138-618: The Great Falls Electrics were a minor league baseball team that operated out of Great Falls, Montana . The team was formed in 1911 as part of the old Union Association league. They also played in the Northwestern League from 1916 to 1917. The team disbanded at that time and then was reformed as part of the Pioneer League in 1948. They became an affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1952 and remained with
276-558: A 500-foot (150 m) cliff known as the "Rims" separates the Heights from downtown Billings. There are 11 boroughs called "sections" within Billings' city limits. The south side of Billings is probably the oldest residential area in the city, and it is the city's most culturally diverse neighborhood. South Park is an old-growth City park, host to several food fairs and festivals in the summer months. The Bottom Westend Historic District
414-452: A boost with the discovery of petroleum about 100 miles (160 km) north of the city in the late 1910s. Great Falls boasted two oil refineries by 1920, although a devastating fire left the city with just one after 1929. Great Falls suffered its first major economic crisis in 1893. Banks and industry in the city were severely undercapitalized, and the Panic of 1893 cut off access to money in
552-459: A capacity of 4,500 US bushels (160,000 L; 36,000 US dry gal; 35,000 imp gal) per day in 1920. Royal had a regional grain storage capacity in 1920 of more than 1,500,000 US bushels (53,000,000 L; 12,000,000 US dry gal; 12,000,000 imp gal), while Montana Flour's approached 2,250,000 US bushels (79,000,000 L; 18,000,000 US dry gal; 17,400,000 imp gal). Brewing became
690-538: A commercial product. The Pioneer League approved the name "Selectrics," however, which was a portmanteau of the Great Falls Breweries "Select" beer and the previous team name, "Electrics." Great Falls, Montana Great Falls is the third most populous city in the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Cascade County . The population was 60,442 according to the 2020 census . The city covers an area of 22.9 square miles (59 km ) and
828-455: A dam that would supply the mining firm with at least 1,000 horsepower (or 0.75 MW) of power by September 1, 1890, and 5,000 horsepower (or 3.73 MW) of power by January 1, 1891. In exchange, B & M agreed to build a $ 300,000 copper smelter near the dam. Black Eagle Dam began generating electricity in December 1890. Water was permitted to flow over the crest of the dam on January 6, 1891, and
966-439: A diverse economy including a large and rapidly growing medical corridor that includes inpatient and outpatient health care. Billings has a large service sector including retail, hospitality and entertainment. The metro area is also home to commercial and residential construction, building materials manufacturing and distribution, professional services, financial services, banking, trucking, higher education (4 campuses, 19 others have
1104-560: A far more likely site. Coulson was a rough-and-tumble town where arguments were often followed by gunplay. Liver-Eating Johnson was a lawman in Coulson. Perhaps the most famous person to be buried in Coulson's Boothill cemetery is H.M. "Muggins" Taylor, the scout who carried the news of Custer's Last Stand at the Battle of Little Bighorn to the world. Most buried here were said to have died with their boots on. The town of Coulson had been on
1242-426: A female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.2% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age in the city was 39 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.9% were between
1380-479: A female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.92. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 24.9% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
1518-659: A five-state region is the First Interstate Center , which stands at 272 feet (83 m) and 20 floors above ground level. Billings is also home to the world's tallest load-bearing brick building, the DoubleTree Tower , which stands 256 feet (78 m). With a floor count of 22 floors above ground level, the DoubleTree Tower is the tallest hotel in the city and state. It was the tallest from 1980 to 1985. The Wells Fargo Building, formerly
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#17327917294341656-544: A growing season of 122 days, although, excepting for July, a freeze has occurred in every month of the year. Extreme temperatures range from −49 °F (−45.0 °C) on February 15, 1936, to 107 °F (41.7 °C) on July 25, 1933. Census-designated places contiguous to the City of Great Falls include: The entirety of Cascade County forms the Great Falls Metropolitan statistical area . Great Falls
1794-447: A household in the city was $ 35,147, and the median income for a family was $ 45,032. The per capita income for the city was $ 19,207. As of 2021, the median household income had risen to $ 63,608, slightly higher than the statewide median income of $ 60,560. Per capita income was $ 37,976. About 9.2% of families and 11.1% 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. 36.6% of
1932-461: A housing construction boom in Great Falls. The federal government paid for the construction of 300 new single-family homes during the war, although this was nowhere near the amount of new housing needed. East Base created a fundamental cultural and social shift in the city, one which became more pronounced over time as active-duty personnel stayed in the city after retirement. The war also saw
2070-449: A huge demand for the agricultural products and metal products provided by the city but also fueled significant population growth in Great Falls. The base brought 4,000 new residents to the city; by 1943, the city's population had shot up by about 5,600 to 35,000. These new residents created a huge demand for goods and services, and a large number of new businesses sprang up to supply the base with its needs. The rapid population growth created
2208-460: A major center for farmers and ranchers. The Royal Milling Company was founded in Great Falls in 1892, and within seven years was making half the flour in the state. It tripled its capacity to 10,500 US bushels (370,000 L; 84,000 US dry gal; 81,000 imp gal) per day in 1917, then in 1928 merged with about 25 other mills nationwide to form General Mills . Montana Flour Mills opened its Great Falls facility in 1916, and had
2346-551: A major improvement to the Great Falls Municipal Airport. The 1928 facility received its first air traffic control tower in 1942, paid for by the federal government after the vast increase in flights over the city after the construction of the new air base. By 1950, Great Falls was Montana's largest city, having added 33 percent more residents during the 1940s. Much of the city's growth was due to rising federal investment in defense and healthcare, and it
2484-560: A major industry in the city, with the 1892 Montana Brewing Company (makers of Great Falls Select beer) leading the way. The city's close proximity to Montana's cattle-rich Judith Basin also led to the development of a large meat packing industry . Led by the Great Falls Meat Co., Needham Packing Company, Stafford Meat Co., Valley Meat Market, and other slaughterhouses, Great Falls was the largest meat packing center between Spokane, Washington , and Minneapolis, Minnesota , by
2622-524: A milk processing center in the town. Billings plays a vital part in the energy sector. Out of Montana's 4 oil refineries, 3 of those are in Yellowstone County. Montana has about three-tenths of the nation's estimated recoverable coal reserves. In 2022, a large pumped hydro storage project was planned near Billings. Corporate headquarters include Kampgrounds of America , First Interstate Bank , and The Waggoners Trucking. Billings also has
2760-465: A nearby facility for Molson Coors , a manufacturing facility for Coca-Cola, and several other food and beverage distributors. Some major employers include St. John's Lutheran Ministries, Avitus Group, Franz Bakery , and Komatsu . MetraPark , currently called "First Interstate Arena at MetraPark" due to sponsorship, is a 12,000-seat multi-purpose building that was completed in 1975. METRA stands for "Montana Entertainment Trade and Recreation Arena". It
2898-413: A physical presence/classes), auto parts wholesaling and repair services, passenger and cargo air, cattle, media, printing, heavy equipment sales and service, business services, consumer services, food distribution, agricultural chemical manufacturing and distribution, energy exploration and production, surface and underground mining, and metal fabrication, providing a diverse and robust economy. Agriculture
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#17327917294343036-530: A quarter of the wholesale business for the entire state (these figures do not include Billings portion of sales for Wyoming and the Dakotas). Billings is an energy center because it sits amidst the largest coal reserves in the United States, as well as large oil and natural gas fields. In 2009, Fortune Small Business magazine named Billings the best small city in which to start a business. Billings has
3174-465: A regional banking city, with three national- and three state-chartered banks (although just two national and one state bank would survive the Great Depression ). Large regional deposits of clay, coal, gypsum, limestone, and sandstone led to the emergence of large brick works, cement works, plaster works, and stone cutting facilities in the town. A major drought hit the counties north of
3312-409: A remarkable rock, i ascended this rock and from its top had a most extensive view in every direction." Clark carved his name and the date into the rock, leaving the only remaining physical evidence of their expedition. He named the place Pompey's Tower, naming it after the son of his Shoshone interpreter and guide Sacajawea . In 1965, Pompey's Pillar was designated as a national historic landmark, and
3450-432: A retail hub for central Montana emerged in the 1960s. The Holiday Village Mall opened as an open-air shopping center in 1959, and by 1969 had expanded to become a modern enclosed shopping mall . Westgate Mall opened in 1965, Agri-Village Warehouse (later Agri-Village Shopping Center) in 1967, and Evergreen Mall in 1983. The city was one of Montana's most important agricultural equipment sales and distribution hubs, and
3588-633: A route from Helena to Butte. Construction on the Great Northern's line westward began in late 1886, and on October 16, 1887, the link between Devils Lake, North Dakota , Fort Assinniboine (near the present-day city of Havre, Montana ), and Great Falls was complete. Service to Helena began in November 1887, and Butte followed on November 10, 1888. Hill organized the Great Falls Water Power & Townsite Company in 1887, with
3726-415: A site for the development of cheap hydroelectricity and heavy industry. As Hill was building the Great Northern across the northern tier of Montana, it made sense to also build a north–south railroad through central Montana to connect Great Falls with Helena and Butte. Surveyors and engineers had begun grading a route between Helena and Great Falls in the winter of 1885–1886, and by the end of 1886 had surveyed
3864-465: A store, and a flour mill were established in 1884. The Great Falls post office was established on July 10, 1884, and Gibson was named the first postmaster. A planing mill , lumber yard, bank, school, and newspaper were established in 1885. By 1887 the town had 1,200 citizens, and the arrival of Hill's Great Northern Railway in October of that year helped cement the city's future. Great Falls
4002-517: Is Montana's #1 industry. Billings contributes to this economy with the Western Sugar Cooperative Plant , processing multi-million dollar crops of sugar beets each year. Other crops include alfalfa, wheat, barley, and corn. Billings has 2 livestock auction locations out of the 13 statewide. Several farm and ranch supply stores are located in Billings, providing for the large retail radius the city serves. Meadow Gold has
4140-555: Is an economic hub for a substantially larger region that includes most of north-central Montana. Small towns and census-designated places in Cascade County near Great Falls include: As of the census of 2010, there were 58,505 people, 25,301 households, and 15,135 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,684.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,036.6/km ). There were 26,854 housing units at an average density of 1,232.4 per square mile (475.8/km ). The racial makeup of
4278-567: Is home to many of Billings' first mansions. Midtown, the most densely populated portion of the city is in the midst of gentrification on a level few, if any, areas in Montana have ever seen. New growth is mainly concentrated on Billings West End, where Shiloh Crossing is a new commercial development, anchored by Scheels, Montana's largest retail store. Residentially, the West End is characterized by upper income households. Denser, more urban growth
Great Falls Electrics - Misplaced Pages Continue
4416-483: Is land and 0.11 square miles (0.28 km ) is water. Around Billings, seven mountain ranges can be viewed. The Bighorn Mountains have over 200 lakes and two peaks that rise to over 13,000 feet (4,000 m): Cloud Peak, at 13,167 ft (4,013 m) and Black Tooth Mountain, at 13,005 ft (3,964 m). The Pryor Mountains directly south of Billings rise to a height of 8,822 feet (2,689 m) and are unlike any other landscape in Montana. They are also home
4554-481: Is large and easily exceeds 30 °F (16.7 °C). Freak early and late summer snowfalls such as a two-day total of 8.3 in (0.21 m) in August 1992 can occur, although the median snowfall from June to September is zero and on average the window for accumulating (0.1 in or 0.25 cm) snowfall is October 2–May 13. The average first and last freeze dates are September 21 and May 21, respectively, allowing
4692-476: Is named as such because of a sawmill built in the area by early white settlers. The Cheyenne from the nearby Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation referred to the city as É'êxováhtóva , 'sawing place' and the Gros Ventre from the nearby Fort Belknap Indian Reservation referred to it as ʔóhuutébiθɔnɔ́ɔ́nh , 'where they saw lumber', both also named for the sawmill, or translations of
4830-577: Is occurring in Josephine Crossing, one of Billings' many new contemporary neighborhoods. Downtown is a blend of small businesses and office space, together with restaurants and a walkable brewery district. The Heights, defined as the area of the city northeast of the Metra, is predominantly residential, and a new school was recently completed in 2016 to accommodate growth in the neighborhood. The tallest building in Billings and Montana as well as
4968-710: Is still in use today, as home of the Great Falls Voyagers of the Pioneer League. On February 24, 1949, the advisory board of directors of the Great Falls Baseball Club agreed to change the name of the team to the Selectrics. Great Falls Breweries, Inc., the owner of the club, originally had hoped to rename the team the "Selects" to advertise its beer, but the Pioneer League rejected the proposed name change because it advertised
5106-533: Is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Montana , with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 census . Located in the south-central portion of the state, it is the seat of Yellowstone County and the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area , which had a population of 184,167 in the 2020 census. With one of the largest trade areas in the United States, Billings is the trade and distribution center for much of Montana east of
5244-478: Is the only remaining physical evidence of Coulson's existence. When the railroad came to the area, Coulson residents were sure the town would become the railroads hub and Coulson would soon be the Territories largest city. The railroad only had claim to odd sections and it had two sections side-by-side about two miles west of Coulson. Being able to make far more money by creating a new town on these two sections
5382-538: Is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County. The Great Falls MSA's population was 84,414 according to the 2020 census. A cultural, commercial and financial center in the central part of the state, Great Falls is located just east of the Rocky Mountains and is bisected by the Missouri River . It is 180 miles (290 km) from
5520-597: The Beartooth Highway . The northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park is a little over 100 miles (160 km) from Billings. The city is named for Frederick H. Billings , a former president of the Northern Pacific Railroad from Woodstock, Vermont . An earlier name for the area was Clark's Fork Bottom. The Crow people from the nearby Crow Indian Reservation call the city Ammalapáshkuua . It means 'where they cut wood', and
5658-527: The Boston and Montana Consolidated Copper and Silver Mining Company broke ground on a large smelter in the city, drawn to the location by the power provided by the dam. Elements came online over the next few years, with the final works—an electrolytic refinery and blast furnaces —completed in February and April 1893. By 1892, more than 1,000 workers were employed at the smelter. Energy production received
Great Falls Electrics - Misplaced Pages Continue
5796-569: The Continental Divide . Billings is also the largest retail destination for much of the same area. The Billings Chamber of Commerce claims the area of commerce covers more than 125,000 square miles (320,000 km ). In 2009, it was estimated to serve over 500,000 people. Billings was nicknamed the "Magic City" because of its rapid growth from its founding as a railroad town in March 1882. The nearby Crow and Cheyenne peoples called
5934-930: The Great Northern Railway (1909) and the Milwaukee Road (1915), both overlooking the Missouri River. James Jerome Hill , president and primary stockholder of the Great Northern Railway , established a subsidiary, the Montana Central Railway , on January 25, 1886. The mines in Butte were eager to get their metals to market. Gold and silver had been discovered near Helena, and coal companies in Canada sought to transport their fuel to Montana's smelters. Hill's close friend and business associate, Paris Gibson, promoted Great Falls as
6072-595: The Midland Empire . After World War II , Billings became the region's major financial, medical and cultural center. Billings has had rapid growth from its founding; in its first 50 years growth was, at times, as high as 200 to 300 percent per decade. Billings growth has remained robust throughout the years. In the 1950s, it growth rate was 66 percent. The 1973 oil embargo by OPEC spurred an oil boom in eastern Montana, northern Wyoming and western North Dakota. With this increase in oil production, Billings became
6210-564: The Northern Pacific Railway president Frederick H. Billings , the city was founded in 1882. The Railroad formed the city as a western railhead for its further westward expansion. At first the new town had only three buildings but within just a few months it had grown to over 2,000. This spurred Billings' nickname of the Magic City because, like magic, it seemed to appear overnight. The nearby town of Coulson appeared
6348-472: The Yellowstone River , which made it ideal for the commerce 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 just a couple of miles to the northwest. Coulson quickly faded away; most of her residents were absorbed into Billings. Yet, for a short time,
6486-435: The poverty line , including 20.3% of those under the age of 18 and 9.2% of those 65 and older. Built as a railroad hub, Great Falls initially relied heavily on ore smelting in its early years. Black Eagle Dam , opened in 1890, was the first hydroelectric dam built in Montana and the first built on the Missouri River. The energy industry helped give the city of Great Falls the nickname "The Electric City". The same year,
6624-622: The 1880s, Gibson was a sheep man in Fort Benton, Montana . He visited the Great Falls of the Missouri River in 1880 and was deeply impressed by the possibilities for building a major industrial city near the falls with power provided by hydroelectricity . He returned in 1883 with friend Robert Vaughn and some surveyors and platted a permanent settlement on the south side of the river. The city's first citizen, Silas Beachley, arrived later that year. With investments from Hill and from Helena businessman Charles Arthur Broadwater , houses,
6762-502: The 1910 census, Billings' population had risen to 10,031, ranking it the sixth fastest-growing community in the nation. Billings became an energy center in the early years of the twentieth century with the discovery of oil fields in Montana and Wyoming. Then the discovery of large natural gas and coal reserves secured the city's rank as first in energy. In the early 20th century, its served as regional trading center and energy hub for eastern Montana and northern Wyoming, an area then known as
6900-428: The 1920s as well, devastating Great Falls coal dealers and shippers. Although the post–World War I recession lifted nationally by 1922, the economy of Great Falls and the rest of the state remained mired in depression until the mid-1920s. The city's economy stagnated during the Great Depression . The price of copper fell by nearly 75 percent to just 5 cents a pound between 1929 and 1933. Anaconda cut production in
7038-407: The 1930s. The city's population boomed, reaching 30,000 by 1913. The 145-bed Columbus Hospital (a Catholic Church -owned facility) opened in 1892 and the 330-bed Montana Deaconess Medical Center (originally a Methodist Episcopal Church facility) opened in 1898, making the city a destination for those with serious healthcare needs for central Montana. During the 1910s, Great Falls became known as
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#17327917294347176-534: The 1970s, Billings became a shopping destination for an ever-larger area. The 1970s and 1980s saw new shopping districts and shopping centers developed in the Billings area. In addition to the other shopping centers, two new malls were developed, and Rimrock Mall was redeveloped and enlarged, on what was then the city's west end. Cross Roads Mall was built in Billings Heights, and West Park Plaza mall in midtown. Several new business parks were also developed on
7314-773: The 2010s, Eastern Montana and North Dakota experienced an energy boom due to the Bakken formation , the largest oil discovery in U.S. history. Two-thirds of the city is in the Yellowstone Valley and the South Hills area and one-third in the Heights-Lockwood area. The city is divided by the Rims, long cliffs, also called the Rimrocks . The Rims run to the north and east of the downtown core, separating it from
7452-406: The 21st globally. Projects to achieve this status included increased efficiency at the water and waste water treatment plant, adding electric city buses and EV charging stations, and adding a conservation area to the west-end. Significant road developments began, providing infrastructure for city growth. In 2000, a new exit on Interstate 90 was completed. Zoo Drive exit provides ease of access to
7590-567: The Amalgamated Copper Company and become the Anaconda Copper Mining Company or "ACM". The B & M smelter stack was completed on October 23, 1908. The chimney had an interior measurement of 78.5 feet (23.9 m) in diameter at the base and fifty feet (15 m) in diameter at the top. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest chimney in the world (see List of tallest chimneys ). With
7728-510: The Big Stack's ultimate demise, since the cracks it was also suffering from rapidly worsened such that the ACM, citing concern for public safety (due to the continual deterioration of the stack's structural integrity), slated the Big Stack's demolition for September 18, 1982. In an interesting twist of fate, the demolition crew failed to accomplish the task on the first try; the two worst cracks in
7866-553: The Billings Logan International Airport. In the summer, the temperature can rise to over 100 °F (37.8 °C) on an average of 1 to 3 days per year, while the winter will bring temperatures below 0 °F or −17.8 °C on an average of 12.9 days per year. The snowfall averages 57.4 inches (146 cm) a year, but because of warm chinook winds that pass through the region during the winter, snow does not usually accumulate heavily or remain on
8004-494: The Billings area. With the addition of more interchange exits along I-90 , additional hotel chains and service industry outlets are being built in Billings. Development of business parks and large residential developments on the city's west end, South Hills area, Lockwood, and the Billings Heights were all part of the 1990s. Billings received the All-America City Award in 1992. In the 21st century, Billings saw
8142-519: The Bureau of Business and Economic Development at the University of Montana predicted the city's economy would be driven by manufacturing, retail sales, and tourism over the next several years. The city had long tried to rebuild its agricultural processing industry, and egg production and specialty milling both saw expanded operations in the city in 2015. In 2016, the city won an $ 8 million grant from
8280-572: The Crow name. The downtown core and much of the rest of Billings is in the Yellowstone Valley, a canyon carved out by the Yellowstone River . Around 80 million years ago, the Billings area was on the shore of the Western Interior Seaway . The sea deposited sediment and sand around the shoreline. As the sea retreated, it left a deep layer of sand. Over millions of years, this sand was compressed into stone known as Eagle Sandstone . Over
8418-707: The Dodgers through 1963. The team was briefly called the Great Falls Dodgers during the 1957 season and the Great Falls Electrics in 1949–1950. In 1969, the team now known as the Great Falls Voyagers began play as the Great Falls Giants and they have remained active under different names since. The Electrics played at Centene Stadium then called Legion Park, located at 1015 25th Street North Great Falls, Montana . The park
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#17327917294348556-573: The Great Falls Livestock Commission Company (established in 1936) had become an important multistate livestock auction center. In the 1960s, Great Falls' economic future appeared bright. The city's population reached 55,357 in 1960, an 85 percent increase since 1940. It was one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation. Including the adjacent unincorporated town of Black Eagle , Malmstrom Air Force Base personnel, and certain minor adjacent residential blocks,
8694-756: The Great Falls Montana Tourism group. Among Montana cities, Great Falls boasts the greatest number of museums, with 10, including the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center near Giant Springs and the C. M. Russell Museum and Original Log Cabin Studio on the city's north side. Great Falls was the largest city in Montana from 1950 to 1970, when it was eclipsed by Billings in the 1970 census; Missoula assumed second place in 2000. For much of prehistory, no permanent settlements existed at or near Great Falls, though Salish Indians seasonally hunted bison in
8832-557: The Heights to the north and Lockwood to the east, with the cliffs to the north being 500 feet (150 m) tall and to the east of downtown, the face rises 800 feet (240 m). The elevation of Billings is 3,126 feet (953 m) above sea level. The Yellowstone River runs through the southeast portion of the city. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 43.52 square miles (112.72 km ), of which 43.41 square miles (112.43 km )
8970-411: The Missouri River in 1917, and spread to the rest of the state in 1918. Massive swarms of locusts struck the state in 1919, and in 1920 strong, steady winds eroded the topsoil , damaging the productivity of the soil and creating a "dust bowl" effect. Montana farmers were therefore largely unable to take advantage of the high price of wheat and other agricultural products created by wartime demand and
9108-618: The Norwest Bank Building, was the tallest building in Montana from 1977 until 1980. Billings is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Statistical Area. The metropolitan area consists of three counties: Yellowstone , Stillwater , and Carbon . The population of the entire metropolitan area was at 184,167 in the 2020 Census. As of the census of 2010, there were 104,170 people, 43,945 households, and 26,194 families residing in
9246-689: The Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range. The Beartooth Mountains are the location of Granite Peak, which at 12,807 feet (3,904 m) is the highest point in the state of Montana. The Beartooth Highway , a series of steep zigzags and switchbacks along the Montana–Wyoming border, rises to 10,947 feet (3,337 m). It was called "the most beautiful drive in America" by Charles Kuralt . The Beartooth Mountains are just northeast of Yellowstone National Park. The Crazy Mountains to
9384-660: The World”. The city is also home to two military installations: Malmstrom Air Force Base east of the city, which is the community's largest employer; and the Montana Air National Guard to the west, adjacent to Great Falls International Airport . The federally recognized Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana are located in Great Falls. Great Falls is a popular tourist destination in Montana, with one million overnight visitors annually, who spend an estimated $ 185 million while visiting, according to
9522-485: The ages of 18 and 24; 24.5% were from 25 to 44; 26.5% were from 45 to 64; and 16.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female. As of the 2000 census , there were 56,690 people, 23,834 households, and 14,848 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,909.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,123.2/km ). There were 25,250 housing units at an average density of 1,295.7 per square mile (500.3/km ). The racial makeup of
9660-718: The basins and Fort Benton on the Hi-Line . In 1877, settlers from the Gallatin Valley area of the Montana Territory formed Coulson the first town of the Yellowstone Valley. The town was started when John Alderson built a sawmill and convinced PW McAdow to open a general store and trading post on land Alderson owned on the bank of the Yellowstone River. The store went by the name of Headquarters, and soon other buildings and tents were being built as
9798-406: The bodies of the dead are rising from their graves and attacking the living. Do not attempt to approach these bodies, as they are considered extremely dangerous." It was revealed that a default password for the networks was being used, and a few minutes later, the station sent an official on-screen message apologizing for any confusion. In recent years, the economy of Great Falls has suffered from
9936-470: The city Ammalapáshkuua and É'êxováhtóva respectively, meaning 'where they cut wood', named as such because of a sawmill built in the area by early white settlers. The city has experienced rapid growth and maintains a strong economy. From 1969 to 2021, the Billings area population growth was 89%, compared to Montana's overall increase of 59%. Parts of the metro area are seeing hyper growth. From 2000 to 2010 Lockwood , an eastern suburb, saw growth of 57.8%,
10074-610: The city has a total area of 22.26 square miles (57.65 km ), of which 21.79 square miles (56.44 km ) is land and 0.47 square miles (1.22 km ) is water. The city of Great Falls lies atop the Great Falls Tectonic Zone , an intracontinental shear zone between two geologic provinces of basement rock of the Archean period which form part of the North American continent . The city lies at
10212-411: The city in 2010, but by 2016 1,254 city residents lived in such areas. The number of Great Falls residents living in poverty during the same period rose by 10.37 percent (1,100 people), for a citywide poverty rate of 19.9 percent. Great Falls suffered from more concentrated poverty than any other city in the state. Low economic and population growth have also harmed real estate values in the city. While
10350-441: The city is home to many regional headquarters and corporate headquarters. Because Montana has no sales tax, Billings is a retail destination for much of Wyoming, North and South Dakota as well as much of Montana east of the Continental Divide . $ 1 out of every $ 7 spent on retail purchases in Montana is spent in Billings. The percentage of wholesale business transactions done in Billings is even stronger: Billings accounts for more than
10488-400: The city was 88.5% Caucasian , 1.1% African American , 5.0% Native American , 0.9% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 0.6% from other races , and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.4% of the population. There were 25,301 households, of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 11.5% had
10626-412: The city was 89.96% caucasian , 0.95% African American , 5.09% Native American , 0.86% Asian , 0.09% Pacific Islander , 0.60% from other races , and 2.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.39% of the population. There were 23,834 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 11.1% had
10764-464: The city's west end during this period. Billings was affected by the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in May; the city received about 1-inch (25 mm) of ash on the ground. The Yellowstone fires of 1988 blanketed Billings in smoke for weeks. In the 1990s, the service sector in the city increased with the development of new shopping centers built around big box stores which built multiple outlets in
10902-411: The city. The population density was 2,399.7 inhabitants per square mile (926.5/km ). There were 46,317 housing units at an average density of 1,067.0 per square mile (412.0/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 89.6% White , 4.4% Native American , 0.8% Black , 0.7% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 1.4% from other races , and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.2% of
11040-412: The city. The tornado was accompanied by hail up to golf ball size, dangerous cloud-to-ground lightning, and heavy winds. The tornado destroyed a number of businesses and severely damaged the 12,000-seat MetraPark Arena. See or edit raw graph data . Billings has many sections that comprise the whole of the city. The sections are often defined by Billings unique physical characteristics. For example,
11178-539: The closure of the smelter and cutbacks at Malmstrom Air Force Base in the 1980s, its population growth slowed. Great Falls was the location of the Mariana UFO incident in 1950, one of the earliest widely publicized UFO incidents. On February 11, 2013, the residents of Great Falls were met with a false Emergency Alert System message during an afternoon broadcast of The Steve Wilkos Show on CBS affiliate television station KRTV , which simply stated that "
11316-569: The completion of the Shiloh parkway, a 4.8-mile (7.7 km) multi-lane street with eight roundabouts . Other new centers include Billings Town Square and West Park Promenade, Montana's first open-air shopping mall. In 2009, Fortune Small Business magazine named Billings the best small city in which to start a business. On June 20, 2010 (Father's Day), a tornado touched down in the downtown core and Heights sections of Billings. The MetraPark Arena and area businesses suffered major damage. In
11454-617: The dam was considered complete on March 15, 1891. By 1912, Rainbow Dam and Volta Dam (now Ryan Dam ) were all operating. Morony Dam was built in 1930 and Cochrane Dam in 1957–1958. On April 7, 1908, construction began on a masonry/brick chimney measuring 506 feet (154 m) tall on the B & M's (now the city's largest employer) smelting site at Black Eagle by the Alphonse Custodis Construction Co. of New York, for dispersal of fumes from B & M's copper smelting process. B & M would soon merge with
11592-590: The decline of heartland industry, much like other cities in the Great Plains and Midwest . Great Falls is located near several waterfalls on the Missouri River . It lies near the center of Montana on the northern Great Plains . It lies next to the Rocky Mountain Front and is approximately 100 miles (160 km) south of the Canada–US border. According to the United States Census Bureau ,
11730-411: The delight of the spectating community, the smaller of the two pieces remained standing, but the failed demolition only solidified the safety issue whereas the community cited the event as the stack's defiance. The demolition team who had planted the charges was recalled and later the same afternoon they returned and finished the demolition, after packing another 400 lb (180 kg) of explosives into
11868-409: The development of operations centers in the city's business parks and downtown core by such national companies as GE, Wells Fargo, and First Interstate Bank. The Downtown Billings Alliance led efforts to transform downtown in order to increase economic and civic opportunities. In 2002, Skypoint was completed. This artistic structure provides a defining area to host events. Downtown saw a renaissance of
12006-605: The early 1900s, Great Falls was en route to becoming one of Montana's largest cities. The rustic studio of famed Western artist Charles Marion Russell was a popular attraction, as were the famed Great Falls of the Missouri. Among structures built in the early years were the sandstone Central High School (completed in 1896), now the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art ; the ornate copper-domed Cascade County Courthouse (1903); and railroad passenger depots of
12144-672: The east. The price of silver collapsed and nearby mines closed. Markets for beef, mutton, and wool largely disappeared, leaving area ranchers destitute. A large number of businesses in Great Falls shut their doors. The city was largely saved by the smelter, which continued to employ about 900 workers from 1895 to 1900. A North Montana Agricultural Society was formed to bring improvements in the practice of cattle ranching and wheat farming, and to lobby for federal- and state-funded irrigation projects. An attempt to win state legislative approval for an official state fair to be located at Great Falls failed in 1894, but organizers were successful in holding
12282-410: The eastern boundary of Yellowstone National Park. Downtown Billings has a humid continental climate ( Köppen : Dfa ) bordering on a cold semi arid climate (Köppen: Bsk ), with dry, hot summers, and cold, dry winters. However, areas outside of downtown can have a hot-summer continental climate, even with the −3 °C (27 °F) isotherm, due to the urban heat island effect, as exemplified by
12420-399: The eastern entrance to Glacier National Park in northern Montana, and 264 miles (425 km) from Yellowstone National Park in southern Montana and northern Wyoming. A north–south federal highway, Interstate 15 , serves the city. Great Falls is named for a series of five waterfalls located on the Missouri River north and east of the city. The Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1805–1806
12558-457: The first Cascade County Fair in May 1895. The city became even more prominent as an agricultural products center. Wheat production began to soar in Montana during the 1906-1907 growing season, and by 1920 there were 11 railroad spur lines radiating from the city to collect the grain from local farmers. The city's easy access to inexpensive electrical power made it ideal for grain milling and meat refrigeration, and enabled Great Falls to become
12696-568: The glacier retreated, Glacial Lake Great Falls emptied catastrophically in a glacial lake outburst flood . The current course of the Missouri River essentially marks the southern boundary of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. The Missouri River flowed eastward around the glacial mass, settling into its present course. As the ice retreated, meltwater from Glacial Lake Great Falls poured through the Highwood Mountains and eroded
12834-484: The goal of developing the town of Great Falls; providing it with power, sewage, and water; and attracting commerce and industry to the city. To attract industry to the new city, he offered low rates on the Montana Central Railway. On September 12, 1889, the Boston and Montana ("B & M") signed an agreement with Great Falls Water Power & Townsite Company in which the power company agreed to build
12972-437: The ground for long: the greatest depth has been 33 inches (84 cm) on April 5, 1955, after a huge storm which dumped 4.22 inches (107 mm) of water equivalent precipitation as snow in the previous three days under temperatures averaging 26.7 °F (−2.9 °C). The snowiest year on record was 2017–18, with 106.1 inches (269 cm), topping the 2013–14 previous record of 103.5 inches (263 cm). The first freeze of
13110-518: The headquarters for energy sector companies. In 1975 and 1976, the Colstrip coal-fire generation plants 1 and 2 were completed; plants 3 and 4 started operating in 1984 and 1986. In the 1970s and 1980s, Billings saw major growth in its downtown core; the first high-rise buildings to be built in Montana were erected. In 1980, the 22-floor Sheraton Hotel was completed. Upon its completion, it was declared "the tallest load-bearing brick masonry building in
13248-485: The historic area as building after building was restored. In 2007, Billings was designated a Preserve America Community . Various changes were made to make the city more environmentally friendly. The MET Transit Center for city buses received LEED Platinum status in 2010. This was the first transportation facility in the US to do so. In 2022, Billings received LEED Gold certification, the first city to do so in Montana and
13386-430: The largest growth rate of any community in Montana. In 2020, the area experienced its highest growth rate in a decade with a 2.3% increase. Billings avoided the economic downturn that affected most of the nation from 2008 to 2012 as well as the housing bust. With more hotel accommodations than any area within a five-state region, the city hosts a variety of conventions, concerts, sporting events, and other rallies. With
13524-478: The last million years the river has carved its way down through this stone to form the canyon walls known as the Billings Rimrocks or the Rims. The Pictograph Caves are about five miles south of downtown. These caves contain over 100 pictographs (rock paintings), the oldest of which is over 2,000 years old. Approximately 30,000 artifacts (including stone tools and weapons) have been excavated from
13662-572: The local economy in 1985 alone. The base lost another 1,017 jobs between 1992 and 1996. Since the Great Recession of 2008–2010, the Great Falls economy proved sluggish, growing at an annual rate of 0.9 percent, compared to a statewide average of 1.8 percent and a national rate of 2.0 percent. Growth was strongest in construction and manufacturing, followed by back-office business services (such as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana 's new insurance claims processing center), healthcare (such as
13800-537: The loss of agricultural output in Europe caused by World War I. The drought did not end: Just six of the 13 years from 1917 to 1930 saw average or above-average precipitation in the state. As agricultural production in Europe recovered after 1920, war-inflated agricultural prices collapsed. The high costs associated with the Great Falls-area underground coal mines led to the collapse of this local industry in
13938-483: The median price of a home in five other large Montana cities (Billings, Bozeman , Helena, Kalispell , and Missoula) was $ 262,960 ($ 400,000 in 2023 dollars) in 2017, it was just $ 169,500 ($ 200,000 in 2023 dollars) in Great Falls during the same period. (That is $ 93,460, or 35.5 percent, less.) The median price of a home statewide in Montana during that period was $ 217,200 ($ 300,000 in 2023 dollars), with Great Falls home prices $ 47,700, or 22 percent, less. A 2016 report by
14076-533: The mile-long, 500-foot-deep (150 m) Shonkin Sag , one of the most famous prehistoric meltwater channels in the world. Great Falls has a cold semi-arid climate ( Köppen : BSk ), with a notable amount of summer precipitation occurring in the form of thunderstorms. Winters are very cold, long and often snowy, though periods of chinook winds do cause warm spells and raise the maximum temperature above 50 °F or 10 °C on an average of fifteen afternoons during
14214-523: The moniker "The Big Stack", it immediately became a landmark for the community; after over 70 years of operation, the smelter closed in 1980. The Big Stack's "sister" stack in Anaconda , also of masonry/brick construction, completed in 1919, and slightly taller at 585 feet (178 m), began to suffer from cracking and the ACM decided to remove the support bands from the upper half of the Big Stack in 1976 and send them to Anaconda. This action proved to be
14352-430: The national population grew by 16 percent between 1930 and 1940, Montana's population declined. Great Falls was one of the rare places in Montana which saw population growth. The city grew from 28,822 residents in 1930 to 29,928 residents in 1940. World War II saw the establishment of East Base (now Malmstrom Air Force Base) in Great Falls in 1941, which proved to be a turning point economically. The war not only created
14490-575: The nearby Bakken oil development , the largest oil discovery in U.S. history, as well as the Heath Shale oil discovery north of Billings, the city's growth rate stayed high during the shale oil boom. Attractions in and around Billings include ZooMontana , the Yellowstone Art Museum , Pompey's Pillar , Pictograph Cave , Chief Plenty Coups State Park , Little Bighorn Battlefield , Bighorn Canyon , Red Lodge Mountain , and
14628-570: The newly purchased territory from 1804 to 1806. The expedition came upon the "Great Falls of the Missouri River" on June 13, 1805. Politically, the future site of Great Falls passed through numerous hands in the 19th century. It was part of the unincorporated frontier until May 30, 1854, when Congress established the Nebraska Territory . On March 2, 1861, the site became part of the Dakota Territory . The Great Falls area
14766-603: The opening of the Great Falls Clinic Hospital), retail sales, social welfare (such as the opening of the Cameron Family Center, which houses 26 homeless families), and tourism. The city's lack of population growth, coupled with low commodity prices for agricultural producers, has significantly hindered growth in the city for two decades. The lack of growth worsened poverty in the city. There were no neighborhoods of concentrated poverty in
14904-526: The park by the end of 2018. Great Falls is home to Malmstrom Air Force Base and the 341st Missile Wing . The 341st Operations Group provides the forces to launch, monitor and secure the wing's Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and missile alert facilities (MAF). These ICBMs and MAFs are dispersed over the largest missile complex in the Western Hemisphere , an area encompassing some 23,000 sq mi (60,000 km ) (approximately
15042-504: The point of the new town. Coulson was a rough town of dance halls and saloons and not a single church. The town needed a sheriff and the famous mountain man John "Liver-Eating" Johnson took the job. Many disagreements were settled with a gun in the coarse Wild West town. Soon a graveyard was needed and Boothill Cemetery was created. It was called Boothill because most of the people in it were said to have died with their boots on. Today, Boothill Cemetery sits within Billings' city limits and
15180-461: The population has a bachelor's degree or higher. Billings' location was essential to its initial economic success. Billings' future as a major trade and distribution center was basically assured from its founding as a railroad hub due to its geographic location. As Billings quickly became the region's economic hub, it outgrew the other cities in the region. The Billings trade area serves over a half million people. A major trade and distribution center,
15318-470: The population was estimated to be more than 72,000 by 1964. The largest city in Montana in 1965, state planning agencies believed Great Falls would have a population of 100,000 by 1981. The economy of Great Falls began a significant diminution in the 1970s. The nation of Chile nationalized Anaconda Copper's extensive, lucrative copper mines in 1971, causing the company to suffer massive financial losses. It closed its Great Falls zinc operation in 1971, and
15456-439: The population. There were 43,945 households, of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.4% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
15594-550: The quickly growing west-end area. The Yellowstone River bridge is being rebuilt as part of the Billings Bypass project, which will create a new arterial roadway from Lockwood to the Heights. The city saw a significant growth in businesses. With the completion of the Shiloh interchange exit, the TransTech Center was developed and more hotels were built. In 2010 the Shiloh corridor was open for business with
15732-425: The railroad decided to create the new town of Billings, the two towns existed side by side for a short time with a trolley even running between them. However, most of Coulson's residents moved to the new booming town of Billings. In the end Coulson faded away with the last remains of the town disappearing in the 1930s. Today Coulson Park, a Billings city park, sits on the river bank where Coulson once was. Named after
15870-648: The region. Around 1600, Piegan Blackfeet Indians, migrating west, entered the area, pushing the Salish back into the Rocky Mountains and claiming the area now occupied by Great Falls. The area remained territory of the Blackfeet until long after the United States claimed the region in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase . Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the Lewis and Clark Expedition into
16008-467: The rest of the smelter in 1980. About 1,450 high-wage Anaconda employees lost their jobs during the decade. Changes in the defense posture of the United States led to significant cutbacks at Malmstrom Air Force Base as well. These included the loss of 476 airmen and officers in 1972, 30 airmen in 1974, 1,015 airmen and officers in 1979, 100 airmen in 1981, 30 airmen in 1982, and 360 airmen and officers in 1983. The job losses stripped $ 18.2 million from
16146-414: The season on average arrives by October 6 and the last is May 5. Spring and autumn in Billings are usually mild, but brief. Winds, while strong at times, are considered light compared with the rest of Montana and the Rocky Mountain Front . Due to its location, Billings is susceptible to severe summer weather as well. On June 20, 2010, a tornado touched down in the Billings Heights and Downtown sections of
16284-462: The site. These excavations have proven the area has been occupied since at least 2600 BC until after AD 1800. The Crow Indians have called the Billings area home since about 1700. The present-day Crow Nation is just south of Billings. In July 1806, William Clark (of the Lewis and Clark Expedition ) passed through the Billings area. On July 25 he arrived at what is now known as Pompey's Pillar and wrote in his journal "... at 4 P M arrived at
16422-596: The size of the state of West Virginia ). The group manages a variety of equipment, facilities, and vehicles worth more than $ 5 billion. Also at Malmstrom are the 819th RED HORSE Squadron (reactivated August 8, 1997) and the 219th RED HORSE Squadron Montana Air National Guard . Both units are rapid deployment units, and are the first "associate" RED HORSE squadrons in the Air Force, staffed by approximately two-thirds active-duty military and one-third Air National Guard personnel. Billings, Montana Billings
16560-481: The smaller wedge. During the first two decades of the 20th century, Great Falls prospered from a homesteading boom, strong agricultural markets and favorable weather. It also became a financial center and regional shopping hub. In the late 1930s, the federal government's New Deal programs provided Great Falls with a new Civic Center building, and the city's business sector expanded with the arrival of military installations during World War II, helping Great Falls become
16698-530: The southern reach of the Laurentide Ice Sheet , a vast glacial sheet of ice which covered much of North America during the last glacial period . Approximately 1.5 million years ago, the Missouri River flowed northward into a terminal lake . The Laurentide Ice Sheet pushed the river southward. Between 15,000 BCE and 11,000 BCE, the Laurentide Ice Sheet blocked the Missouri River and created Glacial Lake Great Falls . About 13,000 BCE, as
16836-413: The stack ran from just above ground level to nearly 300 feet (90 m) up. The demolition team's intent was to create a wedge in the base so the stack's rubble would fall almost vertically into a large trench, but as the 600 lb (270 kg) of explosives were set off the cracks "completed themselves" all the way to the ground—effectively severing the stack into two-thirds and one-third pieces. Much to
16974-555: The state by 75 percent and closed its plant in Great Falls, throwing hundreds out of work. Agricultural prices, too, collapsed. Half of the state's farmers lost their land to foreclosure , and 60,000 of the 80,000 homesteaders who had arrived between 1900 and 1917 left the state. By the time the Great Depression ended in 1940, 11,000 farms (20 percent of the state's total) had been abandoned and 2,000,000 acres (810,000 ha) of farmland had gone out of cultivation. Even as
17112-759: The state of Montana to open a Food and Ag Development Center (only one of four in Montana). Working with BNSF Railway , the city's development agency converted 197 acres (80 ha) of disused railroad yard into a full service heavy industrial food and agricultural processing site. Named AgriTech Park, the site won an Excellence in Regional Transportation Award from the National Association of Development Organizations. FedEx Ground, Helena Chemical , Montana Specialty Mills, Pacific Steel and Recycling, and Cargill all took space in
17250-566: The state to transform the two-lane street in 1956 into an 80-foot (24 m) wide four-lane highway with a central median. Previously an undeveloped area with only the occasional residence, the 1956 changes to 10th Avenue S. turned the highway into a vibrant business district. Construction of the new campus of the College of Great Falls began on 10th Avenue S. in 1959, and the new Deaconess Hospital in 1963. 10th Avenue S. received its first traffic signals in 1964. Great Falls' reputation as
17388-609: The state's largest city from 1950 to 1970. During World War II, the Northwest Staging Route passed through Great Falls, along which planes were delivered to the USSR according to the Lend-Lease program. Great Falls prospered further with the opening of a nearby military base in the 1940s, but as rail transportation and freight slowed in the later part of the century, outlying farming areas lost population, and with
17526-398: The three-month winter period. In the absence of such winds, shallow cold snaps are common; there is an average of 20.8 nights with a low of 0 °F (−17.8 °C) or colder and 44 days failing to top freezing. The wettest part of the year is the spring. Summers are hot and dry, with highs reaching 90 °F (32.2 °C) on nineteen days per year, though the diurnal temperature variation
17664-512: The town began to grow. At this time before the coming of the railroad, most goods coming to and going from the Montana Territory were carried on paddle riverboats. It is believed it was decided to name the new town Coulson in an attempt to attract the Coulson Packet Company that ran riverboats between St Louis and many points in the Montana Territory. In spite of their efforts the river was traversed only once by paddle riverboat to
17802-486: The two towns coexisted; a trolley even ran between them. But ultimately there was no future for Coulson as Billings grew. Though it stood on the banks of the Yellowstone River only a couple of miles from the heart of present-day downtown Billings, the city of Billings never built on the land where Coulson once stood. Today Coulson Park sits along the banks of the Yellowstone where the valley's first town once stood. By
17940-429: The west rise to a height of 11,209 feet (3,417 m) at Crazy Peak, the tallest peak in the range. Big Snowy Mountains , with peaks of 8,600 feet (2,600 m), are home to Crystal Lake. The Bull Mountains are a low-lying heavily forested range north of Billings Heights. The Absaroka Range stretches about 150 mi (240 km) across the Montana–Wyoming border, and 75 miles (121 km) at its widest, forming
18078-694: The world" by the Brick Institute of America. During the 1970s and 1980s, other major buildings were constructed in the downtown core; the Norwest Building (now Wells Fargo), Granite Tower, Sage Tower, the MetraPark arena, the TransWestern Center, many new city-owned parking garages, and the First Interstate Center , the tallest building in Montana. With the completion of large sections of the interstate system in Montana in
18216-399: Was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.90. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.6% of residents under the age of 18; 9.8% between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.3% from 25 to 44; 26.3% from 45 to 64; and 15% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age in the city was 37.5 years. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female. As of 2000 the median income for
18354-406: Was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 32,436, and the median income for a family was $ 40,107. Males had a median income of $ 29,353 versus $ 20,859 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 18,059. About 11.1% of families and 14.5% of the population were below
18492-444: Was an important regional convention, trade, and medical center. In 1951, Anaconda consolidated its statewide zinc production in Great Falls, adding substantial numbers of new workers, and in 1955 opened an aluminum smelter in the city. The O.S. Warden Bridge opened in 1951. Designed to turn a then-mostly undeveloped 10th Avenue S. into a straight-line bypass through the city, Extraordinary increases in traffic on 10th Avenue S. led
18630-536: Was forced to portage around a 10-mile (16 km) stretch of the river in order to bypass the falls; the company spent 31 days in the area, performing arduous labor to make the portage. Three of the waterfalls, known as Black Eagle, Rainbow and the Great Falls (or the Big Falls), are among the sites of five hydroelectric dams in the area, giving the city its moniker, “The Electric City”. Other nicknames for Great Falls include “The River City” and “Western Art Capital of
18768-599: Was incorporated into the Idaho Territory on March 4, 1863, and then into the Montana Territory on May 28, 1864. It became part of the state of Montana upon that territory's admission to statehood on November 8, 1889. The founding of Great Falls was the brainchild of Paris Gibson , a Maine-born entrepreneur who became acquainted with railroad magnate James J. Hill in Minneapolis, Minnesota. By
18906-586: Was incorporated on November 28, 1888. Great Falls quickly became a thriving industrial and supply center. A ground-breaking for a smelter in nearby Black Eagle took place in 1890, the same year that construction of a hydroelectric dam atop Black Eagle Falls was completed. The dam provided the fledgling city with electricity and marked the first major instance of hydroelectric power in Montana. In 1894, naturalist Vernon Bailey passed through and described Great Falls as "a very good town, appears prosperous and booming & I should judge contains 15000 inhabitants". By
19044-491: Was proclaimed a national monument in January 2001. An interpretive center has been built next to the monument. The area where Billings is today was known as Clark's Fork Bottom. Clark's Fork Bottom was to be the hub for hauling freight to Judith and Musselshell Basins. At the time these were some of the most productive areas of the Montana Territory . The plan was to run freight up Alkali Creek, now part of Billings Heights, to
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