Community and Economic Development does not just happen!

This is the Lincoln County Port Authority’s number one strategic priority. Rail spur access to the main line of the BNSF’s Great Northern Railway, combined with the site access of 400 acres of industrial ground is a scarce development commodity, further supporting the value of this particular strategic investment. The grant award from EDA will firmly anchor our efforts to have a rail spur active by mid 2017.

A partnership among Lincoln County Commissioners, The Kootenai River Development Council (KRDC), the University of Montana and PartnersCreative has resulted in a focused new brand messaging system and the start of a plan to engage the community as well as attracting visitation to the region.

Part of the scope and integral to the Plan is the assessment of leadership capacity to guide and coordinate trail plan implementation and other related needs. This report effectively begins the discussion on the creation of an outdoor recreational planner position for the Libby area.

Download Final Trails Plan (PDF)

The formalization of fact finding, investigation and a wrap up report generating a short term action plan will serve the next steps – a catalyst to take years of local street conversations to a more productive level and establish a work plan.

In addition to the deliverables of short term action items we believe this project will serve to develop core ideas to guide further projects and growth. This will impact a wide berth of needs from economic development, urban revitalization and promotion of our natural resources. It will serve to identify areas of need and resulting promotional strategies.

The first grant is from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation in Missoula. The matching grant comes from the Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund (BSTF), through the KRDC.

The project will create a Strategic Plan for the Heritage Museum of Libby, Montana to guide the preservation, rebuilding and public exhibition of an operating 1906 Shay #4 Steam Locomotive. Built in 1906 by the Lima Locomotive Works of Ohio, the Shay is a geared workhorse locomotive designed specifically for working in the woods. The Heritage Museum believes the Shay is the last remaining workable locomotive of its class in Montana.

The Shay hauled logs, supplies and logging crews for the Libby Lumber Company and later the J. Neils Lumber Company for logging operations in and around Libby, Montana in the early 1900’s. The Shay came to the Museum on loan in 1987 and was purchased by the Museum for $1 in 2013. Establishing the Shay locomotive as an operating exhibit will strengthen a destination asset for the Museum and community, both for rail enthusiasts and cultural and heritage tourism in general. These efforts will serve to enhancing the tourism/visitor economy of south Lincoln County. Enhancing the experiences at the Historical Museum serves to complement other local attractions as an effective strategy to increase the length of stay and tourism expenditures.