well-worn Indian road he followed up the Clark Fork River in 1809 as the “Saleesh Road to the Buffalo.”  The road is shown on early maps as the Kootenai Trail. 

The original trail followed the Clark Fork River from Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho to the horse plains, where the town of Plains is located. From there it mainly followed Lynch Creek to Rainbow Lake (Dog Lake) then ran along Camas Creek to the Flathead River near Perma.

Signs along the route were installed in 2015 and were funded as part of MDOT’s Community Transportation Enhancement Projects.

  NSCI and WBSC members felt there was a need for more detailed information about the old road, an important part of the history of the area. The groups worked together to design and develop the interpretive signs funded by the grant.  

To generate necessary matching funds, organization members canvassed county businesses seeking donations. Community response was tremendous. Items and cash donations were used to support the Road to the Buffalo Festival fundraiser held in Noxon’s Bicentennial Park last June. As a part of the event, prizes were awarded to winners of a competitive buffalo essay contest for area high school students and in a coloring contest for elementary and kindergarten students.

  Local fundraising efforts, combined with the two-to-one matching tourism grant, totals almost $14,000. These funds are sufficient to enable NSCI and WBSC to complete the design, fabrication and installation of four interpretive signs.

The project would not have been possible without the strong support of the people and businesses of Sanders County, and by the many out-of-area supporters and visitors who attended the Noxon fundraiser. NSCI and WBSC thank the community so much for all the generosity and support.

Road to the Buffalo travel brochures are available throughout Sanders County at visitor centers. More information is available online at sanderscounty.org/road-to-the-buffalo.