Dillon is the seat of Beaverhead County, Montana’s largest county. Dillon began as an important shipping point from Utah to the gold fields of Montana. The Utah and Northern Railroad reached Dillon in the fall of 1880, but the town was named for the president of the Union Pacific Railroad, Sidney V. Dillon. Sheep were introduced to the rich agricultural valley in 1869. At one time Dillon was the largest wool shipping point in Montana. The first cattle were brought to the valley in 1865 and they, too, have played a major role in Dillon’s development. The area was central to early Montana mining camps and settlements. Bannack, Montana’s first territorial capital and now a well-preserved ghost town, is nearby. The Montana Normal College was established in Dillon in 1892 and is now called University of Montana-Western.</ p>

Explore the Beaverhead County Museum, peruse the Seidensticker Wildlife Collection featured at the gallery on the campus of University of Montana-Western, or take yourself back in time with the Historical Walking Tour. Dillon also celebrates Montana’s biggest weekend with the annual Jaycee Labor Day rodeo which features professional rodeo excitement, big-name entertainment, parade and more.