The Hi-Line: General Views and Portraits from Northern Montana

The Hi-Line is generally considered to be the area following the Great Northern Railroad and Route 2 in Northern Montana spanning from the North Dakota border to the Rocky Mountains at the base of Glacier National Park. Initial investments in the railroad were intended to promote Glacier National Park, inviting eastern vacationers to come “See America First” instead of visiting Europe. The railroad eventually connected each coast and initiated steady trade with oriental markets. This continues to be the main function of the railroad today.

While photographing, I discovered how disconnected these towns have become from the railroad that originally created them. The local economies are no longer dependant on the railroad; instead they survive by way of farming, ranching, and oil production. The large amount of hauled commodities that travels through these small towns becomes a reminder that the railroads purpose has changed to a pipeline for American consumer products.

My travels brought me to Cut Bank, the last town on the Hi-Line before its rises into the mountains through Marias Pass near Glacier National Park. I have been traveling to this small town for the last four years, staying with different families and experiencing the way of life in this barren region. My photographs are driven by my desire to understand this region. The portraits and landscapes explore the current condition of these towns by addressing the isolation and despair on the Hi-Line.

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