Belgrade is the largest city in Montana that is not a county sea. It was built on the backs of entrepreneurs and to this day opens it arms to the men and women who have the fortitude and discipline needed to create new businesses and opportunities. 

The Northern Pacific Railroad in 1864 was granted 14 million or so acres to travel through the northwest, Montana included.  The railroad brought visionaries and entrepreneurs of every kind and gave them new opportunities.  

Thomas Quaw was among these men, he traveled the surveyed area and discovered a siding that was just 10 miles from the growing Bozeman, perfect for the development of a new community. The railway had many foreign investors, among them were the Serbians. Some say that it was the portion of track running through Belgrade that they invested in but Quaw chose to honor them by naming the community after their capital, Belgrade. 

Now Quaw in more ways than one was looking at the money to decide how he was going to proceed. In 1881 when he first platted the community of Belgrade the railroad had not yet reached the area. In fact before the first railroad station was built, he had shipping facilities and warehouses already erected in the anticipation of this siding becoming a thriving, growing community. 

The land was plush with grains which is probably why his first focus was in utilizing the rich farmlands, thus starting the Belgrade Grain and Produce Company. To market his venture, he dubbed the area “Princess of Prairies”. This marketing helped to draw entrepreneurs and the community grew.  Although growth stopped during crises like the Great Depression, the town survived from its roots in farming.  As farming remains a fundamental element, the heart of entrepreneurship remains as the town opens its arms to new business.