Miles City, Montana
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| Miles City, Montana | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Custer |
| Area | |
| - Total | 3.3 sq mi (8.5 km²) |
| - Land | 3.3 sq mi (8.5 km²) |
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²) |
| Elevation | 2,369 ft (722 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 8,487 |
| - Density | 2,593.3/sq mi (1,001.3/km²) |
| Time zone | Mountain (MST) (UTC-7) |
| - Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP code | 59301 |
| Area code(s) | 406 |
| FIPS code | 30-49525 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0774202 |
Miles City is a city in Custer County, Montana, United States. The population was 8,487 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Custer County[1].
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[edit] History
After the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, the US Military created forts in eastern Montana including one where the north-flowing Tongue River flowed into the east-flowing Yellowstone River. Fort Keogh (named after one of the battle dead) started as a few rough winter cabins, but grew into a moderate sized western fort, from which its commander, General Nelson A. Miles, effectively brought the remaining "uncontrolled" Native Americans into subjugation during the last decade of the 1800s.[2] At first the camp followers referred to the makeshift village as "Milestown", but popular usage (perhaps more accurately "self-promotion") turned it to "Miles City". Livestock speculation brought thousands of cattle to the open ranges in the late 1880s, the railroad was extended through the area, and Texas drove numerous cattle to Miles City to fatten them on free grass and move them to where they could be loaded on trains bound for the slaughterhouses in Chicago.
Miles City experienced rapid growth until the 1920s and 1930s, but became overshadowed by the upstart upriver town of Billings, which became an oil refining center and is now the largest city in the state.
[edit] Geography
Miles City is located at (46.408460, -105.840093)[3].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.3 square miles (8.5 km²), all of it land.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 8,487 people, 3,528 households, and 2,194 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,593.3 people per square mile (1,002.1/km²). There were 3,890 housing units at an average density of 1,188.7/sq mi (459.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.72% White, 0.12% African American, 1.39% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.59% of the population.
There were 3,528 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,847, and the median income for a family was $41,190. Males had a median income of $30,123 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,449. About 9.4% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.7% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Events
The largest event of the year is the Miles City Bucking Horse Sale held in May. Miles City is also home to the Eastern Montana Fair and is the commercial hub of southeastern Montana.[5]
[edit] Education
Custer County District High School is the only high school in the entire county; some students drive as many as 60 miles to school. Much of the population makes its living in agriculture, therefore, the Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization is very active and about 20% of the student population belong to it. The school is famous for its Chorale, which travels extensively including a trip to Carnegie Hall in NYC in 2005 and a planned trip to Washington D.C. in March of 2007. The school boasts that its seniors have an average ACT score of 23 and that 57% of the graduating seniors go to a 4 year university.
Miles City also has 4 elementary schools, Lincoln (4-6), Highland Park (k-3), Jefferson (k-3), Garfield (k-6) and a middle school, Washington School (7 and 8). Washington Middle School boasts many extra curricular activities, including sports, builder's club and student council. There is also one parochial school -- Sacred Heart (pre K-8).
[edit] Notable natives and residents
- Miles City was the birthplace (1913) of Merle Greene Robertson, a noted art historian and renowned scholar of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization.
- Walter A. Burleigh, non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives from the Dakota Territory
- Maurice Hilleman, a noted microbiologist, was born near Miles City in 1919. Hilleman specialized in vaccinology and developed more than three dozen vaccines, including those for measles, mumps, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, chickenpox, meningitis, and pneumonia.
- George Lynch, race car driver, was born here.
- Violet Beauregarde in the 1971 movie, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was from Miles City. Her father, Sam, owned a used car lot and was a car salesman in the city as well. "With Sam B., it's a guarantee!"
- Curt Schmidt, Montreal Expos pitcher, was born here.
- George Winston, noted American pianist, grew up in Miles City and studied piano at a local conservatory.
- John Connors Former CFO of Microsoft grew up in Miles City.
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Hero's Bronze Star Shows Up 26 Years Late", The News Tribune, 1995-05-29. "The town, whose radio station has the call letters KATL, was named after US soldier Nelson Appleton Miles, who forced the surrender of Geronimo and the Nez Perce."
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Patterson, Caroline. "Getting your buck's worth in Montana", Sunset, 1999-05-01. "Miles City, MT, is known as the Cow Capital of the West with pickups and stock trucks lining up the streets. The city's cowboy tradition lives through the annual Bucking Horse Sale highlighted by bareback riding events at the Eastern Montana Fairgrounds."
[edit] External links
- Miles City, Montana is at coordinates Coordinates:
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