Billings, Montana

Billings, Montana
Billings skyline and Sacrifice Cliff, 2005
Flag
Motto: Star of the Big Sky Country
Location in Yellowstone County and Montana
Location of the state of Montana in the United States
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Montana
County	Yellowstone
Founded	1877
Incorporated	1882
Government
- Type	Mayor-Council
- Mayor	Ronald Tussing
- City Admin.	Tina Volek
- Governing body	City Council
Area
- City	41.6 sq mi (106 km²)
- Land	41.5 sq mi (105.7 km²)
- Water	0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
Elevation	3,123 ft (952 m)
Population (2007 est)
- City	101,876
- Density	2,665.1/sq mi (1,029/km²)
- Metro	179,113
Time zone	Mountain (UTC-7)
- Summer (DST)	Mountain (UTC-6)
ZIP codes	59101, 59102, 59103, 59104, 59105, 59106, 59107, 59108[1]
Area code(s)	406
FIPS code	30-06550
GNIS feature ID	0802034
Highways
Website: www.cityofbillings.net

Billings skyline.

Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, located in the south-central portion of the state. Billings is rapidly growing; as of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 89,847, while the Census Bureau's 2007 estimate listed the city's population at 101,876.^[2] It is the 60th fastest growing city out of the 259 cities in the U.S. with populations over 100,000, of which Billings is #259, the smallest. Billings is the county seat of Yellowstone County^[3] and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area. 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. Billings is named for Frederick H. Billings, president of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Because Billings is the largest city in a 350-mile (560 km) radius that includes Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Saskatchewan, and Alberta (and inside a circle going through Spokane, Boise, Salt Lake City, Fort Collins, Sioux Falls, Fargo, Regina, and Calgary), 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 visitors, especially during the summer months. BestLife Magazine, new from the editors of Men's Health, recently ranked Billings the 3rd best place in the U.S. to raise a family.^[4]

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," the sandstone cliffs bordering the city, being a prehistoric beach. It is not unusual to find fossilized fish in the area.

Some of pictographs in the Pictograph Cave 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Billings are 2,100 years old. The Crow Indians frequented this area from about the year 1700. However, archeological evidence places the Cheyenne in this area first ahead of the Crow and then the Sioux.

Pompeys Pillar National Monument

In 1806, William Clark traveled through the region on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. He inscribed his name on Pompey's Pillar, a rock formation 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Billings, on July 25, 1806. Clark wrote that he climbed the sandstone pillar and "had a most extensive view in every direction on the Northerly Side of the river". Clark named the place "Pompys Tower" in honor of a young Shoshone boy he had nicknamed "Pompy." The boy's mother was Sacajawea, who had helped guide the Lewis and Clark expedition and had acted as an interpreter. The name of the formation was changed by 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 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.

Downtown Billings from rims

First Interstate Bank and the Transwestern Plaza.

As Billings grew from the tracks of the Northern Pacific Railroad, it appeared the only development would be to the south. On March 15, 1882, Frederick Billings and other Northern Pacific officials formed the Montana & Minnesota Land & Improvement Co., which platted and promoted the sale of land in what would become Billings. Two main commercial streets were built along the railroad tracks and were named Montana and Minnesota avenues after the land company. After the company was formed, the city grew quickly and earned the nickname, "The Magic City" because the city appeared to grow like magic. By mid-June that year, Billings had grown to 79 tent shelters and 81 houses. 75 more homes were being built as well. The buildings were hastily built along the south of the tracks. By the end of 1883, Billings had 400 buildings and 1,500 people. The commercial district had matured to a nine-block area. Still most homes were located in the south side with many different classes calling Billings home. South Park was also built in the new city. In had been rendered in the Billings' original outline. Billings first swimming pool was built in 1914. Mansions were also beginning to be constructed by early Billings pioneers. Two of the pioneers were the brothers Peter and Christian Yegen, two Swiss immigrants.^[5]

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.

Panorama over Billings, Montana with the Beartooth Mountains in the Background

Today Billings continues to be the financial, medical, agricultural, and cultural center for the Northern Rockies/Great Plains and continues to be the "Star of the Big Sky Country." In 2002 Skypoint was completed. In 2005, the people of Billings elected former Police Chief Ron Tussing as Mayor. He was sworn in January 9, 2006. He is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition, a bi-partisan group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets." The Coalition is co-chaired by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. In 2007, Billings was designated a Preserve America Community.^[6]

Notable natives and residents

More widely famous people who have lived in Billings include:

Historical

• Charles Lindbergh, who once worked as a mechanic at the Westover Garage on First Avenue North and performed as a barnstormer in the early 1920s.
• Arlo Guthrie was briefly a student at Rocky Mountain College.
• Terry C. Johnston -- famous western novelist.

Sports

• Jeff Ballard and Dave McNally, both who pitched for the Baltimore Orioles.
• 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 players Keith Wortman,
• Kirk Scrafford, Kurt Burris, Mitch Donahue, and Ed Breding, and Steve Oliver former NHL player Greg Smith also lived in Billings.
• Current Baltimore Ravens player Dwan Edwards was born in Billings. LPGA golfer Leslie Spalding has lived in Billings her entire life.
• Olympic gold medalist Mike Burton is a swimming coach here. Ruben Castillo, a former boxer, was born here.
• Wrestler Gary Albright billed himself as being from Billings. 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.

Arts and entertainment

• Phil Amato, television host
• Stanley Anderson, actor
• Katie Blair, Miss Teen USA 2006
• John Dahl, movie director
• Annie Duke, professional poker player and author
• Bob Enevoldsen, jazz multi-instrumentalist
• Brad Fregger, author, publisher, and video game producer
• Will James, western artist
• Wesley Kimler, artist
• Amanda Kimmel, former Miss Montana USA and Survivor China & Micronesia runner up
• Jeff Kober, actor
• Wally Kurth, actor
• Bud Luckey, famed PIXAR animator and Oscar nominee
• T. J. Lynch, screenwriter
• Helen Lynch, actress
• Stan Lynde, creator of the comic strip Rick O'Shay, painter, and novelist
• Marlene Morrow, former Playboy Playmate of the Month
• Chan Romero, pioneer of rock and roll was born in Billings
• Rick Rydell, talk radio host
• Auggie Smith, comedian

Political

• James Franklin Battin, former Congressman from Montana, attended school here, and his son, Jim Battin, now a California State Senator, was born here.
• John Bohlinger, current Lieutenant Governor of Montana, lived here as a child.
• Roy Brown, current Montana State Senator for District 25
• Conrad Burns, who served in the United States Senate from 1988 to 2007.
• Ray Metcalfe, member of the Alaska House of Representatives, graduated from high school here.
• Henry L. Myers, United States Senator and justice of the Supreme Court of Montana, practiced law here.
• Denny Rehberg, Congressman (At-Large), previously Lt. Gov., grew up here, lives here.
• Tom Stout, former Congressman from Montana and editorial writer for the Billings Gazette.
• Burt L. Talcott, former Congressman from California

Authors

• Ed Bearss, noted military history author and battlefield tour guide.
• Torey Hayden, psychologist and author of several books, attended high school here.
• Gary Svee, award winning author of Western novels, was born here.
• Rick Rydell, outdoors novelist Alaska Happens and Blood on the Tundra, attended elementary school, junior high, and high school in Billings.

Geography

Billings is located at (45.786553, -108.537139)^[7], 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. The Yellowstone River runs through the City. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 41.6 square miles (107.7 km²), of which, 41.5 square miles (107.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (0.33%) is water.

Climate

In the summer, the temperature can rise to over 100 °F (38 °C) while the winter can bring temperatures below zero. The snowfall typically averages about 57 inches a year, but because of warm Chinook winds that pass through the region between December and March, the snow doesn't usually accumulate. First frosts generally come early and last frosts late. Autumn in Billings is usually mild. Winds, while strong at times, generally are considered light compared with the rest of Montana and the Rocky Mountain front.

Demographics

Population

As of the census^[10] of 2000, there were 89,847 people, 37,525 households, and 23,152 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,665.1 people per square mile (1,029.1/km²). There were 39,293 housing units at an average density of 1,165.6/sq mi (450.0/km²). 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.

Sections

Main article: Sections of Billings, Montana

Neighborhoods

Main article: Neighborhoods of Billings, Montana

Suburbs

Main article: Suburbs of Billings, Montana

Government

Main article: Billings, Montana Government and Politics

Main article: Mayors of Billings, Montana

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 136 sworn officers and 80 civilian employees. There are nine police beats.

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.

American Medical Response (AMR) provides emergency medical services at the paramedic care level in Billings, and supports other agencies throughout Yellowstone County.

Economy

The Crowne Plaza, Billings, the city's second tallest building.

Geographically, Billings has one of the largest trade areas in the United States,^[11] serving more than 450,000 people. 30% of visitors surveyed by the Billings Chamber in 2006 indicated medical services were their primary reason to visit rather than shopping or entertainment. In addition, Billings' location makes it desirable for companies' regional headquarters serving MT, WY, and the Western halves of the Dakotas. Some of the industry clusters in Billings include inpatient and outpatient health care, retailing, hospitality (480+ restaurants), manufacturing including 3 oil refineries, commercial and residential construction, building materials mfg and distribution, professional services, financial services, banking, trucking, higher education (4 campuses, 19 others have a physical presence/classes here), auto parts wholesaling and repair services, passenger and cargo air, cattle, media, printing, wheat and barley farming, sugar beet refining, milk processing, heavy equipment sales and service, business services, consumer services, food distribution, ag chemical mfg and distribution, energy exploration and production, surface and underground mining, metal fabrication, and many others providing a diverse and robust economy employing over 75,000 workers drawn from a roughly 80-mile (130 km) radius. Corporate headquarters include Stillwater Mining Company, Kampgrounds of America, First Interstate Banks, Computers Unlimited, Tire-Rama, Western Plains Machinery, Tractor & Equipment Co., Bresnan Communications, Corporate Air, Employee Benefits Management Services, Edwards Jet Service, Waggoners Trucking, Meadowlark Agency, Ryan Restaurant Corp., CTA Architects & Engineers, JGA Architects, HKM Engineering, Electrical Consultants Inc. engineering, Unifield Engineering, Energy Labs, and others. Fortune 500 firms with branch operations in Billings include Exxon/Mobil, Wal-mart, GM, Conoco-Phillips, Ford, Wells Fargo, General Electric, USBank, Travelers, BNSF, Pennsylvania Power & Light, MDU Resources, Sears/K-Mart, Target Corporation, New York Life, Morgan Stanley.

The city serves as the business hub for the state, primarily in business services.

Yellowstone County with rich soil, a major river aquifer, moderate climate has 3 different growing zones and is the most productive county in agricultural products in Montana. Cattle, wheat, malting barley, sugar beets dominate although pinto beans, corn, sheep, hogs, turkeys, vegetables, melons, etc. are cultivated commercially as well.

The city was created as a regional transportation hub and continues in that role with 2 U.S. Interstate Highways (90 & 94), extensive BNSF rail service with the nearby Laurel railyards the largest switching yard in between Minnesota and Washington, the busiest airport in the region with over 400,000 enplanements and very active cargo services, and thousands of trucks are based here.

Major national retailers in Billings include 3 Wal-Mart supercenters, Costco, 2 Target Corporation, 3 Walgreens, K-Mart, Sears, Home Depot, Lowes, Best Buy, Office Max, Office Depot(2), Dillards, Herbergers, [Linens], Michael's Crafts, Old Navy, Shopko, Albertsons, Oak Express, Toys R Us, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, Coldwater Creek, Talbots, Chico's, Hobby Lobby, Sports Authority, Sportsman Warehouse (2008), Cabelas (2009), Kohl's (2008), JoAnn Fabrics, Famous Shoes, Cost Plus World Market, Ben Franklin, La-Z-Boy, Eddie Bauer, Victoria's Secret, Footlocker, Kay Jewelers...Wild West Rentals, and Free Rental Finder serves the rental housing market, with Professional Management, Rainbow Property Management, Metro Property Management, and HDA Management.

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, Zimmerman Trail/32nd 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 at Malta, MT 212 miles (341 km) 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 as well as charter jet, plane, or helicopter.

Medical facilities

The Billings Metro Area has two Level II trauma hospitals, St. Vincent Healthcare and the Billings Clinic which is the largest cluster of medical facilities between Salt Lake, Denver, Boise, Lethbridge, Rapid City, and Fargo. Employs over 5,000 directly. Neurosurgery, highly rated cardiac surgery, neonatology and obstetrics, extensive cancer treatment, inpatient psychiatric care, orthopedics and rehab, dedicated air ambulances both fixed-wing planes and helicopters.

Other medical facilities include the Northern Rockies Cancer Center, Rimrock Foundation (addiction treatment both inpatient and outpatient), Advanced Care Hospital of Montana (a 40-bed long term acute care hospital), SouthCentral Montana Mental Health Center, Billings Clinic Research Center (pharmaceutical field trials, osteoporosis are two long-time focuses), Billings MRI, City/County Public Health's Deering Clinic, HealthSouth Surgery Center and Physical Therapy offices, Baxter/Travenol BioLife plasma collection center, and many independent practices.

An increasing number of assisted living facilities and senior independent living options, a static number of nursing homes, and sizable home health care services target the rapidly growing aging population, already 1 in 8 Montanans are over 65 making it the 4th "oldest" state in the U.S. after Florida, Arizona, and Wyoming.

Billings' campuses train Physicians Assistants, Biochemists, Registered Nurses, Speech Pathologists, Licensed Practical Nurses, Surgical Technicians, X-Ray Technicians, Medical Records Clerks, Athletic Trainers, and health care business students at the undergraduate and graduate level as of 2007.

Education

Public

School District 2 operates 21 elementary schools, four middle schools, three public high schools. There is also the Career Center which is for the more hands on high school students along with the Freshmen Academy located on the MSU College of Technology Campus.

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 Schools serving grades K-12.

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

Billings Educational Academy (B.e A. K.id) K-12

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.

Culture

Arts

• Alberta Bair Theater
• Babcock Theatre
• Billings Studio Theater
• Billings Symphony Orchestra
• Rimrock Opera Company
• Venture Theatre
• Yellowstone Art Museum
• Yellowstone Chamber Players

Recreation/Events

View of Billings from the Rims

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

• Billings Skate Park - ALL YEAR
• 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 fairgrounds - AUG
• Magic City Blues Festival - AUG in Downtown Billings
• 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.

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.

Attractions

Beartooth Mountains, 2003

Attractions located within Billings include the Yellowstone Art Museum, Moss Mansion Historic House Museum, the Western Heritage Center, the Billings Depot, and Skypoint.

The Moss Mansion Historic House Museum is located in Billings on 914 Division St. It is a turn of the century, red-stoned mansion built by P.B. Moss, who moved to Billings from Paris, Missouri. It was inhabited solely by Mr. and Mrs. Moss, their six children, and 3 servants until 1984 . The house was built for a cost of $105,000, when most homes averaged about $3000. It has 28 rooms, and is 60 feet (18 m) square. It rises 45 feet (14 m) into the air. The Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can still see the original furniture, draperies, carpets and fixtures during a one-hour guided tour. Seasonal exhibits are also featured. The Moss Mansion was designed by the famous New York Architect Henry Hardenbergh, who also designed the original Waldorf-Astoria, Plaza Hotel, Willard Hotel, and Copley Hotel. The Moss Mansion is operated by the Billings Preservation Society, Inc., a non-profit organization.

Downtown attractions include the Western Heritage Center Museum and the Billings Depot. The Western Heritage Center is located in the historic Parmly Billings Library building on Montana Avenue in the downtown Historic District. The Parmly Billings library, a Richardsonian Romanesque sandstone building built in 1901, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This regional museum interprets a unique collection of artifacts and oral histories that document the history of the Yellowstone River Valley and the Northern High Plains. The Western Heritage Center is an affiliate museum of the Smithsonian Institution. The Western Heritage Center is one of six museums in the state of Montana accredited by the American Association of Museums.

The Billings Depot is a historic train depot. The depot used to be the passenger terminal for the Northern Pacific Railroad, Great Northern and Chicago, Burlingtion and Quincy. The last regular Amtrak train departed in the spring of 1979. Today, the depot is being renovated to host event such as wedding receptions, small concerts, and art shows.

Skypoint is a tent-like structure over the intersection 2nd Avenue and Broadway and is also located in downtown Billings. Its highest point is 73 feet (22 m) tall. There are three "sails" that make up the structure. The largest sail can move to let the sun through or to cover the intersection if it rains. This is part of the plan to revitalize downtown Billings and attract more people to downtown. Skypoint was completed in 2002 and was originally named the "Defining Element" until it got its current name in a naming contest. It was built as a new icon for the city of Billings and to hold events such as the Strawberry Festival, the Christmas Stroll, and other events.

ZooMontana is a 70 acre wildlife park located in Billings USA and is Montana's only zoo and botanical park. The zoo was first planned in the early 1980s. It is home to both native and non-native animals from around the world. The zoo gets about 70,000 visitors annually and is one of the regions most popular tourist attractions. ZooMontana is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited wildlife park & zoo. The zoo hosts animals not only native to the Rockies but also species from Asia and Europe. Among the animals featured is a Siberian Tiger, Eastern Gray Wolves, North American River Otters, Bighorn Sheep, Red Pandas, Great Horned Owls, Bald Eagles, Sika Deer, Wyoming Toads, Wolverines, Waterfowls, Pygmy Marmosets, Green Iguanas, Grizzly Bears, Farm Animals, Tree Boas, Black Footed Ferrets, Minks and Lesser Spot-Nosed Guenon. The animals live in state-of-the-art enclosures designed to imitate their natural habitats.

Attractions located near Billings include Yellowstone National Park, the Western Romance Company, the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, The Pictograph Cave National Historic Landmark, Pompey's Pillar National Monument (where William Clark carved his name in 1806), and Chief Plenty Coups State Park.

The Western Romance Company is located 15 miles (24 km) east of Billings in Huntley, Montana. The Company offers authentic cowboy entertainment such as a tour bus holdup and surprise by cowboy bus bandits, a covered wagon train ride across Montana prairie to Happy Pappy's Chuckwagon Camp where the movies Lonesome Dove and Far and Away were filmed, catered cowboy meals, western music artists and entertainment, cowboy concerts on the range, Pompey's Pillar trips and more.

The site of the Battle of the Little Bighorn is also located only 65 miles (105 km) southeast of Billings. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument preserves the site of the June 26, 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn, near Crow Agency, Montana, in the United States. It also serves as a memorial to those who fought in the battle: George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry and a combined Lakota-Northern Cheyenne force. Custer National Cemetery, on the battlefield, is part of the national monument. The site of a related military action led by Marcus Reno and Frederick Benteen is also part of the national monument, but is about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of the Little Bighorn battlefield.

The Pictograph Cave National Historic Landmark is a 93 acre area of three caves (Pictograph, Middle, and Ghost caves) located 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Billings. There are over 30,000 artifacts which have been identified. Paintings known as pictographs are still visible in Pictograph Cave, which is the largest of the three caves. Some of the pictographs are 2000 years old. They are paintings of animals, warriors, and even rifles that document the story of the Native Americans of the area for thousands of years.

Sports

• Billings Bulls a Northern Pacific Hockey League Jr. A Tier III hockey team.
• Billings Mustangs, a Pioneer League Baseball Team affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds
• Billings Outlaws, a United Indoor Football team.
• The Nile (Northern International Livestock Exposition) Rodeo at MetraPark Arena.

Venues

Rimrock Auto Arena

Rimrock Auto Arena is an 8,000 to 12,000 seat multi-purpose arena in Billings. MetraPark Arena was completed in 1975 but through a lot of controversy. It is owned by the City of Billings and Yellowstone County. In 2005, MetraPark arena marked its 30th anniversary. The Metrapark has hosted Pre-Season NBA games on a semi-regular basis. The most recent game was October 20, 2005 in which the Indiana Pacers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 93-76. In the Summer of 2005, the Metrapark hosted tryouts for a new minor basketball league called the AAPBL (All American Professional Basketball League). The tryouts took place from July 11, 2005 - July 22, 2005. However, the league folded soon thereafter. The MetraPark has also played host to various WWE and WCW wrestling events including a live televised WCW Monday Nitro TV show in 2000.

Cobb Field

Cobb Field is the baseball stadium located in Billings, originally named Athletic Park. It has been the home of the Billings Mustangs, the Pioneer League Rookie Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, since 1948. Cobb Field was named after Bob Cobb, who was responsible for bringing professional baseball with the Mustangs to the little city of Billings. Cobb Field also hosts home games for local American Legion baseball teams. Cobb Field seats 4,200, though crowds have been known to eclipse 5,000, particularly on promotional free ticket nights such as "Kwik Way Night", in which local Billings, Kwik Way gas stations give out tickets to customers. In 2006, Billings voters approved $12 million to be spent on constructing a new Cobb Field multi-use sports facility. Cobb Field was demolished in 2007 and construction began at the end of the 2007 baseball season.

Dehler Park

Dehler Park is the new name for the new multi-use stadium that is replacing Cobb Field in the summer of 2008. The new park debuted on June 29, 2008, when the Billings Scarlets faced the Bozeman Bucks in American Legion regular season play. The game was later suspended when the stadium lights' breaker blew.

Wendy's Field

Wendy's Field at Daylis Stadium is a local area stadium used for high school games. It is located adjacent to Billings Senior High.

Sister Cities

• Billings, Germany
• Kemerovo, Russia
• Kumamoto, Japan
• Panjin, China

Miscellaneous

• Billings was named The Magic City because of the city's sudden overnight appearance on the Northern Great Plains in the year 1882.
• Billings is Known as the Yellowstone City because it is the largest city on the Yellowstone River, the seat of Yellowstone County and is the gateway to Yellowstone National Park.
• Billings was the first stop on the 11th leg of The Amazing Race 8
• Although the city was named after him, Frederick Billings, the railroad baron, never actually stayed there overnight.

References

External links

• Billings, Montana is at coordinates
• City of Billings Official Website
• Billings Chamber of Commerce
• Billings, Montana Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Billings Public Schools website
• Billings Statistics

Municipalities and communities of Yellowstone County, Montana County seat: Billings Cities Billings | Laurel Town Broadview CDPs Ballantine | Lockwood | Custer | Huntley | Shepherd | Worden Unincorporated community Pompey's Pillar

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