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Montana Main Street – Ravalli County – Huls Dairy – MAPS Media Institute – Ravalli Entrepreneurship Center – and much more

Bordered by the Sapphire Mountains on the east and the Bitterroot Mountains on the west, Ravalli County was once home to the Bitterroot Salish Tribe. The Lewis and Clark Expedition noted the friendly nature of the tribe when they traveled through the area in 1805. Chief Joseph and his Wallowa band of Nez Perce passed through on their way to Canada in 1877.

In the early days agriculture and timber were the main contributors to the county’s economy. Copper King Marcus Daly came to the Bitterroot Valley in search of timber for his copper mines in Butte and Anaconda. He built a mill to process the timber and soon after founded Hamilton in 1894. The new town was named after his employee James Hamilton, who plotted the town along the Northern Pacific Railway.

The Bitterroot Valley attracts thousands of visitors each year. Those who come to the area have access to the rugged peaks of the mountains and enjoy hiking, fishing, hunting and other outdoor activities, making tourism a vital part of the county’s economy.

In this issue of Main Street Montana http://dli.mt.gov/pub/mainstreet/mstreet052010.pdf , our focus is on alternative energy development in Montana and the important roles these alternative fuels play in both the state and nation’s economy. Biofuels are already playing a key role, with the recent flight of an F-18 fueled by camelina grown in Montana. Biomass, solar power and other alternative energy sources are also having a major impact on our economy.

This issue of Main Street Montana also focuses businesses who call Ravalli County home. We’ll look at why giving back to the local and global community is so important to these businesses and how volunteering can be the perfect training ground for those just starting out in their careers. We’ll also tell you about some of the programs benefiting Montana’s small businesses.

Keith Kelly, Commissioner Department of Labor & Industry

Full Issue: http://dli.mt.gov/pub/mainstreet/mstreet052010.pdf

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