Cascade County, Montana: History
=== Early history ===
Cascade County was historically uninhabited throughout most of prehistory, with no permanent settlements aside from the occasional Salish hunting party. In roughly 1600, the Blackfeet pushed the Salish out, establishing the first permanent settlements in the area. Despite being claimed by France, the area remained unexplored by European settlers until the United States acquired the region in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase.
At the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Cascade County was the territory of the Blackfeet. The county was named for the falls on the Missouri River, and Lewis and Clark are believed to have first discovered the area on June 13, 1805. Despite this, the area remained uninhabited by Americans until later in the century.
After changing hands between several territories throughout the decades, Cascade County finally was placed under the jurisdiction of the Montana Territory on May 28, 1864. In 1887, territorial representative T.E. Collins proposed the creation of Cascade County from several surrounding counties including Lewis and Clark, Meagher, and Chouteau, and his bill was signed. Two years later, Montana was granted full statehood.
In 1880, entrepreneur Paris Gibson explored the area and was impressed with the possibility to harness the hydroelectric potential of the massive waterfalls in order to power and sustain a large industrial city. He returned in 1883, establishing Great Falls at the bank of the river. By 1887, the city had over 1000 residents, and the arrival of the Great Northern Railway cemented the city's position.