127 miles (205km) NW of Great Falls; 68 miles (110km) E of West Glacier; 160 miles (258km) W of Havre
According to American Indian legend, the Blackfeet were named because their moccasins were blackened with soot from fires or paint. Siksika, the "Blackfooted People," became their tribal name, and they eventually grew into four bands: the Blackfeet in Montana and the Kaina, Pikani, and Siksika of Alberta, Canada. Today the Blackfeet maintain a humble existence near the beautiful lands that were once their own, with about half of the tribal enrollment of 14,000 living on the reservation near the east side of Glacier National Park. Browning, the tribal headquarters, is a gateway town to Glacier, but many visitors pass through quickly in anticipation of the end of the prairies and the beginning of the mountains.
Getting There--To reach Browning, follow U.S. 89 south from St. Mary 32 miles (52km), or take U.S. 2, 12 miles (19km) east of East Glacier. Browning is about 69 miles (111km) east of West Glacier on U.S. 2.
Special Events--Browning holds North American Indian Days in mid-July. This 4-day celebration draws visitors from across the region to view American Indian dance competitions, games, and sporting events at the Blackfeet Tribal Campgrounds, which are adjacent to the Museum of the Plains Indian.
What to See & Do--The Museum of the Plains Indian is a fairly modest effort, but it has one of the best collections of Indian dress in the West. It also features some very good art by local Blackfeet artists. June through September there is a $4 fee for adults, $1 for children ages 6 to 12. The rest of the year it's free.
A Blackfeet Historic Site Tour is offered daily through Blackfeet Tours and Encampment. Half- and full-day tours depart from the Museum of the Plains Indian, and pickups can be arranged from any of the park's hotels, lodges, or campgrounds in either the St. Mary or East Glacier area. For information on these and other programs--including arts and crafts workshops, Blackfeet Elders Storytelling Campfires, or mini-powwows--contact Blackfeet Tours and Encampment, Box 271, Babb, MT 59401 (tel. 800/215-2395).
A large and eclectic art collection is on display at the intersection of U.S. Highways 2 and 89, in the Bob Scriver Hall of Bronze (tel. 406/338-5425). The building does not look like an art gallery--it looks more like a warehouse on its last legs. The 20-foot-tall, 15-foot-long bucking horse and cowboy, and the equally impressive Brahma bull and bullrider that are in front of the building are both products of Bob Scriver, who has been called "the foremost sculptor in America" by H. McCracken, curator of the Whitney Gallery of Western Art. Scriver did 1,200 bronzes over a 47-year career. He died in January 1999 at the age of 84. The museum consists of two segments: a wildlife exhibit--Scriver started out as a taxidermist--and the bronze section. There are hundreds of bronzes here, arranged by subject: rodeo, animals, Indians, and so on. Admission costs $5. You can spend more if you want to, though. The bronzes are for sale, at prices ranging from $250 to $150,000.
