Three Forks Community Library
🏢 Broad Valleys Library Federation · Three Forks, Montana
Three Forks Community Library
Three Forks Community Library has served the gateway to Headwaters country since 1924, when the Federated Women's Club set up the town's first reading room in a converted boxcar on Fourth Avenue. Today it operates from a 2002 remodeled building at 607 Main Street — purchased for $100,000 and renovated entirely through community generosity — with access to the Montana Shared Catalog and MontanaLibrary2Go for every cardholder.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–5pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–5pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–5pm |
| Thursday | 10am–5pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 11am–2pm (first Saturday only) |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 607 Main Street, Three Forks, MT 59752
Phone: (406) 285-3747
Website: threeforkslibrary.weebly.com
Plus Code: 85QCVCQX+G6 (Three Forks, MT)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Three Forks Community Library
Three Forks Community Library is the public library of Three Forks, Montana, a Gallatin County town at the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison and Galloway rivers — the headwaters of the Missouri — about 30 miles west of Bozeman. The library was established around 1924 by the Federated Women's Club, which set up the first reading room in a converted boxcar that had once housed the Chollar family during Three Forks' post-boom housing shortage. The collection was tended by librarian Margaret Haigh for over a decade. In the 1960s the Tri-County Jaycees, led by Tom Owen, spearheaded a fundraising campaign that raised over $1,500; businesses including Kanta Products, Three Forks Lumber and Ideal Cement contributed materials and labor, and a new building opened in June 1967 with support from a Montana State Library Commission grant. In 2001 the Library Board purchased a former Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building for $100,000, and after community-supported remodeling the new library opened for business on May 13, 2002. The library belongs to the Broad Valleys Library Federation, participates in the Montana Shared Catalog, and provides access to MontanaLibrary2Go for statewide digital borrowing.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded circa 1924 by the Federated Women's Club in a converted boxcar on Fourth Avenue — a distinctly Montana origin story
- Community-built 1967 building funded by the Tri-County Jaycees plus business donations from Kanta Products, Three Forks Lumber, Ideal Cement and others
- Current home at 607 Main Street opened May 13, 2002 in a renovated former church purchased for $100,000 by the Library Board
- Located at the gateway to Headwaters Heritage State Park — the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers forming the Missouri
- Board meets the second Wednesday of each month at 5:15 p.m. in the library meeting room — public always welcome
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Three Forks cardholders can borrow digitally through Montana's statewide programs:
📚 Services
- Book, DVD, game and audiobook borrowing
- Public computers and free Wi-Fi
- Meeting room available to the community
- Montana Shared Catalog — place holds on items statewide
- Montana Courier Alliance delivery for interlibrary loans
- New book displays and readers' advisory assistance
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytime and early-literacy programs
- Summer Reading Program
- Community events and author programs
- Board meetings open to the public (second Wednesday at 5:15 p.m.)
📍 Nearby Libraries in Gallatin & Broadwater Counties
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Three Forks · Browse all Montana libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How did the Three Forks Community Library get its start?
The library was established around 1924 by the Federated Women's Club in a converted boxcar on Fourth Avenue that had previously housed a family during the town's post-boom housing shortage. Librarian Margaret Haigh tended the collection for over a decade. In the 1960s the Tri-County Jaycees raised funds and local businesses donated materials, and a new building opened in June 1967 with help from a Montana State Library Commission grant.
Where does the library operate today, and how did it get its current building?
The library is at 607 Main Street in Three Forks. In 2001 the Library Board purchased a former Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building for $100,000. Community volunteers helped move materials on May 4, 2002, and the renovated library opened for business on May 13, 2002.
Is the library open on Saturdays?
Yes, but only on the first Saturday of each month, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday the library is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The library is closed on all other Saturdays and on Sundays.
What is unique about Three Forks' location relative to the library's community?
Three Forks sits at the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers — the headwaters of the Missouri River — and is the gateway to Headwaters Heritage State Park. The library serves a community shaped by this remarkable geography, acting as a cultural and educational anchor for residents of this historically significant crossroads in southwestern Montana.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.