Great Falls, Montana is well known for many things, including the fact that the local area was first explored by Lewis and Clark when they made their now well known westward expedition in 1805. There is much more to Great Falls history than just the Lewis and Clark expedition. Great Falls has played a tremendous role in the development of Montana history throughout the years.

Paris Gibson arrived in the area in the 1880s and immediately began establishing the foundation for what would one day become the city of Great Falls. The area was selected by Gibson due to its proximity to natural resources and its potential to serve as a transportation hub. That proved to be an excellent decision as the city grew quickly over the years. Within four years the beginnings of the planned town became a settlement and within another year the railroad had arrived.

The 1890s was a decade of tremendous growth for Great Falls as well as for Montana. Culture as well as numerous amenities found their way to this burgeoning settlement in the West; including electricity, as numerous hydropower plants and dams were built in the local area, earning the city the nickname of "The Electric City."

Although other boom towns quickly died out in the West, this was not the case with Great Falls. The city continued to grow at a steady rate thanks to a diverse economy. Its impression on the history of Montana continued as well when Great Falls became the largest city in the state by the late 1950s. The advent of World War II played a significant role in this growth and development as Great Falls had made an application to the War Department to serve as a site for an Air Force Base prior to the beginning of the war. The application was approved and construction began on what would become known as East Base. The crews of the 2nd Air Force were soon housed and trained at the base. The base continued to grow and expand during the war as well as afterwards, with the name being changed to what it is now known as today, Malmstrom Air Force Base.

More recently, there has been a significant amount of growth just outside of Great Falls, as tourists flock from all over the country as well as the world to see for themselves exactly what the first settlers first recognized in Big Sky country.