Montana Department of Transportation, Aeronautics Division records
Scope and Contents
This collection is a subgroup under the Montana Department of Transportations records, RS 492. To see the other Department of Transportation records, visit the primary finding aid, RS 492.
This collection is comprised of files documenting the Aeronautics Division’s work, and includes correspondence among division administrators and chiefs, with airline contacts, legislators, and government agencies; case files about airports throughout Montana (arranged alphabetically by city); reports filed by the Aeronautics Commission, and reports about the state of transportation and airports throughout Montana; minutes of the meetings of the Aeronautics Board, the Aeronautics Commission, and Aeronautics Division staff; and project files, subject files and miscellany relating to the administration of airports, airport safety, and Aeronautics Division programs, among other things.
Dates
- Creation: 1919-1995
Language of Materials
English
Conditions Governing Use
The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Biographical / Historical
The Montana State Highway Commission was created in 1913 by the state Legislative Assembly. The original Commission was composed of three members. In 1917 new legislation altered the organization of the Commission by authorizing the appointment of twelve members according to geographic highway districts. Membership was changed again in 1921 to three members appointed by the Governor and in 1941 to five members, also appointed by the Governor. In 1971 the Commission was renamed the Montana Department of Highways, created by Chapter 7 of the Executive Reorganization Act of 1971 and implemented by executive order of the Governor on December 16, 1971. The Department of Highways took over all but the advisory functions of the State Highway Commission.
By 1972, the Department consisted of seven divisions: the Legal Division, Personnel Division, Centralized Services Division, Engineering Division, Motor Pool Division, Gross Vehicle Weight Division, and the Maintenance Division. Each division was headed by an administrator. The Centralized Services Division, Engineering Division, Motor Pool Division, Gross Vehicle Weight Division, and the Maintenance Division were furthered sub-divided into bureaus, headed by Chiefs. In 1991, the Department of Highways became the Department of Transportation.
The Aeronautics Division facilitates the maintenance of airports and the various components of airport infrastructure, including visual and electronic navigational facilities and flying aids. Other responsibilities include registering Montana aircraft and pilots; coordination and supervision of aerial search and rescue operations; and administering a loan and grant program to municipal governments to fund airport development and improvement projects.
Extent
24 linear feet
Abstract
This collection is comprised of records documenting the work of the Aeronautics Division of the Department of Transportation, and Department of Highways, and includes correspondence, case files, minutes, reports, subject files, project files and miscellany.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by subgroup and then by series.
Physical Location
39:8-3
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquisition information is available upon request.
Processing Information
In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Department of Transportation were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 492, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the MTHS catalog, and to follow best archival practices.
Collections from Montana Department of Transportation's various Divisions and Bureaus that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 492. Rather than reprocessing over 280 linear feet of Transportation materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those collections/finding aids, and provide access to them via links in this Master finding aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding aids at manageable sizes.
- Title
- Guide to the Montana Department of Transportation, Aeronautics Division records 1919-1995
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Rachel Lilley
- Date
- 2012
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Based On Dacs ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
- Sponsor
- Processing of this collection funded by a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Repository Details
Part of the Montana Historical Society, Research Center Archives Repository
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT 59620-1201 United States
406-444-2681
406-444-2696 (Fax)
mhslibrary@mt.gov