| Bearcreek, Montana | |
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
| Location of Bearcreek, Montana | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Carbon |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2) |
| • Land | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,557 ft (1,389 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 83 |
| • Density | 690.3/sq mi (266.5/km2) |
| Time zone | Mountain (MST) (UTC-7) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP code | 59007 |
| Area code(s) | 406 |
| FIPS code | 30-04300 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0779568 |
Bearcreek is a town in Carbon County, Montana, United States. It is part of the Billings, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 83 at the 2000 census.
The town of Bearcreek was named for Bear Creek, which runs through the middle of town. The town is home to the Bear Creek Saloon which hosts fund raising pig races throughout the year.
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Bearcreek is located at (45.159849, -109.156322).[1]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), all of it land.
Bearcreek owes its existence to area coal mining that began in the 1890s to supply coal for the Northern Pacific Railway and the Anaconda Company. The town was platted and incorporated after the arrival of the Montana, Wyoming & Southern Railroad in 1906. (A rail spur ran to the mines in and around Bearcreek from Belfry for extracting the coal. From Belfry, it could be taken north to Billings, Montana or south to Cody, Wyoming.) It grew rapidly as American and foreign-born workers moved there, drawn by the promise of steady work. By 1917, the mines around Bearcreek were employing 1,200 men. At its peak, Bearcreek and the surrounding communities of Washoe, New Caledonia, Chickentown, Scotch Coulee, International, and Stringtown, had a population of about 3,000 people, most of whom worked in the coal mines. Today, those surrounding towns are almost completely gone, with only a few houses and a quilt shop marking Washoe, currently the largest of them.[2]
With its diverse ethnic composition, Bearcreek traditionally celebrated Christmas twice, on December 25 and January 6, the Greek Orthodox Church holiday.[3]
On February 27, 1943, the Smith Mine #3 exploded in the worst coal mining accident in the history of Montana, killing 74 men. In addition, the trend toward natural gas for heating and diesel locomotives caused the demand for coal to fall sharply, and Bearcreek’s production was in decline by the late 1940s.
After the 1953 closure of the railroad between Bridger and Bearcreek, the town’s population dwindled. Today, the rail spur has been removed, and no active mining is done in the area, but Bearcreek is again growing thanks to its proximity to Red Lodge.[4]
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 83 people, 38 households, and 22 families residing in the town. The population density was 690.3 people per square mile (267.1/km2). There were 40 housing units at an average density of 332.7 per square mile (128.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.39% White, 1.20% African American, and 2.41% from two or more races.
There were 38 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were married couples living together, 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.35.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 4.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,917, and the median income for a family was $32,500. Males had a median income of $20,250 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,572. There were 3.8% of families and 12.6% of the population living below the poverty line, including 20.0% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.
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