Snapshot of Billings, Montana, Custer Country’s Largest City

The Mountain Crows valued the area that came to be known as the Clark’s Fork Bottom as a traditional hunting and gathering site because of its abundant game, good water and wild fruit; the trees at the base of the Rimrocks were sacred as a burial site. The recorded history of Billings begins in 1877, when a trading post and stage station called Coulson, after the local steamship manager, were established 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 president of the Northern Pacific.

Since then, Billings has enjoyed a rapid growth rate, supported by various economies, including energy (oil, natural gas and coal), agriculture (grains such as wheat, barley, corn, sugar beets, beef and dairy cattle), and transportation (air, rail and trucking). These commercial interests have in turn supported Billings as a center for education, medical facilities, and cultural activities.

The 100,000 people of the Yellowstone Valley enjoy a dry, sunny climate with 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. Recreational opportunities abound. Outdoor enthusiasts can backpack in the nearby Beartooth-Absaroka Wilderness and Custer and Gallatin National Forests, fish along Rock Creek and the Boulder, Stillwater and Yellowstone Rivers and their tributaries, and, within a short drive, hunt elk, moose, mule and whitetail deer, upland birds and waterfowl. Other forms of nearby recreation include downhill and cross-country skiing, canoeing and kayaking, snow shoeing and windsurfing on area reservoirs.

Those interested in higher learning can choose from a variety of programs at several institutions, depending on their needs. Montana State University-Billings, MSU-Billings College of Technology, Rocky Mountain College and the Lincoln Adult Education Center are located in Billings. Public libraries in Billings and the surrounding communities provide additional learning opportunities. The Billings public school district is two separate and distinct school districts operating under a unified board of trustees. Medical facilities are available through two hospitals, sixteen clinics and over two hundred physicians representing all of the major specialties.