Red Lodge, Montana
Red Lodge, Montana | |
|---|---|
 Main Street in Red Lodge | |
 Location of Red Lodge, Montana | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Carbon |
| Area | |
• Total | 2.6 sq mi (6.7 km2) |
| • Land | 2.6 sq mi (6.7 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 5,568 ft (1,697 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
• Total | 2,177 |
| • Density | 846.0/sq mi (326.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code | 59068 |
| Area code | 406 |
| FIPS code | 30-61525 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0789456 |
| Website | cityofredlodge.com |
Red Lodge is a city in and the county seat of Carbon County, Montana, United States.Template:GR It is part of the Billings, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,177 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Red Lodge is located at 45°11′15″N 109°14′55″W / 45.18750°N 109.24861°WInvalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (45.187515, -109.248475).Template:GR
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²), all of it land.
History
On September 17, 1851, the United States government signed a treaty with the Crow Nation, ceding the area which now contains Red Lodge to the Crow Indians. Rich coal deposits were found there in 1866, and gold was discovered nearby in 1870. An 1880 treaty between the U.S. government and the Crow allowed the area to be settled starting April 11, 1882.[1]
The Red Lodge post office was established on Dec 9, 1884 with Postmaster Ezra L. Benton.[2]. A rail line was constructed into town, and coal shipments began in June 1889. The boundaries of the Crow Reservation were redrawn October 15, 1892, opening the whole area to settlement. From then until the 1930s, coal mining defined the town.[3]
In the late 1800s, many new settlers came to Red Lodge. The majority came from Italy, Scotland, Wales, England, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. By the mid 1880s, migrants were still outnumbered by large numbers of Native Americans. By 1892 the population reached 1,180.
In 1896, Red Lodge had twenty saloons and, as the library records show, riotous and violent living was characteristic of the town. By 1906 the population had grown to 4,000 and by 1911 this had increased to 5,000.
Red Lodge suffered in the Great Depression, which forced many mines to close. To offset this downturn, the manufacture of illegal bootleg liquor, labeled syrup, became an economic mainstay and was sold as far afield as Chicago and San Francisco.
In 1931 work began on the Beartooth Highway[4][page needed] linking Red Lodge to Yellowstone National Park; it was officially opened in 1936.
In the 1990s, this area became the subject of famed southwestern artist Earl Biss' work, "Red Lodge with the Melting of the Spring Snow".
Outdoor recreation
Red Lodge is well known for many outdoor recreation opportunities: skiing, mountain biking, and backpacking are nearby. In April it is host to a popular triathlon called the Peaks to Prairie.
Educational institutions
The Yellowstone Bighorn Research Association's Geology Field Station is located south of Red Lodge.[5]
Media
Radio
- KMXE FM 99.3
Newspapers
- link Carbon County News (Weekly)
- link Local Rag (Monthly)
Notable residents
- John "Liver-Eating" Johnston was elected the first marshal in Red Lodge in 1888 [6].
- Laurie Niemi, Washington Redskins offensive tackle
- K. Ross Toole, noted Montana historian
- Brady Canfield, Bronze medal winner in the 2003 FIBT World Championships in skeleton racing
Smith Mine disaster
In 1943 tragedy hit Smith Mine #3 near Bearcreek, the area's largest remaining mine[7]. An explosion trapped and killed 74 men - only three of the workers that were in the mine that day escaped. This was the worst coal mine disaster in Montana's history. The mines were shut down forever shortly thereafter. The Red Lodge cemetery contains a memorial.
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 624 | — | |
| 1900 | 2,152 | 244.9% | |
| 1910 | 4,860 | 125.8% | |
| 1920 | 4,515 | −7.1% | |
| 1930 | 3,026 | −33.0% | |
| 1940 | 2,950 | −2.5% | |
| 1950 | 2,730 | −7.5% | |
| 1960 | 2,278 | −16.6% | |
| 1970 | 1,844 | −19.1% | |
| 1980 | 1,896 | 2.8% | |
| 1990 | 1,958 | 3.3% | |
| 2000 | 2,177 | 11.2% | |
| 2007 (est.) | 2,449 | ||
| source:[8][9] | |||
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 2,177 people, 1,020 households, and 528 families residing in the city. The population density was 846.0 people per square mile (327.1/km²). There were 1,415 housing units at an average density of 549.9/sq mi (212.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.14% White, 0.41% African American, 1.10% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.46% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.98% of the population.
There were 1,020 households out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.2% were non-families. 39.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.76.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,750, and the median income for a family was $40,260. Males had a median income of $30,250 versus $20,208 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,090. About 6.9% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.4% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.
Schools
Red Lodge is served by three schools: Mountain View Elementary School, Roosevelt Middle School, and Red Lodge High School.
References
- ^ Blevins, Bruce. An Early History of Red Lodge, Montana. WIM: Powell, 1988, 3-6. No ISBN.
- ^ Lutz, Dennis. Montana Post Offices and Postmasters. Rochester: Johnson, 1986, 41. No ISBN.
- ^ Christensen, Bonnie. Red Lodge and the Mythic West. Lawrence: U of Kansas P, 2000, xii. ISBN 9780700611980
- ^ Blevins, Bruce H. Beartooth Highway Experiences. Powell: WIM, 2003. ISBN 1893771075.
- ^ http://www.ybra.org/
- ^ Crow Killer: The Saga of Liver-Eating Johnson, by Raymond W. Thorpe and Robert Bunker (1983) pg 188. ISBN 9780253203120
- ^ The Darkest Hour: A Comprehensive Account of the Smith Mine Disaster of 1943, 2nd ed, by Gary D. Robson and Fay Kuhlman (2003). ISBN 0965960919
- ^ Moffatt, Riley. Population History of Western U.S. Cities & Towns, 1850-1990. Lanham: Scarecrow, 1996, 134.
- ^ "Subcounty population estimates: Montana 2000-2007" (CSV). United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 2009-03-18. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
External links
Municipalities and communities of Carbon County, Montana, United States | ||
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| Other communities | ||