St Ignatius: Mission, History and Mountain Landscape

St Ignatius combines an exceptional mission history with the distinctive landscape of the Mission Mountains. Those looking for a vacation rental or holiday home for their trip can combine culture, historic sites and excursions into the mountains here, with different focal points. Particularly impressive is the St. Ignatius Mission: Its interior contains 58 murals created over a period of fourteen months in 1904–1905. The motifs depict scenes from the Hebrew Scriptures, the New Testament and the lives of the saints.

The St. Ignatius Mission as a Cultural Center

The St. Ignatius Mission consists of four buildings and was listed as a National Historic Site in 1973. Construction of the present-day church began in 1891 and took two years. Materials for its construction were sourced locally: The bricks were made from local clay, while trees from the surrounding area were processed. The mission was founded by the Belgian Jesuit missionary Fr. Pierre-Jean De Smet.

The historic surroundings also include the St. Ignatius Museum, housed in the original log church from 1854. The exhibits focus on the work of the Sisters of Providence and the Ursulines. For families who want to combine different interests during a trip, this creates a cultural focus that extends beyond individual buildings and also brings religious and regional history to life.

Historic Sites between St Ignatius and Charlo

Another historic point of interest is Fort Connah on US Highway 93 between St Ignatius and Charlo. The Hudson’s Bay Company trading post was established in 1846 and operated from 1846 to 1871. One of its three original buildings has survived and is considered the oldest standing building in Montana. The historic site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. A rendezvous gathering takes place there every year in May and September.

Four Winds Indian Trading Post also adds to the historic travel experience. The original log building was constructed by Duncan McDonald in 1870 and moved from Ravalli to its present location. Four Winds Indian Trading Post is Montana’s oldest and longest-operating trading post. The historic store offers, among other things, beads, face paint, deer and elk hides, jingle dresses, animal sinew material and porcupine quill headdresses. Purchases help support and preserve traditional art and handicrafts.

Mission Mountains and Regional Excursions

East of St Ignatius, the Mission Mountains rise from the valley floor to nearly 7,000 feet and are less than 10 miles away. The highlands provide habitat for mountain goats, deer, elk, moose, bears, eagles and ospreys. Approximately 89,500 acres in the western part of the Mission Mountains on tribal land were designated as a Tribal Wilderness Area by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in 1979.

Various routes are available in the surrounding region for planning excursions. The CSKT Bison Range offers the 19-mile Red Sleep Drive, the 14-mile Prairie Drive and four hiking trails. The Mission Falls Trail extends for approximately 3.3 miles; its trailhead is accessible via Mission Dam Road. The different route lengths can be taken into account when planning your day, allowing you to experience cultural activities and nature in different ways.

Choosing Accommodation to Suit Your Plans

If the mission, museum and historic sites are your main focus, searching for accommodation in St Ignatius is an obvious planning option. This way, you are not deciding solely based on the place name, but on your travel profile: more history, more landscapes or a balanced mix of both.

For additional guidance when planning the rest of your trip, you can also consider Polson as another destination. In St Ignatius itself, the visible mission, the signs along Highway 93 and the location approximately two blocks off the road help with local orientation. The mission is visible from the highway.

Crafts and Personal Experiences

Judith Colvin Designs offers private and group workshops by appointment. Traditional wet-felting techniques are used there to create wool hats, purses, scarves, capes and wall hangings. This offering complements the historic sites with a practical, craft-based perspective. If you want to do more than simply look around during your trip and would also like to learn about regional design and traditional techniques, you can specifically include such an appointment in your plans.

For the broader travel overview: Lake County.