For having such a short history within North America, the honeybee has had an unprecedented impact on American agriculture and on localized ecosystems and economies. As a form of sustainable agriculture, apiculture extends into the realms of rural economies, farm culture, and society in the Great Plains. Because it enhances crops and small-town economies and plays a significant role in chain migration, beekeeping is an important agricultural institution. This article examines the evolving history of apiculture, primarily focusing on the Upper Musselshell Valley of central Montana, and illustrates the extensive social, economic, and technological impact the honeybee has had in the Great Plains outside traditional agricultural production.