Hinsdale, Montana

Hinsdale, Montana
Census-designated place & Unincorporated community
Motto: Hinsdale, Montana. Montana Street looking north
Hinsdale, Montana
Coordinates: 48°23′39″N 107°05′05″W / 48.39417°N 107.08472°W / 48.39417; -107.08472Coordinates: 48°23′39″N 107°05′05″W / 48.39417°N 107.08472°W / 48.39417; -107.08472
Country	United States
State	Montana
County	Valley
Area[1]
• Total	6.664 sq mi (17.26 km2)
• Land	6.469 sq mi (16.75 km2)
• Water	0.195 sq mi (0.51 km2)
Elevation	2,169 ft (661 m)
Population (2010)[2]
• Total	217
• Density	33/sq mi (13/km2)
Time zone	Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
• Summer (DST)	MDT (UTC-6)
ZIP code	59241
Area code(s)	406
GNIS feature ID	772431[3]

Hinsdale is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Valley County, Montana, United States. Its population was 217 as of the 2010 census.^[2] The community is located on the Milk River and U.S. Route 2. Hinsdale has a post office with ZIP code 59241.^[4][5]

Post Office Sign for Hinsdale, Montana

History

Hinsdale was founded in the late 1800s as a stop for the railroad. Many such communities were created because the steam engines had to stop for water. On the Hi-line of Montana, there is a town or a ghost town every 8 to 15 miles. Hinsdale was moved quite early to its current location due to the superior location.

Great Depression

While the rest of the country was booming in the roaring 20s, Montana was in a drought. Montana was the only state in the union to have a decrease in population during that time. Though far removed from the center of the Dust Bowl, Hinsdale did see a few dust storms during the Great Depression. Times were tough and most of the settlers who toughed it out and stayed lived mostly by subsistence farming.

Drought of the 80s

The 1980s was a tough time in agriculture across the country. The community of Hinsdale suffered greatly as the period saw one of the worst droughts in the areas history.

Wet Years of the 2010s

The second decade of the 21st century has seen unusual and record breaking weather for Hinsdale. The winter of 2010-2011 saw over a hundred inches of snow accumulation.^[6] This led to severe flooding in the spring due to runoff. A second flood period occurred later in the spring as the soil was saturated and all of the water once again rushed into the streams and the Milk River. The summer of 2014 was unusually wet. After several weeks of small, scattered rainstorms, a larger system rolled through in late August. The storm dropped several inches of rain as it made its way across Montana. Hinsdale received seven inches rain over a three day period. This induced the third hundred-year-flood that Hinsdale had experienced in three years.

Demographics

2010 U.S. Census

Hinsdale Demographics, 2010 U.S. Census [7]

Valley County Census Districts, colored, 2010 U.S. Census [8]

1940 U.S. Census

Valley County Census Districts 1940

1940 U.S. Census. Hinsdale District

1940 U.S. Census. Hinsdale Rural District

Larb Creek and South Bench Districts, 1940 U.S. Census

^[9]

Geography

Hinsdale is located at 48°24′17″N 107°05′13″W / 48.404783°N 107.086867°W / 48.404783; -107.086867 (48.404783, -107.086867).^[1] The town is located on the Milk River just above the flood plain. A cut bank separates the town from the county park on the river's edge. U.S. Highway 2 runs east and west on the south side of town, with the railroad tracks running parallel south of the highway. Just south of town is the south bench, with marks the edge of the terrace than makes up the majority of south Valley County. The terrace is a raised area that was not cut down as far by erosion compared to the Milk River Valley. Numerous soil horizons, including multiple layers of sandstone, are visible in the bench.

Hinsdale was once on the edge of the inland sea of North America. As the Rocky Mountains began to rise, they were eroded and sediment filled in the sea. as the Rocky Mountain Front continued to gain elevation and increase the slope of the land, water began to erode away the sediment that had been deposited. At this point, the Missouri river flowed north past Big Sandy, entered what is now the Milk River Valley, and flowed along its course past Hinsdale. Around what is now Poplar, the Missouri turned north and eventually flowed into the Hudson Bay.^[10]

During the last series of ice ages, the flow of the Missouri was diverted to its current riverbed. The Milk River now flows through part of the Missouri's ancient riverbed. The continental glaciers also deposited large amounts of rocks and sediment on the landscape.^[10]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the CDP has an area of 6.664 square miles (17.26 km²), of which 6.469 square miles (16.75 km²) is land and 0.195 square miles (0.51 km²) is water.^[1]

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Hinsdale has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.^[11]

Communities and Ghost Towns of Hinsdale

• Beaverton
• Genevieve
• Miles Crossing
• Tampico
• Vandalia
• Theony

Local Businesses, Economy, and Events

Entering Hinsdale Sign. Hinsdale, Montana

Local Farms and Ranches

100 Year Old Ranches

Most farms and ranches in Hinsdale are family owned and generational, in that they are passed from one generation to the next. The Canen Ranch, McColly Ranch, and others have all been in operation for over 100 years.

Hinsdale Public Schools

Hinsdale Public Schools is a k-12 school district. ^[12][13]

Hinsdale Public Schools

A picture of the bell outside of Hinsdale Public Schools

Sign commemorating the 1988 State Class C Boys' Basketball and 2008 State Boys' Track Championships.

Milk River Days

Milk River Days takes place the 3rd and 4 July every year. The 3rd begins with a rodeo followed by a free street dance on Montana Street featuring live music. The American Legion Post holds a pancake breakfast at midnight. The 4th of July begins with a parade followed by the ping-pong ball drop, a community picnic, and a pie auction. The 4th ends with a firework display at the track field. Other events during Milk River Days include horseshoe tournaments, school fundraisers, kids'games, and other activities.^[14]

Belly Bump Basketball Tournament

Belly Bump is a basketball tournament of the alumni of Hinsdale High School and their spouses. The name comes from the fact that many of the players have "beer bellies" and the game is played by the "old rules" and can become a little rough. The teams are organized by age group and a trophy is presented to the oldest player.

Belly Bump was founded by Kurt Rosendale in 1978. Mike Jones continued the tradition from the 80s through the mid-90s. Jared Albus organized the tournament until 2000. The tournament did not take place for over a decade until Levi Capdeville and Nate Remmich revived the tradition in 2013.^[15]

References

Municipalities and communities of Valley County, Montana, United States County seat: Glasgow City Glasgow Towns Fort Peck Nashua Opheim CDPs Frazer Hinsdale St. Marie Unincorporated communities Baylor Beaverton Genevieve Glentana Larslan Lustre Miles Crossing Murray Place Oswego Park Grove Richland Roanwood Tampico Theony Vandalia Whately Wheeler Indian reservation Fort Peck Indian Reservation‡ Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties