W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA NA . C O M
91
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PLACE THAT'S
WORTH THE TRIP?
SEND YOUR IDEAS TO INFO@DISTINCTLYMONTANA.COM
WORTH THE
T
R
I
P
!
BILLINGS
P
RIOR TO THE FOUNDING OF YELLOW-
STONE COUNTY, THE REGION WAS AT
THE CROSSROADS OF INTER-INDIAN TRADE
AND WARFARE. Abundant game and fertility
made the region a highly contested hunting ground.
From the top of the Rimrocks, where native Ameri-
cans once sheltered in caves and where the airport is
now located, one can see five mountain ranges: the
Bighorns, Pryors, Beartooths, Crazies,
and Snowies. e first white settlement was Coulson, a trade center and ferry crossing.
Yellowstone County, named for the famed river, has more people than any Montana county. e yellow
Sandstone cliffs inspired the name of the river and town. e county has two oil refineries and a sugar beet
factory. It contains several ghost towns: Coulson, Mossmain, Rimrock, Waco. Frederick Billings brought the
Northern Pacific Railroad to the Yellowstone Valley in 1882, bypassing Coulson and establishing Billings.
e five-day Centennial Cattle Drive of 1989 solidified its fame as a trade and agricultural center.
While the county is mostly rural, Billings, the largest city with over 100,000 people, is the center of
commerce. Billings hosts about 150 churches, ranging from Korean American Community, to Montana
Southern Baptist Fellowship, to the St. Nicholas Geek Orthodox Church, aside from a Jewish temple and
Buddhist Center and a Native American Race Relations and Healing Symposium. Plenty of casinos thrive
too. People flock to Billings for the best health care in the state. Its Alberta Bair theatre is famous for pre-
senting the best in music and theatricals, and the Yellowstone Art Center offers national and international
art and related activities.
MILES CITY
Black Iron Grill & Casino.
Lunch, dinner, and sports. e
decor includes beams from the
Old Milwaukee Roundhouse,
which burned down, as well as
the steam-powered iron bender.
www.milescityrestaurant.com
MISSOULA
Free of charge, the Missoula Art Museum is a treasure and
always worthy of your time. Located at 335 North Pattee, one
block north of Broadway, the gallery displays several stories of
interesting art. www.missoulaartmuseum.org
BILLINGS
Montanans travel from all over the
state to do their Christmas shopping
in Billings. e Rimrock Mall itself
has over 90 shops and a movie theater.
Going to Billings might become your
annual holiday tradition too.
Frederick Billings
