Local Lore – Is Great Falls Hill Named for a Condiment?

• A uniquely named land mass in Great Falls, Montana has several theories on how it was named
• Condiments or local residents have been mentioned as possibilities for how this area was named
• Hill 57 also holds significance for Native American ancestry in relation to the area

Local Lore - Is Great Falls Hill Named for a Condiment?

After years of being an air personality, my head is full of useless crap.  Seriously.  I can't remember my wife's birthday or our anniversary, but I can recite lyrics from 40 years ago.

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And sometimes those random factoids invade my brain in full force.  Just last week I started wondering about who cleans streetlights and how they stay clean.  Apparently, this week it is Great Falls trivia on my mind.

Is Hill 57 Because of the Famous Condiment or Not?

Hill 57 in Great Falls has a long history in our city, buti not just because of the unique name associated with it.  Native Americans have known about the area for many years prior to the city being here.

READ MORE:  10 Fun Facts About Great Falls You Might Not Know

But lore has it the name of the hill came about because of a particular salesman at the turn of the century who dealt with a famous condiment.  Most historians of our area in the know say probably, but there are other theories that are still mentioned.

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Does Wikipedia Have this Story Correct about Great Falls?

According to Wikipedia and local historical figures, Hill 57 probably was named after a condiment of sorts.  As the story is told via an article from the Great Falls Tribune in 2009, a salesman with Heinz created it:

in 1926, Heinz 57 salesman Art Hinck (or Henck) arranged rocks on the hill into the form of a gigantic "57" and then painted them white.

But others say there is a possibility that it could have been named for a local resident at the time:

Historian Ken Robison says that, in addition to the Heinz advertisement, Hill 57 was named for James J. Hill, chief executive officer of the Great Northern Railway and a close friend of Great Falls founder Paris Gibson.

What story have you heard about how Hill 57 got the name it has?  Let us know in the comments or you can send a message through our app chat feature.