Hungry Horse, 2007
During a cold winter in the year 1900 two horses ran away. The horses were named Tex and Jerry and lived in the wilderness. After a month the horses returned dying of hunger. From this day they called this small town Hungry Horse. In the 1940s and 1950s a large dam was being built just on the outskirt of the town. People from all over the state moved to Hungry Horse in order to work on the dam’s construction. Ground and houses were cheap, the small town grew fast.
When the dam was completed many moved out but some stayed. Jobs had disappeared and Hungry Horse became a place for criminals to hide since the police wouldn’t venture into the valley. Hungry Horse is located just a few miles away from Glacier National Park, one of Montana’s greatest tourist attraction. The town today is a place where people pass by on their way to the National Park.
About 70% of the people of Hungry Horse live in trailer parks. The prices for ground and houses in the valley are extremely high. Meaning people are moving away with their trailers in search of cheaper places.
Many end up in the Indian reservations on the other side of the park. One of the main problem in Hungry Horse and in many remote parts of Montana is the use and abuse of Crystal Meth. This drug, mostly made of household products, is smoked or injected. It is considered by many as one of the most destructive drug ever. During summer some tourists come to the village to buy huckleberry on their way to the National Park.