Boulder is a county seat and was named for the massive stones strewn about the valley. The town was established in the early 1860s as a stage station on the Fort Benton-Virginia City route. Late it became the trading center for a mining and agricultural area, once serving the mining districts of Elkhorn, Comet, and Baltimore. The Great Northern Railway came through in 1888. The town was first called Bolder Valley (from Cheney's
Names on the Face of Montana, Mountain Press Publishing Company), but the name was changed in 1897.
Boulder's most prominent landmark is the Jefferson County Courthouse, built in 1889. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building has a three-story entry and gargoyles perched on 24-inch thick stone walls.
Visit nearby Elkhorn State Park for excellent examples of frontier architecture. This ghost town stands as a reminder of Montana's 1880s silver boom. Enjoy hiking and picnicking in this area.
Boulder Hot Springs, located three miles south of Boulder, began in 1883 as a 52-room resort and spa for the wealthy families in Helena and Butte that made their money from the mining industry. Renovated and redesigned, the hot springs is still in business today, offering pools full of geothermal waters for soaking and swimming.
Elevation: 5,158 feet
