Melville is located 20 miles north of Big Timber along the Sweetgrass River. Named in 1877 for Colonel Melville, the arctic explorer. It is cow and sheep country, originally settled by Norwegians. The first Lutheran church in Montana was built here in 1885 complete with steeple and bell. It is a beautiful white church backed by the magnificent Crazy Mountains. Local ranches are renowned for providing stock for western rodeos.