The History of Billings, MT

The History of Billings, MT
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Arielle Sanchez
October 25, 2019

Did you know that Billings, MT used to be nicknamed the “Magic City”? This was because of its exceptional growth from when it was founded as a railroad town in 1882. To many, the growth seemed like magic. The history of Billings Montana is fascinating, and coming to this city allows for great opportunities to learn about the place such as visiting Crow Indian Reservation Montana. Read on to learn more facts about the history of Billings.

  1. The city is named after Frederick H. Billings, who was the former president of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and the town blossomed with the founding of the railroad station.
  2. Billings is also the largest city in Montana, even though it’s not even the capital of the state! The capital of Montana is Helena.
  3. There are several historical places in Billings still standing. For example, the site of Custer’s Last Stand can be visited as well as the historic Moss Mansion built-in 1903. Yellowstone National Park is also just a road trip away from Billings! There are also a variety of historic buildings located throughout the city. These buildings include the Dude Rancher Lodge, which has been a part of the town since 1950.
  4. The first known inhabitants of the area were the Bannack Indians. However, these Indians were soon driven away by the Crow.
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