Billings

  
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Billings History

   Billings, the largest and most populous city in Montana, serves as the regional center for trade, transportation and health care. Nestled in a valley at the foot of four mountain ranges, the city and its surrounding area offer beautiful scenery, fabulous recreational opportunities and a colorful Western heritage.
   The Native American Crows valued the area that came to be known as the Clark's Fork Bottom. Because of its plentiful game, wild fruit and pure water, the region soon became a popular hunting and gathering site. The area's outskirts served as a sacred burial ground, provoking numerous skirmishes between the Crows and white interlopers.
   Billings’ recorded history begins in 1877, when a trading post and stage station called Coulson, after a local steamship manager, was established in Montana Territory near what is now known as Alkali Creek.
   In 1882, the area was surveyed by the Northern Pacific Railroad and renamed after Frederick Billings, a former railroad tycoon. The Minnesota and Montana Land and Improvement Company, which had purchased Northern Pacific grant lands in the area, laid out the Billings town site. By 1893, 5,000 lots had been sold for cash. The town surged from three structures to 155 commercial buildings, 99 homes, six railroad buildings, 25 tents and a church. Its sudden growth, appearing like magic, garnered the nickname that still holds to this day: “Magic City.”
   From its humble beginnings as a railhead, Billings has blossomed into a cosmopolitan city whose population has doubled every 30 years. Today, the city is the “uptown” for the area that extends south into Wyoming and stretches north almost to the Canadian border. Sheltered by sandstone cliffs and nourished by the Yellowstone River, Billings enjoys one of the best locations in a state that is often called "the last best place."

  
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Billings Fast Facts

   Location: Billings is located in south-central Montana, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.
   Elevation: 3,125 feet above sea level
  *Population: 89,847
  *Area: 33.71 square miles
  *Population per square mile: 2,665
  *Total housing units: 39,151
  *Median household income: $36,727
   Average annual snowfall: 57 inches
   Average annual precipitation: 15 inches
  Average temperatures: 28°F in winter, 86°F in summer
*Information provided by 2000 Census

Community

   Billings was ranked No. 9 on the Best Places to Live and Work in America list, compiled by BestJobsUSA.com. People come to this city in search of the good life and are drawn to its growing economy, affordable housing and quality education. As an ongoing bonus, residents enjoy a dry, sunny climate and breathtaking “Big Sky” beauty, including spectacular views of four mountain ranges: the Beartooths to the southwest, the Crazy Mountains to the west, the Pryor Range to the southeast and the Snowies to the north.
   Billings residents enjoy the best of both worlds: small-town safety and country friendliness with big-city services and amenities. It's a place where vast ranches and lush farmland mix comfortably with tall office buildings, and horse trailers are as common as diesel buses.
   The city's primary trade area — more than 125,000 square miles — is one of the largest in the United States. First-class road, rail and air transportation networks have helped in achieving this distinction. Thanks to an abundance of long-term energy sources, Billings residents enjoy utility rates that are among the lowest in the nation.
   In addition to its role as a trade, service and energy center, Billings is the region's medical hub. The city's medical community provides the most advanced health care services in a four-state area. Two fully equipped hospitals, more than 40 clinics, two new cancer treatment centers and hundreds of physicians offer every major medical specialty and a complete range of medical services, surgical services and emergency care.

Attractions

   From nomadic Indian tribes to explorers Lewis and Clark, French fur trappers to Gen. George Armstrong Custer, Buffalo Bill and Calamity Jane, the area's historic sites and museums tell the story of the region's rich heritage.
   Take a walking tour of the Billings Historic District, offering up-close views of Billings’ history and architecture. Many of the buildings still standing in the district were built before 1920, including the Rex Hotel, the Northern Pacific Railway Depot and the Carlin Building.
   Tour the three-story, red sandstone Moss Mansion, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It provides a glimpse into the life of Preston B. Moss, one of Billings’ most prominent and wealthy early residents. Often featured on TV and in films, Moss Mansion was designed by the famous American architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, designer of New York's Waldorf-Astoria and Plaza hotels. The mansion still retains its unusual interior: a mixture of several architectural styles, including a Louis XVI parlor, a Moorish entry and an Empire dining room.
   Visit the Castle, built to mirror Chicago's elite Potter Palmer mansion. The medieval-looking structure is still a private home, but you can buy gifts in the historic carriage house or dine in the renovated livery stable.
   Feel the spirit of the Old West at Boothill Cemetery, another of Billings’ rich historical resources and also on the National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery is the burial ground for the outlaws, marshals and townsfolk of Billings’ precursor, Coulson. Here, you'll find the grave of Deputy Sheriff H.M. "Muggins" Taylor, an Army scout who carried the first news of the Custer massacre. Taylor survived the Indian Wars only to have his life cut short in a local laundry — shot dead while trying to protect a laundress from her drunken husband. This graveyard and those like it were called "boot hills" because so many of their residents met the fate of Muggins Taylor: dying with their boots on.
   At the Western Heritage Center, you'll see more than 16,000 artifacts depicting the history, culture and lives of Yellowstone Valley homesteaders, as well as Native American tribes and minority settlers. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the center is housed in a 1901 building that for many years served as the city's library. This dynamic museum is now affiliated with the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
   History comes alive, too, at the Peter Yegen Jr. Yellowstone County Museum. The museum is located at the Logan International Airport and is housed in a log structure built in 1893. Here you'll find Native American exhibits; a re-creation of a Lewis and Clark-era fur trading post; and old No. 1031, the last Northern Pacific steam switch engine operated in Billings.
   Check out J.K. Ralston Cabin, on display on the north end of the Rocky Mountain College Campus. The cabin is the restored home and studio of renowned Billings artist J.K. Ralston, who put the West on canvas.
   Step way back in time at Pictograph Cave State Park, a National Historic Landmark. There, western Indians hunted the woolly mammoth more than 4,500 years ago. The hunters left thousands of artifacts and hundreds of pictographs to tell the story of their lives.
   Don't miss Pompeys Pillar, just 28 miles east of Billings. A national landmark, the sandstone rock tower is the only remaining physical evidence of the Lewis and Clark expedition. It bears the inscription of Captain William Clark, who carved his name in 1806 on the return trip from the West Coast.
   Relive one of America's most defining moments at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Hardin, 60 miles south of Billings. The battlefield marks the historic site of the June 25, 1876, battle between Gen. George Custer and the Native American tribes. There, with a band of 225 soldiers, Custer made his legendary last stand against thousands of Northern Plains Indians, led by Crazy Horse. When the fighting ended, Custer’s entire 7th Cavalry battalion was wiped out. The Custer Battlefield Museum has artifacts from the battle as well as from the Plains Indian War era. Each summer, you can see the battle re-enacted.
   For more Native American history, visit Chief Plenty Coups Memorial State Park, just 35 miles south of Billings. The park commemorates the life of this Indian chief and the Crow Indians, who provided scouts to the U.S. Army.
   Check out the Montana State University's Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman west of Billings. The museum's staff includes Jack Horner, a dinosaur expert so good he was asked to be the technical consultant for the “Jurassic Park” movies.
   Just 111 miles from Billings is the city of Cody, Wyo., named for the renowned William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, an Army scout, prolific buffalo hunter and purveyor of the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show. Get a full look at his legendary life at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.
   For a different perspective on history, don't miss the Museum of Women's History in downtown Billings, a fascinating look at the many facets of women's lives.
   Along with its many historic and cultural treasures, the Billings area serves up fun and excitement every season of the year. Every month brings an occasion to celebrate, from Western Days to the Strawberry Festival.

Recreation and Leisure

   The wide-open spaces of Billings and beyond are brimming with the spirit of adventure. Each season offers an arena for every recreational activity under the sun. Hiking and backpacking. Golfing, biking and camping. Fishing and hunting. Rafting, canoeing, kayaking and windsurfing. Downhill and cross-country skiing. Even snowmobiling. To top it all off, three national parks — Yellowstone, Glacier and Grand Teton — are within a day's drive.
   Outdoor enthusiasts can backpack in the nearby Beartooth-Absaroka Wilderness, Custer National Forest and Gallatin National Forest; fish along Rock Creek and the Boulder, Stillwater and Yellowstone rivers and their tributaries; and, within a short drive, hunt everything from elk and moose to whitetail deer.
   For a dramatic view of Billings, visit the sandstone Rimrocks, 300- to 500-foot-high sandstone cliffs surrounding the city to the north and east. Created by an inland sea millions of years ago, the Rimrocks — or “the Rims,” as the locals call them — are Billings’ defining feature. The Yellowstone, the nation's longest free-flowing river, carved the valley that the cliffs overlook. Zimmerman Park offers hikers, mountain bike riders and climbers easy access to the Rims’ many treasures.
   Hike, camp, bird watch and cross-country ski at the Four Dances Recreation Area, just east of Billings. A 765-acre nature reserve that borders the Yellowstone River, Four Dances has a varied landscape, from prairies and forested canyons to two miles of shoreline. The area is also home to Sacrifice Cliff, said to be the site of a Crow ritual to appease their gods. As legend has it, young Crow warriors blindfolded their ponies and rode them over the cliff in the hopes their sacrifice would end the smallpox epidemic that ravished their village.
   Explore nature and the Yellowstone River at the 240-acre Riverfront Park. Along with the wonders of the river, the park has its own lake: Josephine, a promising spot for snaring a large-mouth bass.
   Jog, bike, hike and cross-country ski at the woodsy Two Moon Park, which features an abundance of paved trails.
   Enjoy a variety of water sports at Lake Elmo State Park, a 64-acre reservoir on the outskirts of Billings. Fishing is allowed on the pier, and the lake is stocked with everything from catfish to yellow perch. Nearby Cooney Reservoir, just 50 miles from the city, is a favorite spot for camping.
   Spend an afternoon at Pioneer Park, one of the most popular rendezvous spots in town. Beautifully maintained by the city, the park features 34 acres of wooded land; rolling green hills; and a meandering creek. It's a paradise for the sporty, with horseshoe pits; tennis courts; a wading pool; and soccer, football, softball and baseball fields. The city sponsors activities in the onsite recreation center, including summer programs for children.
   Discover Siberian tigers, sika deer and more at Zoo Montana, the state's only wildlife park. A 70-acre natural wildlife habitat park and botanical garden, the zoo also features a children's petting zoo and a beautiful, hands-on sensory garden.
   Gallop along the trails of the Lonesome Spur. A dude ranch popularized by the movie “The Horse Whisperer,” Lonesome Spur caters to every level of rider.
   Catch the excitement at the Magic City Speedway, a popular arena for car racing events. The speedway also features the fast-growing auto sport of sprint car shows, along with summertime demolition derbies. In nearby Acton, you'll find the Intermountain Motorsports Park, with events running from early May to late September.
   Enjoy family games, rides and entertainment at Geyser Park. Here you'll find attractions of every kind: go-karts, a climbing wall, bumper boats, laser tag, arcade games, and a miniature golf course with geyser pools and waterfalls. Or cool down from the summer heat at the Big Splash Water Park, featuring seven water slides and an assortment of swimming pools.
   Golfers will enjoy Billings’ full complement of courses. The Briarwood, by design, will test the judgment and skill of all levels of players. In Billings Heights, try Lake Hills Golf Club or Circle Inn Golf Links. On the West End, check out the Peter Yegen Jr. Golf Club or the Par 3 Exchange City Golf Course.
   Card sharks won't want to miss the Riverboat Casino and Dining. The Card Room is typically packed with players trying their luck at such games as Hold 'em, Tahoe 7, and Seven-Stud Split. The Riverboat also holds seasonal bashes, from an annual '50s and '60s party to a Fourth of July barbecue with all the trimmings.
   If you love spectator sports, you'll have an array of choices in Billings. The city has its own National Indoor Football League, the Billings Outlaws. Baseball is swinging with the Billings Mustangs, the farm team of the Cincinnati Reds. The team plays all through the spring and summer at Cobb Field. For hockey enthusiasts, the Billings Bulls offer thrilling excitement on ice at the 12,000-seat MetraPark Arena. The Bulls are members of the America West Hockey League (AWHL), a junior hockey league, and have been at the top of the AWHL for many years. Players come from all over the United States and the world, staying with host families and enjoying enthusiastic support from the Billings community.

The Arts

   From galleries and exhibits to theater and music, Billings is a thriving regional hub for the arts. The arts are supported year-round through Billings Cultural Partners, a coalition of 19 area museums, art galleries and cultural organizations. The city's commitment to the arts is further demonstrated in the Growth Thru Art program, a studio-based art experience for adults with disabilities.
   Billings boasts one of the region's best collections of contemporary and historic art at the Yellowstone Art Museum. Originally a jail house, the building was renovated in 1964 and underwent a $6.2 million expansion in the late 1990s to triple exhibit space. Today, it is one of the premier cultural attractions of the Rocky Mountain West, with five galleries and exhibits ranging from cowboy art to abstract expressionism. Here you'll find the work of cowboy illustrator and onetime Billings Resident Will James, who wrote the classic “Smoky the Cowhorse.”
   Check out Artspace, featuring rotating exhibits that showcase the work of local students and professional artists — from traditional to “cutting edge.” Artspace also invites the community to express itself vocally, with poetry readings every Monday and open mike nights for musicians every Wednesday.
   Explore the Toucan Gallery downtown, featuring the works of some 30 artists and national artists in rotating exhibits. Toucan sponsors community events throughout the year, including a chalk art contest and ArtWalk. Held five Fridays a year, ArtWalk gives downtown galleries and museums an opportunity to break out the wine and cheese, and complement their exhibits with live entertainment.
   Visit the Northcutt Steele Gallery, a student funded nonprofit gallery on the Montana State University-Billings campus. The gallery showcases contemporary artists from around the nation, from potters to painters and sculptors.
   If it's theater you crave, the Alberta Bair Theater for the Performing Arts — Montana's largest performing arts center — will delight you. The Alberta Bair hosts a variety of professional touring companies and local performers; more than 100 events scheduled each year. The building in which the theater is located was targeted for demolition, until the community banded together to raise more than $5 million for its restoration. It bears the name of Billings philanthropist Alberta Bair, who contributed to the project in honor of her family, onetime homesteaders on the original property.
   Step back in time at the Babcock Theater, an impressive vaudeville theater that stays on as a reminder of Billings’ early years.
   Catch a performance at Billings Studio Theatre. Each year, the local, all-volunteer talent puts on three musicals, a mix of four comedies or dramas, and three children's shows. The theater also offers the Billings Studio Theatre for Kids, a two-week children's summer camp. Campers can learn songs and dance steps, see how a play is produced, and show off what they've learned in an end-of-camp musical.
   Tune in to the Billings Symphony Orchestra and Chorale. The orchestra offers several performances a season, many in the Alberta Bair Theater — along with an annual Symphony in the Park program at Pioneer Park.
   If you're an opera fan, you'll have it all in the Rimrock Opera Company. The company offers formal performances and a variety of “opera-tunities” to experience opera throughout the year.

  
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Dining

   Billings serves up a wide variety of dining experiences for every budget and taste. Whatever you're in the mood for — from prime rib to homemade pasta, tacos to sushi — you're bound to find it in the Magic City.
   Best bets include:
   Bruno’s Italian Specialties: Bruno’s serves up authentic Italian fare, from pizza to homemade pasta, with fresh ingredients and friendly service.
   Casey's Golden Pheasant: Casey's specializes in Cajun and Mexican foods, including a delicious homemade salsa. You'll also enjoy an antique mahogany bar, a 3,000-square-foot ceiling mural, a “young artists wall” and a vintage record collection.
   Don Luis: A small, homestyle restaurant with a modern touch, Don Luis has an extensive menu. Many say its Mexican fare is the best in town.
   Enzo Mediterranean Bistro: Enzo’s menu offers authentic Naples-style pizza; handmade pastas; mesquite-grilled Pacific fish; and a variety of sandwiches, salads and desserts. Also featured is a fine selection of regional wines and microbrews.
   Granary Restaurant: Recipient of the National and State Beef Council Award, the Granary serves up sizzling steaks, prime rib, seafood and Cajun specialties.
   Jakes: With its delicious steaks, chicken, seafood and homemade desserts, Jakes has been a favorite of locals for years. Located in the heart of downtown Billings, the restaurant features a well-decorated dining room with a 1930s urban Western look.
   McCormick Café: McCormick serves up breakfast and lunch in a historic setting. A favorite is French crepes. The café also offers a new conference setting.
   Montana Brew Company: This trendy brew pub is housed in a century-old building. It offers patrons good tavern grub, a variety of brews and a lively sports bar.
   Na Ra Oriental Restaurant: Na Ra serves up East Vietnamese and Japanese cuisine, with a specialty in sushi.
   Poet Street Market: This five-star bakery and deli offers fine breads, fruit tarts, cakes and cookies, specialty pizza, fresh salads, sandwiches, an espresso bar, and a delicious variety of breakfast fare.
   Pug Mahon’s: Pugs specializes in authentic Irish cuisine, including a delicious pork chop sandwich and the best Guinness in Billings.
   Red Robin: One of the best places in town for a good burger, Red Robin has an extensive menu of gourmet burgers, from barbecue to teriyaki. Food is served with all-you-can-eat steak fries.
   Rex Restaurant and Bar: This restaurant, located in a 1910-era building, has been visited by the likes of Buffalo Bill. The specialty of the house is hand-cut steaks and prime rib, along with fresh seafood flown in twice a week. The Rex’s full bar has been honored by Wine Spectator magazine for its high-quality wine list.
   Suds Hut of Billings: A local favorite for a good steak on a budget, Suds Hut serves up standard pub food, along with fried chicken, ribs and burgers.
   Q Restaurant: Called Billings “big-city” restaurant, Q Restaurant offers an eclectic menu with Asian fusion specialties, artfully presented in an attractive setting. The restaurant has been described as on par with Asian restaurants in San Francisco and Los Angeles — only easier on the wallet.
   Walkers American Grill and Tapas Bar: Located in the historic Old Chamber building, Walkers offers a full menu, including regional beers. A long-standing local favorite, Walkers is also a destination for travelers, theatergoers and museum patrons. It has received the Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator, and regional and national recognition for serving a long line of noted guests.

Housing

Employment

   From its first days as a railroad town, Billings has continued to grow and prosper — resulting in a constantly expanding labor pool. The unemployment rate in Yellowstone County, at 3.1 percent, is well below the national average of 5.4 percent.
   Today, Billings is among the best places in the United States for creating and sustaining jobs. Trade and service employment — including specialized manufacturing, processing, and professional services to support the region's rural agricultural and energy economies — is the largest component of the community's economic base. Billings also serves as the regional hub for medical services, higher education, professional business services, retail and distribution, and travel and lodging.
   The city is a regional center as well for the energy industry and a wide range of agriculturally related businesses. Each year, the Western Sugar Cooperative plant produces a multimillion-dollar crop of sugar beets. Three oil refineries — two in Billings and one in nearby Laurel — make this area the oil-refining capital of the northern Rockies.
   Over the past few decades, Billings has thrived on tourism. With scores of visitors passing through town each year on their way to Yellowstone National Park and other tourist magnets, this area of the city's economy continues to hold promise for the future.

Education

Where is Billings?

Written by Sue Carrington exclusively for HomesParadise.com.
(1) Photo courtesy of the Billings Convention and Visitors Bureau.
(2) Photo courtesy of Donnie Sexton.
(3) Photo courtesy of Custer Country Inc. by John Brewer.
(Uncredited photos are file photos.)

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