Hall of Fame
MONTANA COWBOY
Hall of Fame
Designated by Montana State Legislature, the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame preserves and passes forward our state's rich cultural heritage through the celebration of inductees and their notable contributions that have shaped our collective Montana Western heritage. While one might assume that the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame exists to recognize Montana's famous cowboys (and in part we do), the reach is far greater. The Hall of Fame exists to celebrate all our Montana Western heritage. By celebrating the contributions of those who that have directly impacted our Western way of life, we have preserved these stories for future generations to cherish and learn from. Most of the inductees in the Hall of Fame are not individuals who made headlines or would be considered famous - rather, many are organizations, places, animals, and other relevant symbols of an extraordinarily diverse culture that makes Montana truly "the last best place."
Nominations may be made from the public. Annually, the Board of Directors of the MCHF issue induction criteria that establishes number of inductees per class and submission requirements. All nominations properly submitted by the nomination deadline are grouped geographically into twelve (12) districts. Each nomination is assigned to the district where the nominee's contribution was most notably made. In this manner, district trustees who review and elect the nominees to the hall of fame from their district, can evaluate each nomination through the lenses of the local community where the contributions made their greatest impact. Inductee election results are announced annually by press release.