Our Attractions

While you are in town, be sure to visit our many attractions.  The Blaine County Museum features area history and artifacts with an emphasis on the homestead era.  Native American artifacts and culture make up an important part of the museum’s collection, together with early photographic records of Nez Perce life.  Military and Nez Perce artifacts from the Bears Paw Battlefield are on exhibit.  The battlefield should be on your itinerary.  Interpretive signs and markers line the foot path through the battlefield – you won’t want to miss this great exhibition!   The Blaine County Wildlife Musuem offers an excellent display of animals native to the area, click here to visit their website.  The Bears Paw Battlefield is the site of the last major Indian battle in the United States, which is located just 16 miles south of town on Route 240.  It is one of Montana’s three units of the Nez Perce National Historic Park.  The Battlefield is the site of the surrender of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce Indians on October 5th, 1877.  After a 1,700 mile retreat, Chief Joseph made his famous speech of surrender: “From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more, forever.”

Our town has remained nostalgic for hundreds of years and is located just 20 miles from Havre, Montana: a larger community on Highway 2.  Our population is around 1500 and we have numerous beautiful parks.  Chinook once was home to a massive Sugarbeet Factory, which in fact, is the reasoning behind our “strange” mascot.  According to Jay Leno, it ranked number 2 out of 100 “strangest mascots” in the U.S.  Oil and gas discoveries have also from time to time, given our economy a boost, yet the major industry still remains agriculture.