"Where Montana Began" 48 years before Montana became a state, established in 1841 by Fr.Pierre DeSmet by request of the Salish Indians seeking Black Robes as teachers. A photo gallery in the 1861 cabin of Chief Victor brings a sense of the 19th century when the Indian and European cultures merged. The 1866 Chapel, Fr. Ravalli's log cabin and pharmacy contain furnishings handmade by Fr. Anthony Ravalli, Montana's first medical doctor. A Salish encampment represents the native home of the Bitter Root Salish, while St. Mary's Mission represents the first pioneer settlement in Montana. St. Mary's Mission is the story of remarkable people in a turbulent time, and the assimilation of two very different cultures against the backdrop of the American Frontier. Walk through history and see, touch and hear this fascinating, dramatic and important chapter of this nation's past.