Like all mining camps, Red Lodge had a large population of single men and an abundance of saloons. For many years, the notorious “Liver-eating”Johnson kept the peace as the town’s first constable. Red Lodge also boasted several churches and social clubs for those not inclined toward the city’s more earthier entertainment.

Hundreds of people came to Red Lodge in the 1890s and early 1900s. Immigrants from all over Europe worked shoulder-to-shoulder in the coal mines, but settled in neighborhoods called Finn Town, Little Italy and Hi Bug. Their cultural traditions endured and are celebrated at the city’s annual Festival of Nations.

Production in the coal mines declined after World War I, eventually leading to their closure by 1932. The completion of the scenic Beartooth Highway in 1936 revitalized Red Lodge by linking it directly to Yellowstone National Park. Today, Red Lodge’s past is represented by its historic buildings and by the pride its citizens take in its history and traditions.