Assets

• Lavina is a town of history. Lavina was founded just forty miles north of the Northern Pacific railhead in Billings by one of the Territory's best known pioneers, T.C. Power.
   T.C. Power knew until 1880 Central Montana abounded in wildlife with thousands of buffalo but was practically uninhabited. Never-the-less, he knew with the coming of the railroad envisioned a stage line to answer the demand for a direct over-land route to connect the railroad with his holdings in Fort Benton so in May of 1882 he organized the Billings - Benton Stage Company. It was the first north-south line to carry mail on coaches.
    About midway on the stage line there was the river that cut its age-old course through the trees and tall grass meadows of the wide Musselshell Valley. Where there was a good ford, he chose an ideal site for a station, and said "With Clate Warner and other hired help, we put up stage stables, mess house, bunk house for the men to sleep in, a store, and of course my saloon. That was the biggest business of them all." Even though he was appointed as the first post master, he made the rounds of the stage line every month but none of the stations pleased him as much as the one on the south bank of the Musselshell, and in memory of a former sweetheart, Walter Burke named it Lavina.
     As the Musselshell Valley settled up thick in the summer of 1882, the stage stop became known as Old Lavina and it was a hub of activity.
   The bell tolled for Old Lavina when the surveyors chose a new town site a mile downstream in the wide bend of the Musselshell that had been the old Indian campground. A few months later on February 16, 1908, the first passenger train steamed past the old stage stop and pulled up to the depot in what was now New Lavina.*
  
  * from "Bicentennial Golden Valley County Heritage '76"
• The new Lavina still boasts some of it's original buildings. These include the Slayton Mercantile and the Adams Hotel. Pictures and information on these buildings can be found at:
• http://www.co.golden-valley.mt.us/html/lavina.html
• Lavina is included in the "Better for Business Program" and continues to work on assessment of the community to create a open and welcoming place for businesses and families.
• The county has incentives such as loans for new and expanding business and tax write-downs for those interested in moving into the community. More information can be found at:
• http://www.co.golden-valley.mt.us/html/busopps.html

Opportunities

• As with most small communities, it is a challenge to keep money circulating within it's own community rather than it going into large neighboring communities.
• The distance from large communities may pose problems when dealing with shipping, delivery and supplier services.

Community Vision

• Attract, encourage, and maintain new and expanding business.
• Continue to create and utilize programs set up in the community and county that benefit it's residents.
• Assessment of the community. Will cover wants and needs regarding the future of the community.
• Bring development and positive growth to the community.

[Back]