Distinctly Montana Magazine

Gateway to Western Prosperity Although the south side did have a competing business division, it began to fade as the west end was further developed. The wealthier families and civic leaders like ID O'Donnell took leave from their residence on the south side. Left along Minnesota Avenue and beyond was a true "wild west" scene. Several blocks were made up entirely of so-called female boarding houses split up only by saloons and taverns. They had names like "The Mexico" or "The Palace," leading one to believe that the ladies there were doing a bit more than just biding their time. Prostitution was big business and it brought with it all the action; poker rooms, opium dens, shootouts and police raids in the night. The south side also became an enclave for the Chinese and African-American populations with churches constructed for the practice of their own faith, and neighborhoods defined by their own sub-culture. Later, with the construction of the Sugar Beet Factory (which still stands today) workers were brought in from Latin America, Germany, and Russia and given low-wage housing on the south side. Today Billings is once again experiencing the rapid growth reminiscent of its days as a railroad hub. The geography of the region has given the city's economy as much dynamic advantage as it did in the 19th century. Billings is virtually the only major city within hundreds of miles; it has people from all around Montana, the Dakotas, and Northern Wyoming doing business there. It is near the Crow reservation. Billings is the regional center of trade and distribution for industries ranging from energy, agriculture and construction to medical, banking and retail. This diversity of the Billings trade and industry gives it a solid economic platform on which to stand when financial troubles rock the rest of the country. Looking toward the future, the energy sector is perhaps the most significant to Billings' economy. There are three oil refineries and one coal fire regeneration plant. The city holds a sweet position within the throes of the nation's largest coal reserves and potentially one of the largest sources of oil and natural gas in the world. Along The Bakken and beyond, North Dakota's energy boom has delivered a substantial boost to Billings business across the board. Weighing the advance in extraction technologies against govern- Union Depot today Montana Avenue today Billings baseball Everything Billings has to offer! DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL www.distinctlymontana.com/billings133 w w w. d i s t i n c t ly mo nt a na .co m 81

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