Billings Montana
Overview
The Mountain Crows valued the area that came to be known as the Clark's Fork Bottom as a traditional hunting and gathering site because of its abundant game, good water and wild fruit; the trees at the base of the Rimrocks were sacred as a burial site. The recorded history of Billings begins in 1877, when a trading post and stage station called Coulson, after the local steamship manager, were established near what is now known as Alkali Creek. In 1882, the area was surveyed by the Northern Pacific Railroad and renamed after Frederick Billings, a former president of the Northern Pacific.
Billings Montana Listings: (add your listing)
Best Western Kelly Inn & Suites - Billings
Great family and room amenities, indoor pool, DSL equipped rooms, pet friendly, kids under 18-FREE, and deluxe breakfast. Ideal for family vacations and regional shopping.
(406) 248-9800
Kelly Inn of Billings - Family & Pet Friendly
Value priced for families, the Kelly Inn offers standard and deluxe rooms, outdoor pool, indoor hot tub, close to shopping and Interstate 90. The best value in Billings.
(800) 635-3559
Thrifty Car Rentals - Save Additional 5% Right Now
We offer the best rates & vehicle styles in Billings. Click this link, get 5% off the best published rate on all cars, SUVs & vans including the 8-person Dodge Durango.
(800) 847-4389
Since then, Billings has enjoyed a rapid growth rate, supported by various economies, including energy (oil, natural gas and coal), agriculture (grains such as wheat, barley, and corn, sugar beets, beef and dairy cattle), and transportation (air, rail and trucking). These commercial interests have in turn supported Billings as a center for education, medical facilities, and cultural activities.
The 100,000 people of the Yellowstone Valley enjoy a dry, sunny climate with spectacular views of four mountain ranges: the Beartooths to the southwest, the Crazy Mountains to the west, the Pryor Range to the southeast, and the Snowies to the north. Recreational opportunities abound. Outdoor enthusiasts can backpack in the nearby Beartooth-Absaroka Wilderness and Custer and Gallatin National Forests, fish along Rock Creek and the Boulder, Stillwater and Yellowstone Rivers and their tributaries, and, within a short drive, hunt elk, moose, mule and whitetail deer, upland birds and waterfowl. Other forms of nearby recreation include downhill and cross-country skiing, canoeing and kayaking, snow shoeing and windsurfing on area reservoirs.
Those interested in higher learning can choose from a variety of programs at several institutions, depending on their needs. Montana State University-Billings, MSU-Billings College of Technology, Rocky Mountain College and the Lincoln Adult Education Center are located in Billings. Public libraries in Billings and the surrounding communities provide additional learning opportunities. The Billings public school district is two separate and distinct school districts operating under a unified board of trustees. Medical facilities are available through two hospitals, sixteen clinics and over two hundred physicians representing all of the major specialties.
Cultural Attractions
Alberta Bair Theatre
The Alberta Bair Theatre, housed in the rejuvenated former Fox Theatre, hosts a wide variety of cultural events, including ballet, plays, opera, children's theatre, and symphonic and chorale productions. The Alberta Bair Theater is the largest fully equipped performing arts theater in Montana, designed to meet the needs of both local performing groups and professional touring companies.
Billings Symphony
The Billings Symphony is in it's 51st Season. As the world embarks on new frontiers in space exploration so it seems appropriate that the Symphony launch a musical voyage to welcome the new century and millennium.
Metra Park
MetraPark, seating 12,000, is a multi-purpose facility serving as an auditorium, exhibition hall, stadium and fairgrounds for such events as live concerts, trade expositions, rodeos and horse racing, and each summer's Montana Fair. Sporting events include basketball, Football, wrestling and hockey. A calendar of events includes the Festival of Trees, Billings Home and Garden, Health and Fitness Expo, Montana Outdoor Recreation Expo, N.I.L.E. Bull Ride and Horse Show, Home Improvement Show, the Northern Rodeo Association Finals, and the State All-Class Wrestling Tournament.
Moss Mansion
Step into history with a one-hour guided tour of the Moss Mansion Historic House Museum. The tour captures early turn-of-the-century life as the Preston Boyd Moss family lived it. Visitors see original draperies, fixtures, furniture, Persian carpets and artifacts displayed in the 1903 red sandstone structure. Designed by the New York architect, Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, designer of the original Waldorf Astoria, Plaza Hotels, Williard Hotel, and Copely Hotel. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Rimrock Opera Company
Opera is for everyone! The Rimrock Opera Company was formed to give the community the opportunity to perform with national opera stars. We also intend to be a force in offering education opportunities for the students in the community.
Western Heritage Center
Offering historical exhibits and educational programs as well as cultural events, the Western Heritage Center recalls the Yellowstone Valley's past, from the 1880s to the 1940s. Housed in the original Parmly Billings Memorial Library, designed by architects John Link and Charles Haire and built in 1901 in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, the building features turrets, rubble-faced sandstone and a steep tiled roof. The Center cares for a collection of over 16,000 artifacts which provide a tangible record of the region's past. The collection includes over 1,000 photographs documenting the social history, architecture, public events and the development of the Yellowstone River Valley.
Yellowstone Art Museum
The Yellowstone Art Museum, formerly the Yellowstone Art Center, emerged from the 1964 renovation of the former Yellowstone County Jail, located at 401 North 27th Street in downtown Billings, Montana. The museum houses more than 2000 pieces and focuses on regional and western art including works by Charlie Russell, Will James and Joseph Henry Sharp. It also exhibits nationally and internationally renowned pieces and collections, as well as sponsoring Summerfair, an annual arts and crafts event, and the Annual Art Auction, which exhibits and sells the works of regional and national artists.
Zoo Montana
ZooMontana is a 70-acre zoological and botanical garden along Canyon Creek that specializes in natural habitats, especially those of the northern latitudes. Some of the current habitats include River Otter, Waterfowl, Siberian Tiger, Sika Deer, Eastern Grey Wolf, Red Panda, Bighorn Sheep, Waterfowl, Leser Spot-Nosed Guenon, and Great-Horned Owl. A Homestead Exhibit allows visitors to experience turn-of-the century domestic life and a petting zoo gives children a chance to learn about barnyard animals. One acre is set aside for the tastes, sounds, odors and feel of a Sensory Garden, which features native and exotic plants especially enjoyable to those who are sight-impaired.
- content from City of Billings
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Bridger Montana
Bridger is a small, quaint town on your way from Billings to Yellowstone.
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