High above the Clark Fork River and Triple Bridges, Chuck Mead stands

along a portion of the Mullan Road that was built in 1860 and connected Fort Walla Walla, Wash., with Fort Benton. “I like Western history to start with, and then you're sitting right in the middle of Western history,” said Mead, whose property contains portions of the historic road.
Photo by LINDA THOMPSON/Missoulian