Company Description

The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) hall of fame organization. Its stated goal is to ""To honor our cowboy way of life, American Indian cultures, and our collective Montana western heritage. It confers the honour of induction on an annual list of distinguished individuals. At present, the organization lacks a permanent physical museum, but was granted statutory recognition by the Montana State Legislature in 2003 and 2011. Fundraising efforts include a specialty car license plate, The hall of fame was granted US$0.5 million in state funds for site development and project planning during a 2007 special session of the legislature.Current building plans for a Cowboy Hall of Fame museum and Western Heritage Center envision construction on a 30-acre parcel near Big Timber, Montana.A previous proposal was to be located in Wolf Point, Montana, as designated by the State of Montana in 2003. But the Big Timber location was selected in part due to its proximity to Interstate 90, proximity to other tourist destinations such as Yellowstone National Park and lower construction costs.InducteesThe first round of legacy award inductees was announced on April 8, 2008. Trustees from the twelve districts voted on the nominees to arrive at 51 foundational members of the hall of fame. This initial round includes nominees who made their impact on Montana's western heritage between 1860 and 1920. Subsequent inductees were announced annually thereafter.