The King Stopped in Montana Only One Time. His Visit was Short.
Elvis was slightly before my time. He died when I was 3. My parent's generation obviously has a more significant connection to the King of Rock n' Roll than I. And while I wouldn't consider myself a passionate Presley fan, how can you not like Elvis? Blue Suede Shoes, Hound Dog, Viva Las Vegas, In the Ghetto... the list goes on. The guy was a hip-shaking hit machine and his music remains popular, 50 years later.
As the new Elvis movie hits theaters this weekend (which looks excellent), I wondered if the original teen heartthrob ever stopped in Montana. The answer is yes and no. He never performed in the Treasure State, but he did make a very short stop in a small Montana town in the late 50s.
The year was 1958, the town was Troy.
According to ElvisHistoryBlog.com, there are nine states where the King never performed, including Alaska, Delaware, Idaho, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming.
A train stop in Troy was the King's only appearance in Montana.
Elvis Presley Fans of Nashville shared an account of his only stop in Big Sky Country. According to the story, a handful of Troy teens were tipped off about his pending arrival by one of the kids' parents, who happened to be a train engineer. The train finally stopped, and after about 15 minutes Elvis appeared at the door and asked the kids, "Where am I?" In true Montana fashion, the teens replied, "you're in Troy." According to the story, Elvis stepped off the train and chatted with the group for about a half-hour, before continuing on his journey.