Billings, Montana

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Billings, Montana
Billings skyline and Sacrifice Cliff, 2005
Billings skyline and Sacrifice Cliff, 2005
Official flag of Billings, Montana
Flag
Official seal of Billings, Montana
Seal
Nickname: "The Magic City," "Star of the Big Sky Country," "City Beneath the Rims," "The Paradigm City"
Motto: Billings Pride: City~Wide
Location in Montana
Location in Montana
Coordinates: 45°47′12″N, 108°32′14″W
County Yellowstone County
Founded 1877
Incorporated 1882
Mayor Ronald Tussing
Area  
 - City 106 km²  (41 sq mi)
 - Water 0.3 km² (0.1 sq mi)
Population  
 - City (2006 est) 101,721
 - Density 1,029/km²
 - Metro 181,593
Time zone Mountain (UTC-7)
 - Summer (DST) Mountain (UTC-6)
Website: www.cityofbillings.net

Billings is a city located in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Montana.

Billings is rapidly growing; as of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 89,847, and a 2006 city estimate indicates the city's population has grown to 101,182 (up 10.9% or 11,281 since 2000). Billings is the county seat of Yellowstone CountyGR6 and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of both Carbon and Yellowstone counties and Billings. In terms of population, it is the largest metropolitan area in Montana. It is nicknamed the Magic City because of its rapid growth from its founding as a railroad town in 1882. It was said that Billings "grew like magic." Billings is named for Frederick H. Billings, president of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Due to Billings' status as the largest city in a 500 mile radius (south-central and eastern Montana and northern Wyoming), it serves as a shopping and accommodation center for area residents and highway travelers. The city's proximity to Yellowstone National Park, Pompey's Pillar, and the area where the Battle of the Little Bighorn was fought also draws a large number of tourists, especially during the summer months. Such traffic in recent years is largely due to Billings being on the most significant highway in Montana, Interstate 90.

Contents

[edit] History

Most of Billings is located in the Yellowstone Valley, carved out by the Yellowstone River. Over 10 million years ago, this valley was underwater with the tops of the Rims being a prehistoric beach. It is not unusual to find fossilized fish in the area.

Before the Europeans came, the Crow Indians inhabited the Yellowstone River valleys and the surrounding areas. Their true name is the Apsáalooke which means "people [or children] of the large-beaked bird". Some of pictographs in the Pictograph Cave 6 miles south of Billings are over 2100 years old. The traditional shelters of the Crow were tipis made with Bison skins and wooden poles. They were known to contruct some of the largest tipis. The Crow also had more horses than any other plains tribe, in 1914 they numbered approximately thirty to forty thousand but by 1921 had dwindled to just one thousand. They also had more dogs, one source counted five to six hundred. Unlike some other tribes, they did not consume dog. The Crow were nomads.

Pompeys Pillar National Monument
Enlarge
Pompeys Pillar National Monument

In 1806, William Clark traveled through the region on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. He signed his name 25 miles northeast of Billings. The inscription consists of his signature and the date July 25, 1806. Clark claimed he climbed the sandstone pillar and "had a most extensive view in every direction on the Northerly Side of the river". The pillar was named by Clark after the son of Sacagawea who was the Shoshone woman who had helped to guide the expedition and had acted as an interpreter. Clark had called Sacagawea's son "Pompy" and his original name for the outcropping was "Pompys Tower". It was later changed (1814) to the current title. Clark's inscription is the only remaining physical evidence found along the route that was followed by the expedition.

Billings was founded in 1877 and established in 1882 in the Montana Territory near the already-existing town of Coulson. Coulson had been situated on the Yellowstone River, which made it ideal for the commerce that Steamboats brought up the river. However, when the Montana & Minnesota Land Company oversaw the development of potential railroad land, they ignored Coulson, and platted the new town of Billings several miles to the West. When the Northern Pacific Railroad was built, Coulson died as Billings flourished. The land that was once the town of Coulson is now Coulson Park. Northern Pacific Railroad President Frederick Billings, along with other executives of the railroad, bought land in the Yellowstone Valley, then later sold it back to his own railroad. This practice was both legal and common at the time. A structure known as "The Castle" was erected emulating European design with its crow-step gable construction.

Billings suffered from a major flood in 1937. After World War II, Billings boomed into a major financial, medical and cultural center in the region. In the 1960s, Billings surpassed Great Falls as Montana's largest city. In the 1970s, Billings suffered a short decline in population due to the oil crisis. The population quickly rebounded in the early 1980s and has never declined since. Billings was affected by the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in May; the city received about an inch of ash on the ground. Billings received the All-America City Award in 1992.

In 1993, Billings made national news with the "Not in Our Town" phenomenon. Hate activists and Neo-Nazis were starting to congregate in town with KKK flyers being distributed, the Jewish cemetery being vandalized, the home of a Native American family being painted with swastikas, and a brick being thrown through a window of a child who was displaying a Menorah for Hanukkah. The city of Billings acted against the growing environment of hate by standing strong. Religious groups sponsored marches and candlelight vigils. The Billings Gazette printed out paper Menorahs. Over 10,000 homes and businesses hung them in their windows, even at the risk of bricks being thrown through them. The residents of Billings eventually drove out the hate activists peacefully using these methods.

Today Billings continues to be the financial, medical, agriculural, and cultural center for the Northern Great Plains and continues to be the "Star of the Big Sky Country." In 2002 Skypoint was completed. Sixteen- and twelve-story mixed-use buildings are proposed for downtown Billings. In 2005, the people of Billings elected former Police Chief Ron Tussing as Mayor. He was sworn in January 9, 2006

[edit] Future

Billings has experienced continued growth in the recent years, never declining in population like most of the rest of the eastern portion of the state, as well as most of the Great Plains states. It has avoided this trend by being in close proximity to the mountainous regions of Wyoming and Montana, making it a tourist hotspot.

This growth can be seen all over the city, with a new Wal-Mart and Target popping up in the Heights (making them the second of both in the city, the others are on the West End). New housing subdivisions are crowding a once sparse highway to the nearby town of Laurel and the medical corridor never seems to stop expanding. The population of the city is constantly on the march toward the 100,000 mark.

[edit] Famous people

More widely famous people who have lived in Billings include Charles Lindbergh, who once worked as a mechanic at the Billings Logan Airport and performed as a barn stormer. Birthplace of Cody Feller. "Calamity Jane" Canary also lived in the Billings area toward the end of her life. Arlo Guthrie was briefly a student at Rocky Mountain College. A handful of retired Baseball players were born or lived in Billings including Dave McNally and Jeff Ballard, both who pitched for the Baltimore Orioles, as well as New York Mets pitcher Les Rohr, San Diego Padres pitcher Joe McIntosh and Atlanta Braves pitcher Gary Neibauer. Former NBA players Brad Holland (now Head Coach of the University of San Diego) and Jim Creighton and ABA player Roy McPipe. Also, former NFL player Kirk Scrafford and former NHL player Greg Smith lived in Billings. Current Baltimore Ravens player Dwan Edwards was born in Billings. LPGA golfer Leslie Spalding has lived in Billings her entire life. Famous Biologist Paul V. Casey calls Billings his home. Sportscaster Brent Musburger lived in Billings for several years when he was a youth, as well as ESPN anchor Matt Winer, who did sports for the local news in the early 90's. Deniz Tek of the influential Australian punk band Radio Birdman worked in Billings as a doctor. David Byers grew up in Billings. Movie director John Dahl was born in Billings, as was General Hospital actor Wally Kurth. Famous western artist Will James has a middle-school named after him in Billings, near his original home.

Miss Teen USA 2006 Katie Blair is from Billings, Montana. United States Senator Conrad Burns, served from 1988 to 2007 Denny Rehberg, Congressman (At-Large), Lt. Governor

Beartooth Mountains, 2003
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Beartooth Mountains, 2003

[edit] Geography

Billings is located at 45°47′12″N, 108°32′14″W (45.786553, -108.537139)GR1, with two thirds of the city in the Yellowstone Valley, the city being divided into the Valley and the Heights by the Rims, a long cliff, also called the Rimrocks. Billings is surrounded by six mountain ranges, the Beartooth Mountains to the west, the Pryor Mountains and Bighorn Mountains to the south, the Crazy Mountains to the northeast, the Big Snowy Mountains to the north and the Wolf Mountains to the south east.

The Yellowstone River runs through the City. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 106.0 km² (41.0 mi²). 104.7 km² (40.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.33%) is water.

[edit] Climate

The climate of Billings is known for being dry and Semi-arid. The humidity remains low all year-round and is usually sunny and mild. However, in the summers the temperature can get over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and in the winter below zero Fahrenheit. The snowfall typically averages about 57 inches a year, but because of warm Chinook winds that pass through the region between February and March, the snow doesn't usually accumulate. First frosts generally come early and last frosts late. Autumn in Billings is usually mild. Winds can also get pretty high because Billings is located in the flatlands of Montana.

[edit] Demographics

[edit] Population

Historical populations
Census
year		 Population
1870 145
1880 587
1890 836
1900 3,211
1910 10,031
1920 15,100
1930 16,386
1940 23,261
1950 31,834
1960 52,851
1970 61,581
1980 66,798
1990 81,151
2000 89,847
2006 (Est.) 101,182
2010 (Proj.) 105,746

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 89,847 people, 37,525 households, and 23,152 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,029.1/km² (2,665.1/mi²). There were 39,293 housing units at an average density of 450.0/km² (1,165.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.87% White, 0.55% African American, 3.44% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.45% from other races, and 2.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.18% of the population.

There were 37,525 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,147, and the median income for a family was $45,032. Males had a median income of $32,525 versus $21,824 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,207. About 9.2% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

The suburbs surrounding Billings include Lockwood, Montana, Shepherd, Montana, and Huntley, Montana. Some of the neighborhoods inside the city itself are Airport, Alkali Creek, Briarwood, Downtown Business District, Entryway, Gregory Hills, Heights, Lockwood, Medical Corridor, West End - Descro Park, Wilshire Heights, South Hills, South Side, Yellowstone Country Club, and Ironwood.

[edit] Nearby communities

[edit] Government

Main article: Billings, Montana Government and Politics

The Billings, Montana City Code or BMCC, was adopted in 1977. The mayor of Billings is Ron (Ronald) Tussing. Billings is divided into 5 city Council Wards. Ward I is represented by Peggie Gaghen and Jim Ronquillo. Ward II is represented by Joy Stevens and Larry Brewster. Ward III is represented by Vince Ruegamer and Chris "Shoots" Veis. Ward IV is represented by Nancy Boyer and Ed Ulledalen. Ward V is represented by Donald W. Jones and Richard (Dick) Clark.

[edit] Public safety

The Billings Police Department is the main law enforcement agency in Billings. It is the largest city police force in Montana, with about 132 sworn officers and 80 civilian employees covering 41 square miles and a population of about 100,000. There are two policing districts, the Western District and the Eastern District. Each has a captain in charge, twelve sergants, and approximately 60 officers.

The Billings Fire Department provides emergency services including fire suppression, emergency medical response, hazardous materials response, high angle rescue, confined space rescue, vehicle accident extrication, fire investigations, fire inspections, and fire education. The department has 97 employees, including four battalion chiefs, 27 captains, 27 engineers, and 39 firefighters.

[edit] Economy

Geographically, Billings has one of the largest trade areas in the United States, serving more than 350,000 people. Some of the services in Billings include agriculture, medical services, oil refining, and tourism. Agricultural items produced in and around Billings are sugar beets, corn, wheat, and cattle. Companies located in Billings include KOA, First Interstate Bank, DA Davidson and Co., Big Sky Airlines, Hennessy's (defunct), and CTA Architects Engineers. Call centers for Global Crossing (currently in bankruptcy) and Wells Fargo Bank are also in Billings. Eide Bailly has a branch in Billings, and this office is the largest accounting firm in Montana.

[edit] Transportation

Interstate 90 runs east/west through Billings. Interstate 94 begins a few miles east of the city limits. U.S. Highway 87 is the north/south highway that begins on the edge on the Heights and is northeast of Downtown Billings. Note: US 87 North does not go through Billings, It turns into Main Street in the Heights before connecting to U.S. Highway 87 East. Major Roads going east and west in Billings include Broadwater Avenue, Central Avenue, Grand Avenue, King Avenue West, and Poly Drive. Major Roads going North and South in Billings include 24th Street West, Division Road, Shiloh Road, Main Street, and North 27th Street. The Billings METropolitan Transit, the MET, provides public transportation. Greyhound has an eastern terminus at Billings; Rimrock Trailways also provides regional and interstate bus service.The nearest Amtrak stop is on the Hi-Line, 200 miles north of Billings. Billings Logan International Airport, located northwest of downtown Billings, offers non-stop service to a number of cities in the western United States and within Montana.

[edit] Medical facilities

The Billings Metro Area has two Level II trauma hospitals, St. Vincent Healthcare and the Billings Clinic. Other medical facilities include the Northern Rockies Cancer Center, Rimrock Foundation and various mental health services from Billings Clinic.

[edit] Education

[edit] K-12

[edit] Public

Billings Public Schools operates 21 elementary schools, four middle schools, and three public high schools

Bitteroot, Bench, Alkali Creek, Independent, Broadwater, ect.

Castle Rock Middle Scool, Lewis and Clark Middle school, Will James Middle school, and Riverside Jr. High

Skyview High School, Senior High School,and West High School

[edit] Private

The Billings Catholic Schools operates Billings Central Catholic High School (grades 9-12), St. Francis Upper (grades 6-8), St Francis Intermediate (grades 3-5), St Francis Primary, (K-2) and St Francis Daycare.

Trinity Lutheran Church operates Trinity Lutheran School (grades k-8).

Billings Christian School serving grades K-12.

Adelphi Christian Academy serving grades 7-12. Adelphi Christian Academy

[edit] Colleges and universities

There are several Higher Level Learning facilities in Billings. These Include states schools (Montana State University - Billings and The College of Technology) and private schools (Rocky Mountain College and Yellowstone Baptist College).

Montana State University - Billings was originally named Eastern Montana Normal School when it was founded and then named Eastern Montana College before being renamed to its present name when the Montana State University System reorganized in 1994. The university was established in 1927 and offers Associate/Bachelor/Master degrees and certificates in various education fields. MSU-Billings is known as having a strong Education and Rehabilitation majors. Today, there are hundreds of degrees to choose from. Currently around 4,600 students attend MSU-Billings.

The College of Technology (West campus) was originally another associate-level community college. This college recently merged with the main campus. In the past few years, enrollment has risen to over 1,000 full time students (accounting for nearly 1/5 of the student body). Projections with grant improvements and workforce needs foresee a 2,000 student increase in the near future.

Billings also offers two private schools. Rocky Mountain College is Montana's oldest and first institution of higher learning, founded in 1878. It is a private comprehensive college offering over 40 liberal arts and professionally oriented majors. Rocky Mountain College is often simply called "Rocky" or "RMC" for short. Rocky is proud of its standing record of being ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 10 in quality and a “best value” among comprehensive colleges in the West. Along with its quality Rocky also continues to maintain a 99% graduate placement rate. Yellowstone Baptist College also offers a limited curriculum.

[edit] Culture

[edit] Arts

[edit] Recreation/Events

There are a number of activities in and around Billings. From hiking, rock climbing, mountain climbing, fishing, art walks, Alive after 5, food fairs and rodeos. Some annual events include:

  • Wine & Food Festival at MSU-Billings - MAY
  • Strawberry Festival under Skypoint - JUN
  • SummerFair at North Park - JUL
  • Battle of the Little Big Horn Re-enactment near Crow Agency, Montana - JUN
  • Farmers Market under Skypoint - Every Saturday JUN to OCT
  • Big Sky State Games - JUL
  • Skyfest (Hot air balloons) - JUL/AUG.
  • MontanaFair at the MetraPark Arena fairgrounds - AUG
  • Crow Fair & Rodeo in Crow Agency, Montana - AUG
  • Burn the Point (classic car show) - SEP in Downtown Billings
  • Harvest Fest - OCT
  • Christmas Parade in Downtown Billings - NOV 24
  • Festival of Trees - DEC
  • The Christmas Stroll in Downtown Billings - DEC.

[edit] Media

Main article: Billings, Montana Media

The Billings Metropolitan Area is served by two major news television stations, four major non-news television stations, one community television station, twenty-two commercial radio stations and one major daily newspaper. The Billings Gazette is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper printed in Billings, Montana and owned by Lee Enterprises. It is the largest daily newspaper in Montana, with a Sunday circulation of 52,434 and a weekday circulation of 47,105. The paper publishes in three editions: the state edition, which circulates in most of Eastern Montana and all of South Central Montana; the Wyoming edition, which circulates in Northern Wyoming; and the city edition, which circulates in Yellowstone County.

[edit] Attractions

[edit] Sports

[edit] Venues

[edit] External links

 State of Montana
Regions

Eastern Montana - Western Montana - Inland Empire - Glacier National Park - Southwestern Montana - Bighorn Country
Largest cities

Anaconda - Belgrade - Billings - Bozeman - Butte - Evergreen - Glendive - Great Falls - Havre - Helena - Kalispell - Laurel - Lewistown - Livingston - Miles City - Missoula - Sidney - Whitefish
Counties

Beaverhead - Big Horn - Blaine - Broadwater - Carbon - Carter - Cascade - Chouteau - Custer - Daniels - Dawson - Deer Lodge - Fallon - Fergus - Flathead - Gallatin - Garfield - Glacier - Golden Valley - Granite - Hill - Jefferson - Judith Basin - Lake - Lewis and Clark - Liberty - Lincoln - Madison - McCone - Meagher - Mineral - Missoula - Musselshell - Park - Petroleum - Phillips - Pondera - Powder River - Powell - Prairie - Ravalli - Richland - Roosevelt - Rosebud - Sanders - Sheridan - Silver Bow - Stillwater - Sweet Grass - Teton - Toole - Treasure - Valley - Wheatland - Wibaux - Yellowstone
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