The Montana State Orphanage, also known as the Montana Children’s Center, opened in 1894, during a very tough time in the state. The decline of the mining boom brought a waning economy and greater poverty to the area. This Twin Bridges orphanage was established as a way to help the local economy and instigate some social justice reform. And for the most part, it was a highly successful institution that taught children excellent life skills and how to be proficient as adults. However, it’s also a dark stain on Montana history that will never be forgotten.

The Montana State Orphanage has a dark side to its history. It would be impossible to have an institution full of orphans without there being a little sadness.
J. Stephen Conn / Flickr
Looking at the Twin Bridges orphanage's history and talking with people who were raised there, you'll hear stories of depression, loneliness, and harsh discipline.
Children were delivered to the Twin Bridges, MT orphanage for a variety of reasons. Some had lost their parents, while others had parents who simply could no longer care for them.
Don...The UpNorth Memories Guy / Flickr
If a mother had been widowed and had no income, or a family just had too many little mouths to feed, sometimes they had no choice but to turn over their children in hopes that they’d receive a better life.
In a lot of ways, the Montana State Orphanage was a wonderful place. It was a self-sustaining community where residents were taught life skills. It had a swimming pool, an elementary school, livestock, dairy cows, and even its own hospital. There was also space for children to play and run free.
Spend a Day Touring, LLC / Flickr

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But as we now know, children need close adult supervision and one-on-one attention to thrive. Discipline at the orphanage could be very harsh.
Jack Fussell / Flickr
In a 1995 Seattle Times article, two men shed light on the the Twin Bridges orphanage history by detailing their experiences growing up there. They recalled bed-wetters being whipped every morning - some children would even wake up at 5:00 a.m. to dry their bed sheets on the radiator before the morning inspection. Some children were punished by being hung on coat hooks or locked in dark cloak rooms. The orphanage staff ran a tight ship, and children were expected to behave.
Other stories are even more heartbreaking.
Jack Fussell / Flickr
One man kept a journal of his time at the orphanage growing up, noting whenever his mother, who couldn’t care for him, would visit him. She visited once a year, always hoping she’d be able to take him home in the future. Another former resident recalled finding out as an adult that the staff had intercepted a letter from his mother. She’d promised to take him home, but they felt it would be too upsetting for a child to read that. She couldn’t ever keep her promise, so it was probably for the best.
The population at the orphanage boomed during the Great Depression. As many as 400 children lived there during that time.
J. Stephen Conn / Flickr
The numbers dwindled after that, especially as our society began to learn more about the psychological damage of institutionalized living. The orphanage officially closed in 1976.

Since its closing, the Montana Children’s Center has changed hands several times. Leslie Adams and her father bought it in 2005 and spent several years repairing and restoring the old buildings. When the orphanage closed, the staff simply locked the doors and left, so there was a lot of work to be done. The property was considered in a proposal for the home of the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame, but it lost out to another building.

The Twin Bridges orphanage certainly did a lot of good. Children were well-fed, clothed, and taught valuable life lessons. Still, it would be wrong to discredit the feelings of those who grew up under those conditions. The orphanage certainly filled a need, but it does have a dark side to its history.

What are your thoughts on this Twin Bridges orphanage history? Tell us in the comments!

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Rachel Raimondi | July 19, 2022

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