About 6809 N Montana Avenue
If you ask the owner about the property he would say:
Come on in off the road there. The trees will guide you around the drive — they've been standing guard here longer than any of us, and they do a fine job of it. By the time you park, you'll notice how quiet it gets. That's the first thing people say.
The Land
I've watched the sun come up over these pastures more times than I can count, and I'll tell you — it never gets old. Morning light spills across the tree line like somebody poured it slow from a pitcher, all gold and soft. Evening's no different. The sky puts on a show every night, pinks and oranges you'd swear were painted by hand. Stars dot the night sky.
Eleven acres, bordered by mature trees that have seen decades come and go. Two artesian wells — good, clean water that's never given us a moment's trouble and keeps coming. And we've got rights to the Helena Irrigation Canal that runs along the edge of the property, so keeping the pastures green through the dry months isn't something you lose sleep over. You can hay a portion if you've a mind to, or just let the horses work it down the way they like.
About The Horses
The barn's 2,775 square feet of solid shelter — the kind of building you put up once and don't worry about again. Doors on both ends. Six full stalls. Four stalls have their own runs so the horses can come and go as they please. Two more inside for the ones that need a little extra care. The tack room's enclosed and organized — Feed room's separate, kept dry, easy to manage.
Out beyond the barn there's another run with stalls for overflow, or for the animals with shorter legs. We've used it both ways over the years.
Keep reading. There's more. The arena's been well looked after. Good footing, good drainage. Whether you're putting a young one through its paces or just giving the older horses a place to stretch, it's ready when you are. And the four pastures — each one cross-fenced, each one visible from the house — give you room to rotate, rest the ground, and keep things right.
Now, the two entrances — that's something you'll appreciate the first time you pull in with a trailer. No fighting a tight turn or backing down a lane that wasn't built for a rig. You come in one way, pull through, unload, and go about your business. It's the kind of thing you don't think about until you don't have it, and then it's all you think about.
The Shop
The shop's got three bays, plenty of height, plenty of depth. Your truck, a small tractor, your trailer — they all fit. And there's a kennel built onto the side for the dogs. When you've got to run to town, you close the gate and know they're safe. It's a small thing, but it matters.
The House
Now, the house. Walk in and you'll feel it right away — there's room here. Not the kind of room that's just square footage on paper, but the kind that lets a family spread out and still find each other when it counts. Three separate living spaces, 3,750 square feet altogether, three bedrooms and three baths.
The main level's got a big family room with built-in entertainment cabinets where you settle in for the game and fall asleep on the sofa. There's a mud and laundry room off of that with a sink and a shower, because if you're working the land, you ought to be able to clean up before you track it through the house. On the other side of the entry, you've got a second living area with a gas fireplace, the master bedroom, and a master bath with a tiled walk-in shower, a corner soaking tub big enough to get lost in, and a double vanity.
Head upstairs to the third and main living space — this one's got tongue-and-groove ceilings, hand-hewn beams, and a rock fireplace right in the center of it all, converted to gas so you don't have to fuss with it. Big windows look out over the pastures and tree lines. Above it all is the loft overlooking the main living — makes a fine office, a play space for the grandkids, or extra sleeping quarters when company stays over.
The kitchen's been completely redone, and they did it right. The island is a large single piece of granite — one slab, no seams, the way it ought to be. Double ovens, an island sink, more cabinets than you'll probably fill, and a wine bar tucked in for good measure. When people come over, they all end up gathered around that island. It's just how the room works.
The Deck
Step out onto the wrap-around deck and the whole property opens up in front of you. The yard's lush and green — underground sprinklers keep it that way — with rock walkways winding through, two apple trees, two cherry, and a Buckeye that's been here longer than I have. Beyond the yard, the pastures roll out toward the tree line, and if you're out here at the right time, you'll see the horses moving across the field with the light behind them. That's the picture that stays with you.
The Rest of It
We're just a few miles north of Helena proper — close enough that you're not giving anything up, far enough that you feel like you've gotten away. The trees on every border hold the place like a secret. Eleven acres, two wells, irrigation rights, four pastures, an arena, a seven-stall barn, a three-bay shop, and a home that was built for living.
