Big Timber, Montana

Big Timber
Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel
Location of Big Timber, Montana
Location of Big Timber, Montana
Coordinates: 45°50′0″N 109°57′1″W / 45.83333°N 109.95028°W / 45.83333; -109.95028
CountryUnited States
StateMontana
CountySweet Grass
Government
 • TypeMayor Council
 • MayorRolland Karlin
Area
 • Total0.98 sq mi (2.53 km2)
 • Land0.98 sq mi (2.53 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
4,091 ft (1,247 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total1,650
 • Density1,688.84/sq mi (651.84/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP code
59011
Area code406
FIPS code30-06475
GNIS feature ID0802032
Websitewww.cityofbigtimber.com

Big Timber is a city in, and the county seat of, Sweet Grass County, Montana, United States.[2] The population was 1,650 at the 2020 census.[3]

Big Timber takes its name from Big Timber Creek, which was named by William Clark because of the large cottonwood trees.[4] The post office was established in 1880, closed, then reopened in 1882 with Ella Burns as postmaster.[5] As a stop on the Northern Pacific Railroad, Big Timber became a major wool-shipping depot. It became the county seat in 1895.[6] A fire in 1908 destroyed half the commercial buildings and a third of the residential homes.[6]

  1. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  4. ^ French, Brett (June 12, 2008). "Big Timber's Chinatown: Dig reveals a rich cultural past". Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  5. ^ Carkeek Cheney, Roberta (1983). Names on the Face of Montana. Missoula, Montana: Mountain Press Publishing Company. p. 5. ISBN 0-87842-150-5.
  6. ^ a b "Montana Place Names Companion". Montana Historical Society. Retrieved July 25, 2017.