Legislator Wants Cowboy Hall Of Fame In Wolf Point

House District 31 Rep. Frank Smith, D-Poplar, seeks to have the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame return to Wolf Point.

Smith worked to have the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame established in Wolf Point during the early 2000s. The program was founded in 2003 and designated by the Montana State Legislature as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Wolf Point was the original site of the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame. Because of financial struggles, the Cowboy Hall of Fame was moved to Big Timber in 2012 and then to Great Falls in 2018.

Smith says he’s received some support at the state level regarding returning the Cowboy Hall of Fame to Wolf Point.

“I think if we can do it conservatively, we can get it done,” Smith said. He feels that the Cowboy Hall of Fame should be in conjunction with the Wolf Point Museum.

“If it’s hooked with the museum, it will give us more leverage,” Smith said. “It will bring more people to Wolf Point to visit.”

Smith said he plans to discuss with the tribes about the possibility of having a chartered bus go from the Cowboy Hall of Fame to the buffalo ranch once a day.

“We have to build something up,” Smith said.

The Democrat said he has experienced positive conversations with Gov.-elect Greg Gianforte regarding economic development and tourism for northeastern Montana.

“We have to figure out something to get traffic here,” Smith said. “We’re losing businesses, we’re losing everything up here.”