2026 Mullan Road Conference in Helena&nbsp;
<img alt="Text Box:">The Mullan Road Conference will be held in Helena over Labor Day weekend, September 4-6, 2026.&nbsp; The conference focuses on the historic Mullan military wagon road through the greater Helena area; its history, its stories, and the exploration of its impact on the American West.&nbsp; Semi-annual gatherings share research, foster dialogue, and tour the physical remnants of the road that shaped the expansion of the Northwest.
The 624-mile Mullan Road, built between 1859 and 1862, connected the head of Missouri River&nbsp;navigation at Fort Benton in what soon became Montana Territory to the Columbia River at Fort Walla Walla, Washington Territory. Its&nbsp;construction was directed by military engineer Lt. John Mullan, who had also been part of the Northern Pacific Railroad Survey Expedition of 1853-54.&nbsp;

The military wagon road was a monumental feat of 19th-century engineering, carved through some of the continent's most challenging mountainous terrain, but it also created challenges for the indigenous people who lived along the route.&nbsp; As the numbers and variety of travelers increased, so did tensions and at times, conflict.
The conference features a number of notable historians:
·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dr. J. William T. Youngs&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Mullan Road: an Introduction Professor of History, Eastern Washington University—Cheney, WA
·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Holly Claypool —&nbsp;Creating an On-Line Interactive Map of the Mullan Road Research assistant and GIS Technician,&nbsp;Eastern Washington University—Cheney, WA
<ul><li>Kenneth Robison&nbsp;—&nbsp;Crossing the Rockies in ‘61 on the Mullan Road Historian, Author, Montana Heritage Keeper—Great Falls and Fort Benton, MT</li><li>Connie Constan —&nbsp;The Benton Lake Mullan Road Segment from an Archaeological Perspective Executive Director, The History Museum &amp; Research Center—Great Falls, MT</li><li>Jon Axline —&nbsp;A Tale of Three Mountain Passes Historian/Cultural Resources Specialist, Environmental Services Bureau, Montana Department of Transportation—Helena MT</li></ul>
<ul><li>Brenda Wahler—&nbsp;John Mullan's Swan Song: The Last Spike of the Northern Pacific Author and Attorney—Helena, MT</li><li>Jake Rehm —&nbsp;The Colville–Walla Walla Military Road—A Major Inland Northwest Thoroughfare Full Lecturer, Eastern Washington University—Cheney, WA</li><li>BANQUET KEYNOTE — Dr. J. William T. Youngs&nbsp; —&nbsp;'Ships of the Desert'—and of the Mountains: Camels on the Mullan Road and Throughout the Frontier West</li></ul>

Conference highlights include:
·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Friday, September 4, evening reception at the Lewis and Clark County Historical Society Museum
·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Saturday September 5, conference and banquet at the Montana Historical Society's NEW Heritage Center&nbsp;
·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sunday, September 6, Mullan Road Tour - North Helena Valley to Sieben Ranch
Registration for the conference is only $110 and includes the Friday reception; Saturday breakfast, lunch and banquet; and Sunday bus tour with box lunch in addition to the great speakers.&nbsp; Please register by August 28, 2026&nbsp; at <a href="https://mullanroadconference.wixsite.com/mullanroad" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">https://mullanroadconference.wixsite.com/mullanroad</a>.
A special thank you to our fiscal sponsor:&nbsp; Preserve Montana; our event sponsors:&nbsp; The Foundation for Montana History and the Montana Historical Society; and our generous donors:&nbsp; Ken Robison and Dr. Bill Youngs.&nbsp; See you on the Mullan Road!

Local Event: 2026 Mullan Road Conference

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2026 Mullan Road Conference

2026 Mullan Road Conference in Helena 
The Mullan Road Conference will be held in Helena over Labor Day weekend, September 4-6,...

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2026 Mullan Road Conference

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618 Helena Ave, Helena, MT