Billings is themost populous city in the U.S. state ofMontana. The population was 117,116 at the2020 census,[4] while theBillings metropolitan area has an estimated 193,000 people. Located in the south-central portion of the state, it is theseat ofYellowstone County. Billings is the trade and distribution center for much of Montana east of theContinental Divide and has one of the largest trade areas in the United States.[5] It 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 km2).[6]
Billings was nicknamed the "Magic City" because of its rapid growth from its founding as arailroad town in March 1882. The nearbyCrow andCheyenne peoples call the cityAmmalapáshkuua[7] andÉ'êxováhtóva[8] 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%.[9] 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.[5] It provides services to theBakken oil development 250 to 350 miles to the east,[10][11] as well as theHeath Shale oil discovery north of Billings.[12][13][14]
The downtown core and much of the rest of Billings is in the Yellowstone Valley, a canyon carved out by theYellowstone River. Around 80 million years ago, the Billings area was on the shore of theWestern 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 asEagle Sandstone. Over the last million years the river has carved its way down through this stone to form the canyon walls known as the BillingsRimrocks or the Rims.[18]
ThePictograph Caves are about five miles south of downtown. These caves contain over 100pictographs (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 the site.[19] These excavations have proven the area has been occupied since at least 2600 BC until after AD 1800.[20]
TheCrow Indians have called the Billings area home since about 1700. The present-dayCrow Nation is just south of Billings.[21]
In July 1806,William Clark (of theLewis and Clark Expedition) passed through the Billings area. On July 25 he arrived at what is now known asPompey's Pillar and wrote in his journal, "... at 4 P M arrived at a remarkable rock, i ascended this rock and from its top had a most extensive view in every direction."[22] 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 hisShoshone interpreter and guideSacajawea. In 1965, Pompey's Pillar was designated as a national historic landmark, and was proclaimed a national monument in January 2001. An interpretive center has been built next to the monument.[23]
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 theMontana Territory. The plan was to run freight up Alkali Creek, now part of Billings Heights, to the basins andFort Benton on theHi-Line.[citation needed]
In 1877, settlers from the Gallatin Valley area of the Montana Territory formedCoulson, the first town of the Yellowstone Valley.[24] 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 built as 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 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 manJohn "Liver-Eating" Johnson took the job. Many disagreements were settled with a gun in the coarse Wild West town. Soon a graveyard was needed andBoothill 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's city limits and 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 territory's 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 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.[25]
Named after theNorthern Pacific Railway presidentFrederick H. Billings, the city was founded in 1882.[26][27] 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's nickname of the Magic City because, like magic, it seemed to appear overnight.[24]
Panoramic view of downtown Billings, 1915, looking east and south from the intersection of North 28th Street (extending away in the photo's right half) and 3rd Avenue North (extending away in the photo's left half). TheElectric Building is under construction (center).First Congregational Church is on the far left.
The nearby town of Coulson appeared 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.[28] Perhaps the most famous person to be buried in Coulson's Boothill Cemetery is H.M. "Muggins" Taylor,[29] the scout who carried the news of Custer's Last Stand at theBattle 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 theYellowstone River, which made it ideal for the commercesteamboats 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, 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.[24]
By the 1910 census, Billings's population had risen to 10,031, ranking it the sixth fastest-growing community in the nation.[24] 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.[24] 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 theMidland Empire.
Built in 1985 and standing at 272 feet (83 m),First Interstate Center is the tallest building in Montana.[30]
AfterWorld 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.[31]
Billings growth has remained robust throughout the years. In the 1950s, its growth rate was 66 percent.[32] The1973 oil embargo byOPEC spurred an oil boom in eastern Montana, northern Wyoming and western North Dakota. With this increase in oil production, Billings became the headquarters for energy sector companies. In 1975 and 1976, theColstrip 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 the world" by the Brick Institute of America.[33] During the 1970s and 1980s, other major buildings were constructed in the downtown core;[34] the Norwest Building (now Wells Fargo), Granite Tower, Sage Tower, the MetraPark arena, the TransWestern Center, many new city-owned parking garages, and theFirst Interstate Center, the tallest building in Montana.[35]
With the completion of large sections of the interstate system in Montana in 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 in Midtown. Several new business parks were also developed on the city's west end during this period.
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 the Billings area. With the addition of more interchange exits alongI-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 theAll-America City Award in 1992.
Intersection of 4th Ave. N., and N. 28th St. downtown
In the 21st century, Billings saw 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. Billings avoided the economic downturn that affected most of the nation from 2008 to 2012 as well as the housing bust.[38][39] The Downtown Billings Alliance led efforts to transform downtown to increase economic and civic opportunities.[40] In 2002,Skypoint was completed. This artistic structure provides a defining area to host events. Downtown saw a renaissance of the historic area as building after building was restored.[41] In 2007, Billings was designated aPreserve America Community.[42]
Various changes were made to make the city more environmentally friendly. TheMET Transit Center for city buses receivedLEED Platinum status in 2010. This was the first transportation facility in the US to do so.[43] In 2022, Billings received LEED Gold certification, the first city to do so in Montana and the 21st globally.[44] 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.[44]
Significant road developments began, providing infrastructure for city growth. In 2000, a new exit onInterstate 90 was completed. Zoo Drive exit provides ease of access to the quickly growing West End area.[45] TheYellowstone River bridge is being rebuilt as part of the Billings Bypass project, which will create a new arterial roadway from Lockwood to the Heights.[46][47]
The city saw a significant growth in businesses. With the completion of the Shiloh interchange exit, the TransTech Center was developed[48] and more hotels were built. In 2010 the Shiloh corridor was open for business with the completion of the Shiloh parkway, a 4.8-mile (7.7 km) multi-lane street with eightroundabouts.[49] 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.[50][51]
On June 20, 2010 (Father's Day),a tornado touched down in the downtown core and Heights sections of Billings. TheMetraPark Arena and area businesses suffered major damage. In the 2010s, Eastern Montana and North Dakota experienced an energy boom due to theBakken formation, the largest oil discovery in U.S. history.[10][11]
The Rims border the northern and eastern edges of the downtown core.Feral horses - Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range - Montana
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 theRimrocks. The Rims run to the north and east of the downtown core, separating it from 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. TheYellowstone River runs through the southeast portion of the city. According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 43.52 square miles (112.72 km2), of which 43.41 square miles (112.43 km2) is land and 0.11 square miles (0.28 km2) is water.[52]
Around Billings, seven mountain ranges can be viewed. TheBighorn 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).[53] ThePryor 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 the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range.[54] TheBeartooth Mountains are the location of Granite Peak, which at 12,807 feet (3,904 m) is the highest point in the state of Montana. TheBeartooth 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" byCharles Kuralt.[55] The Beartooth Mountains are just northeast of Yellowstone National Park. TheCrazy Mountains to the west rise to a height of 11,209 feet (3,417 m) at Crazy Peak, the tallest peak in the range.[56]Big Snowy Mountains, with peaks of 8,600 feet (2,600 m), are home to Crystal Lake.[57] TheBull Mountains are a low-lying heavily forested range north of Billings Heights. TheAbsaroka Range[58] stretches about 150 mi (240 km) across the Montana–Wyoming border, and 75 miles (121 km) at its widest, forming the eastern boundary of Yellowstone National Park.
Downtown Billings has a coldsemi-arid climate (Köppen:BSk) borderinghumid continental climate (Köppen:Dfa) when using the −3 °C (27 °F) isotherm,[59] with dry, hot summers, and cold, dry winters. 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 warmchinook winds that pass through the region during the winter, snow does not usually accumulate heavily or remain on 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 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 theRocky 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 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.[60]
Billings has 10 sections within its city limits, most of which have their own designated neighborhood task forces.
The South Side is one of the oldest residential areas in the city, and it is the city's most culturally diverse neighborhood. Its South Park is an old-growth City park, host to several food fairs and festivals in the summer months. Clark Avenue in the Terry–Central Park neighborhood is home to many of Billings's first mansions. Midtown, the most densely populated portion of the city is in the midst ofgentrification on a level few, if any, areas in Montana have ever seen. New growth is mainly concentrated on Billings's 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 is occurring in the Southwest Corridor's Josephine Crossing, one of Billings's many new contemporary neighborhoods. Downtown is a blend of small businesses and office space, together with restaurants and a walkable brewery district.[65] The Heights, defined as the area of the city northeast of the Metra, is predominantly residential, and a new school was completed in 2016 to accommodate growth in the neighborhood.[66] The Rimrocks ("Rims") separate the Heights from Downtown.
The tallest building in Billings and Montana as well as a five-state region is theFirst Interstate Center, which stands at 272 feet (83 m) and 20 floors above ground level.[67] Billings is also home to the world's tallest load-bearing brick building,[citation needed] theDoubleTree 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. TheWells Fargo Building, formerly the Norwest Bank Building, was the tallest building in Montana from 1977 until 1980.[68]
Billings is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Statistical Area. The metropolitan area consists of three counties:Yellowstone,Stillwater, andCarbon.[69] The population of the entire metropolitan area was at 184,167 in the 2020 Census.[70]
Billings, Montana – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the census[75] of 2010, there were 104,170 people, 43,945 households, and 26,194 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,399.7 inhabitants per square mile (926.5/km2). There were 46,317 housing units at an average density of 1,067.0 per square mile (412.0/km2). 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% fromother races, and 2.9% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 5.2% of 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 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 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 the population has a bachelor's degree or higher.
Billings's location was essential to its initial economic success. Billings's 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.[50] A major trade and distribution center, 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 theContinental 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 a quarter of the wholesale business for the entire state (these figures do not include Billings portion of sales for Wyoming and the Dakotas).[76] 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.
Wells Fargo Center
In 2009,Fortune Small Business magazine named Billings the best small city in which to start a business.[51] Billings has 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 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 is Montana's #1 industry.[77] Billings contributes to this economy with the Western Sugar Cooperative Plant, processing multi-million dollar crops of sugar beets each year.[6] Other crops include alfalfa, wheat, barley, and corn.[78] Billings has 2 livestock auction locations out of the 13 statewide.[79] Several farm and ranch supply stores are located in Billings, providing for the large retail radius the city serves.Meadow Gold has 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.[80] Montana has about three-tenths of the nation's estimated recoverable coal reserves.[80] In 2022, a large pumped hydro storage project was planned near Billings.[80]
Corporate headquarters includeKampgrounds of America,First Interstate Bank,[5] and The Waggoners Trucking.[81] Billings also has a nearby facility forMolson Coors,[78] a manufacturing facility for Coca-Cola,[82] and several other food and beverage distributors. Some major employers include St. John's Lutheran Ministries, Avitus Group,Franz Bakery, andKomatsu.
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 is the largest indoor venue in Montana and is used for concerts, rodeos, ice shows, motor sports events, and more.[83]
The Alberta Bair Theater is a 1,400-seat performing arts venue noted for its 20-ton capacity hydraulic lift that raises and lowers the stage apron.[84] Opened in 1931 and originally called the Fox Theater, it was renamed in 1987 in honor of Alberta Bair and her substantial donations that helped fund the building's renovation.
Built in 1950, the Eagle Seeker Community Center (formerly the Shrine Auditorium) is a smaller, cost-effective venue that has hosted national shows. It seats 2,340 for concerts and offers 550 off-street parking spots.
Dehler Park is a multi-use stadium that is home of theBillings Mustangs, aPioneer League baseball team. It replacedCobb Field and Athletic Park swimming pool in the summer of 2008. Dehler Park has a capacity of 3,500 to over 6,000.
TheBabcock Theater is a 750-seat performing arts theater in Billings, Montana. It was built in 1907 and at the time was considered the largest theater between Minneapolis and Seattle. Purchased by the City of Billings in 2018,[85] it hosts events and shows movies by Art House Cinema.
This 4,000-seat venue primarily hosts MSU Billings sports, local events, and some national touring events. This facility has gyms, racket ball courts as well as an Olympic-size pool with bleachers for aquatic events.
With ninemicrobreweries in the metropolitan area, Billings has more breweries than any community in Montana. The downtown breweries include Montana Brewing Co., Thirsty Street Tap Room, Angry Hank's Tap Room, Carters Brewery, and Überbrew.[92] Downtown Billings is also home to two distilleries, offering a variety of handcrafted spirits and cocktails. The West End is the location of several other breweries and a third distillery.[93] The Billings Brew Trail[94] features all of the distilleries and breweries across the city, as well as a cider house and a winery.
Billings is the county seat ofYellowstone County, the most populous county in Montana.[98] It is also the location of the James F. Battin Federal Courthouse, one of five federal courthouses for theDistrict of Montana.[99]
Billings is governed via the mayor council system. There are ten members of the city council who are elected from one of five wards with each ward electing two members. The mayor is elected in a citywide vote. Both the mayor and council members are officially nonpartisan. The city charter, also called the Billings, Montana City Code (BMCC) was established 1977.
Unlike some other cities in Montana, Billings's city ordinances do not contain provisions that forbid discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.[100] An effort to pass a non-discrimination ordinance in Billings failed in 2014, after then-mayor Tom Hanel cast a tie-breaking vote against it at the conclusion of a meeting that lasted 8.5 hours.[101] An effort to introduce an NDO measure to the City Council was briefly floated in September 2019 by a city council member,[102] but was abandoned approximately a month later.[100]
Billings Public Schools consists of 22 elementary schools, six middle schools, and three high schools (Senior High,Skyview High, andWest High) that have approximately 15,715 students and 1,850 full-time employees.[105] District 3, Independent, and Elder Grove School Districts each have one elementary school, those being Blue Creek Elementary,[106] Elder Grove Elementary,[107] and Independent Elementary, respectively. Canyon Creek School District operates Canyon Creek School, which serves grades K–8.
Montana State University Billings was founded in 1927 as Eastern Montana Normal College to train teachers. The name was shortened to Eastern Montana College in 1949, and it was given its present name when the Montana State University System reorganized in 1994.[113] The university offers associate/bachelor's/master's degrees and certificates in fields such as business, education, and medicine.[114] Around 4,000 students attend MSU Billings.[115]
City College at MSU Billings was established in 1969 as the Billings Vocational-Technical Education Center. Its governance was passed to the Montana University System Board of Regents in 1987, when it became known as the College of Technology. It was officially merged with MSU Billings (then known as Eastern Montana College) in 1994.[116] The name was changed to the present name in 2012.[117] Known as the "comprehensive two-year college arm" of MSU Billings,[118] the college offers degrees and programs in a variety of fields, including automotive, business, computer technology, and nursing.[119]
Through the marriage of three institutions of higher learning,Rocky Mountain College is Montana's oldest college. Rocky Mountain College (RMC) was founded in 1878.[120] The campus that became RMC was known as the Billings Polytechnic Institute until 1947, when it joined theMontana Collegiate Institute in Deer Lodge (Montana's first institution of higher learning) and Intermountain Union College in Helena to form to Rocky Mountain College.[121] During the 2013 fall semester, there were 1,068 students attending Rocky Mountain College.[122] The college offers 50 majors offered in 24 different fields including art, education, music, psychology, and theater.[123] RMC is affiliated with theUnited Church of Christ, theUnited Methodist Church, and thePresbyterian Church (U.S.A.).[124]
Rocky Vista University, a private for-profit school ofosteopathic medicine, operates the Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine. The campus, completed in 2023, is located on the West End. Classes began the same year.[125] The university later announced plans to establish a College of Veterinary Medicine at the Billings campus by 2026.[126]
The largest media market in Montana and Wyoming, Billings is serviced by a variety of print media. Newspaper service includes theBillings Gazette, a daily morning broadsheet newspaper owned byLee Enterprises. It is the largest daily newspaper in Montana, with a Sunday circulation of 52,000 and a weekday circulation of 47,000. It publishes three editions: the state edition, which circulates in most of Eastern Montana and all of South Central Montana; the Wyoming edition, which circulates in Northern Wyoming; and the city edition, which circulates in Yellowstone County.
Yellowstone County News is the next leading print newspaper, owned by Jonathan & Tana McNiven.[127] It is published on a weekly basis and provides news and columns for "Yellowstone County and the communities of Lockwood, Shepherd, Huntley, Worden, Ballanatine, Pompey's Pillar, Custer and Billings."[128] It is also recognized as the Publication of Record for both the City of Billings and Yellowstone County.[129]
Other publications include other more specialized weekly and monthly publications.
Billings has several community magazines includingMagic City Magazine,[130] which features local feature stories and unique human interest pieces,[131] andYellowstone Valley Woman.[132]
The Billings area has four major non-news television stations, two major news television stations, one community television station, fourPBS channels[133] and several Low-Power Television (LPTV) channels. The major TV stations includeKTVQ channel 2 (CBS affiliate and part of theMontana Television Network [MTN]),KHMT channel 4 (FOX affiliate),KSVI channel 6 (ABC affiliate withThe CW on DT2),KULR-TV channel 8 (NBC affiliate) andPBS member stationKBGS-TV on channel 16.
It is also served by twenty-two commercial radio stations, Yellowstone Public Radio (NPR),[134] and a Low-Power (LP) radio station.KFHW-LP is a radio station at 101.1 FM in Billings, an extension of the Yellowstone County News, also known as "YCN Radio" and/or "YCN Sports & Radio."[135]
Billings Logan International Airport is close to downtown; it sits on top of the Rims, a 500-foot (150 m) cliff that overlooks the downtown core. Scheduled passenger service and air cargo flights operate from this airfield.
TheLaurel Municipal Airport is a publicly owned public-use airport inLaurel, Montana, eleven miles (18 km) southwest of downtown Billings. It has three runways exclusively serving privately operated general aviation aircraft and helicopters.[136]
TheBillings METropolitan Transit is Billings's public transit system. MET Transit provides fixed-route and paratransit bus service to the City of Billings. All MET buses are accessible by citizens who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices. They are wheelchair lift-equipped and accessible to all citizens who are unable to use the stairs. MET buses are equipped with bike racks for their bike-riding passengers. There are Westend and Downtown transit centers allowing passengers to connect with all routes.[137] The Billings Bus Terminal is served byExpress Arrow,Greyhound, andJefferson Lines, which also provide regional and interstate bus service.[138]
Billings has an extensive trail system running throughout the metro area. The rapidly expanding trail system, known as the Heritage trail system, has a large variety of well-maintained trails and pathways.[139]
Interstate 90 runs east–west through the southern portion of Billings, serving as a corridor between Billings Heights, Lockwood, Downtown, South Hills, Westend, Shiloh, and Laurel. East of Downtown, between Billings Heights and Lockwood, Interstate 90 connects withInterstate 94, which serves as an east–west corridor between Shepherd, Huntley, Lockwood, Downtown, South Hills, Westend, Shiloh, and Laurel via its connection with I-90.
Montana Highway 3 is a north–south highway that runs along the edge of the North Rims connecting Downtown and the West End with the Rehberg Ranch, Indian Cliffs and Billings Heights.U.S. Highway 87 runs through the center of Billings Heights and is known as Main Street within the city limits. This is the busiest section of roadway in the state of Montana.[140] It connects to U.S. Highway 87 East, which runs through Lockwood as Old Hardin Road.[141]
The Billings Bypass will create a new and more direct connection between the Billings Heights andLockwood by connecting I-90 with Montana Highway 87 and Old Highway 312.[142] The project will include a new bridge over the Yellowstone River (completed in 2023) and the reconstruction of the I-90 Johnson Lane Interchange. The Billings Bypass is tentatively set for completion in 2027.[143]
The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority was formed in 2020 to advocate for restoring Amtrak'sNorth Coast Hiawatha route. In 2023, the organization was awarded $500,000 by theCorridor Identification and Development Program to explore the proposal's logistics and feasibility. TheNorth Coast Hiawatha received further recognition from its identification in the 2024 Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study.[144]
The city's rapidly growing health care sector employed nearly 13,000 people in 2012; they earned $641 million in wages, or about 20 percent of all wages in the city. Employment doubled in 25 years and wage rates in constant dollars grew by 162 percent.[145] The city has two hospitals with Level I Trauma Center status: St. Vincent Regional Hospital andBillings Clinic.
St. Vincent Regional Hospital was founded in 1898 by theSisters of Charity of Leavenworth as St. Vincent Hospital.[146] The name was changed to the present name in 2024.[147] In 2011, the hospital and its 30 clinics employed approximately 2,100 people and received more than 400,000 patient visits each year.[148] In 2022, the hospital announced plans to build a new 295-bed facility as a replacement for its current building.[149][150] The following year, it achievedLevel I Trauma Center status.[151] It is the second largest hospital in the state, behind Billings Clinic. St. Vincent Regional Hospital is run by Intermountain Health,[152] which operates over 30 hospitals across the mountain west, including two others in Montana.
Billings Clinic started in 1911 as the general practice of Dr. Arthur J. Movius. By 1939, three new general practitioners had joined Dr. Movius's practice and the name was changed to The Billings Clinic. Billings Deaconess Hospital (founded in 1907) merged with Billings Clinic in 1990 to form the current hospital.[153] Billings Clinic now employs over 4,500 people,[154] including nearly 600 physicians, and is one of the largest employers in Montana.[155] In January 2013, Billings Clinic was added to the Mayo Clinic Care Network, only the 12th hospital nationally to be added to the network and the only such health system in Montana.[156] In 2023, Billings Clinic became the first Level I Trauma Center in Montana and Wyoming, covering a region of nearly 550 miles.
Other medical facilities include the Northern Rockies Radiation Oncology Center, Rimrock Foundation (addiction treatment both inpatient and outpatient), Advanced Care Hospital of Montana (a 40-bed long-term acute-care hospital), South Central Montana Mental Health Center, Billings VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic, Billings Clinic Research Center (pharmaceutical field trials, osteoporosis are two long-time focuses), Billings MRI, City/County Public Health's Riverstone Health, HealthSouth Surgery Center and Physical Therapy offices, Baxter/Travenol BioLife plasma collection center, and many independent practices.
The Billings Fire Department was founded in 1883 as a volunteer fire company named the Billings Fire Brigade. The Yellowstone Hook and Ladder Company was founded in 1886; that company was disbanded in 1888 after the mayor criticized the group for how that handled a fire, leaving the town without a fire department for almost six months.[157] The last volunteer fire company, Maverick Hose Company, served as the city's fire department until 1918.[158] The modern fire department has eight stations, employs 179 people, and received a class two rating by ISO.[159]
Mike Mansfield, U.S. representative and U.S. senator for Montana, longest-serving Senate majority leader for Democratic Party, and U.S. Ambassador to Japan
^abcBig Sky Economic Development."Big Sky Economic Development". Bigskyeda-edc.org. Archived from the original on April 25, 2008. RetrievedAugust 7, 2012.
^Cowell, A.; Taylor, A.; Brockie, T. (2016). "Gros Ventre ethnogeography and place names: A diachronic perspective".Anthropological Linguistics.58 (2):132–170.doi:10.1353/anl.2016.0025.S2CID151520012.
^Daniel F. Ring, "Men of Energy and Snap: The Origins and Early Years of the Billings Public Library,"Libraries & Culture (2001) 36#3 (2001) pp 397–412
Hardt, Mark D. "The Emergence of a Competitive Core: Bifurcation Dynamics in Billings, Montana." inDowntowns: Revitalizing the Centers of Small Urban Communities (2013).
Mandler, Lou. "Billings and Beyond."Montana; The Magazine of Western History 68.4 (2018): 53–96, focus on the progressive vision of mayor Willard Fraser, elected mayor of Billings four times between 1963 and 1971.
Kliewer, Waldo O. "The Foundations of Billings, Montana."Pacific Northwest Quarterly 31.3 (1940): 255–283.online
Van West, Carroll.Capitalism on the frontier: Billings and the Yellowstone Valley in the nineteenth century (U of Nebraska Press, 1993)online.
Van West, Carroll.Images of Billings: A Photographic History (Billings: Western Heritage Press, 1990)
Wright, Kathryn.Billings: The Magic City and How It Grew (Billings: K. H. Wright, 1978)
An Illustrated History of the Yellowstone Valley, State of Montana (Spokane, Wash.: Western Historical Publishing Company, 1907)
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