Scott's USAF Installations Page

Trip Report: Tower of Power

First published in 2015. Reformatted 2025.

Montana is one of my favorite states to visit, so I'm always glad for an excuse to visit some new corner of Big Sky Country. This time, it was an opportunity to visit a friend while he was staffing a forest fire lookout tower. While I was in the area, I could also check on a few historical military properties. I loaded up the Outback and headed to Montana! Just a reminder PIN means Permanent Installation Number and ILC means Installation Location Code; I include these for Air Force properties when I know them.

Saturday, 22 August 2015

On my second day of the trip, smoke from the many active fires was already becoming more visible. I took the Subaru up the switchbacks west of Lakeside to get some fresher air.

Kalispell Air Force Station MT, PIN 3237, ILC LXTH, 48-00-40, 114-21-55. This Air Defense Command long-range radar site was also identified as site TM-179 or Z-179. Activated on 24 November 1959, the site was operated by the USAF until 1978. At that time part of the topside portion of the site was transferred to the FAA, who continue to operate an ARSR-4 radar as Joint Surveillance Site J-78 or Lakeside. Support, during years of USAF use, was from Malmstrom AFB.
General view
General view
Operations area
Operations area
Building
Building
Ground-to-Air Transmitter-Receiver (GATR) building
Radar with fence posts in foreground
Water system building with radar in background
Water system building and water storage tank

My destination, and base camp for several days, was Columbia Falls. With the smoke hanging like fog in the air, blocking the Big Sky, Montana almost seems like an ordinary state!

Sunday, 23 August 2015

Sunday and Monday were devoted to the forest fire lookout tower adventure. Tuesday was devoted to rest and recovery!

Wednesday, 26 August 2015

By Wednesday I was ready to get out and see some Cold War history, not to mention escape the smoky air of Columbia Falls. In fairness to Columbia Falls, it is an idyllic setting when the smoke clears! I had been to the town of Cut Bank previously, but I had never made the extra drive north to visit the radar site. Until now, that is!

Cut Bank Family Housing Annex MT, PIN 4983, 48-56-49, 112-48-21. The houses no longer stand at the nearby family housing area.
General view
General view
General view
General view

Cut Bank Communications Annex MT, 48-58-05, 112-49-21. This communications annex, a ground-to-air transmit and receive facility, was northwest of Cut Bank AFS.
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
Doors
Doors
Doors
Exterior light fixture
Electrical framework
Electrical framework
Electrical framework
Electrical framework
Interior
Interior
Interior
Interior
Interior

Browning Gap Filler Annex MT, PIN 4380, 48-52-14, 113-10-23. This unmanned Air Defense Command radar site supported Cut Bank AFS, and was also known as site P-24A. It operated from October 1957 to December 1960.
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
Tower footings
Tower footings
Interior
Interior

I returned to my now-familiar rooms in Columbia Falls, very glad I'd made the trip to Cut Bank AFS.

Thursday, 27 August 2015

The smoke was even heavier as I loaded up the car and headed south. My first stop for the day was in Missoula, where I met a friend for coffee and conversation. An hour flies by pretty quick when you're having a good chat. I had hoped to also find and document the WWII War Dog Training Center near Rimini, but the only road to the site completely blocked by construction. I continued on to Helena, and used that extra time to visit Fort Harrison.

Fort William Henry Harrison MT, ILC HFCN, Army Installation Code 30655, 46-37-32, 112-06-35. Acquisition of this post began in 1892. It was designated on 13 December 1892 and established 23 September 1895--but at first it was known as Fort Benjamin Harrison after the 23rd U.S. President. On 16 February 1906, it was redesignated Fort William Henry Harrison after the 9th U.S. President. It seems that a fort in Indianapolis had earlier taken the name of Benjamin Harrison, so this fort's name was changed to avoid duplication. Ownership was transferred to the Montana National guard in 1913. In WWII the fort was enlarged from 1,799 acres to 11,787.97 acres, and it was again an Army installation. It was inactive on 31 January 1944, and declared surplus on 28 February 1944. A portion (1,527.51 acres) was reassigned to the Montana National Guard on 22 January 1948. It remains in service as an Army National Guard installation today, occupying 6,387 acres. I discussed my visit with security personnel, and was allowed to photograph the older buildings you see here. My thanks to Fort Harrison security for their friendly cooperation. Oh, and in case you wondered--yes I did visit their small B.X.!
Building T0015
Building T0015
Building T0016
Building T0016
Building T0018
Building T0019
Building T0021
Building T0021
Building T0022
Building T0022
Building T0022
Building T0028
Building T0029
Building T0029
Building T0031
Building T0031 (L) and T0028 (R)
Building T0034
Building T0034
Building T0102
Building T0102 (L) and T0103 (R)
Building T0103
Building T0103 (L) and T0102 (R)
Reproduction WWII hutment
Reproduction WWII hutment

I stopped for the night in Laurel, just west of Billings. On Friday I motored home with no further historical visits. This grand adventure put 2,530 miles on the Outback.

Updated May 10, 2025

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