Indians form vision for Great Falls’ future

In James Parker Shield’s not so distant future, he hopes to be walking a trail around the Little Shell Tribe’s tribal headquarters and a Native American visitor and history center in Great Falls.

The plan places the center on 30 acres of Smelter Hill, not far from Hill 57, where dozens of Little Shell families established a settlement as Montana’s only landless tribe.

In November, some 150 local Native Americans, ages 9 to 78, looked into a crystal ball to imagine what Great Falls could look like in 2020 — with their stamp on it.

An all-tribe Indian center for meetings, weddings and wakes was one of many ideas aimed at improving health care, education, the economy, housing and cultural awareness in Great Falls

By KIM SKORNOGOSKI
Tribune Staff Writer

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