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Select
brief notes about place names
throughout the state,
with an emphasis on towns. A-B,
C-D,
E-G (more coming)
Photo above on Left: The community of Landusky is named for
Powell "Pike"
Landusky, reputed to be one of the toughest rough-and-tumble
fighters of the west, who was killed by Kid Curry in 1894.
Select Towns and Their Stories
Billings –
in the Yellowstone Valley between the mountains and
plains, Billings is Montana's largest city
Bozeman –
located north of Yellowstone National Park, Bozeman
was founded by a Georgian
Butte –
at the turn of the 20th century, Butte was one of the
largest cities west of the Mississippi
Place Names of Towns and Landmarks (A-B)
County location in parenthesis; place
names are towns unless indicated otherwise. Condensed from the 1957
Montana Almanac.
Alberton (Mineral) - named for Albert J.
Earling, pres. of Chicago, Mil., St. Paul & Pacific Railway
Aldridge (Park) - named for Mr.
Aldridge, director of the Montana Coal & Coke company
Allendale (Yellowstone) - named
for Dr. W. A. Allen, who laid out the townsite
Alzada (Carter) - named for Mrs.
Alzada Sheldon in 1890, a settler in 1883; prior name: Stoneville
Anaconda Mine - named after Gen. McClellan's Anaconda strategy
during the Civil War
Anaconda (Deer Lodge) - county
seat named after the Anaconda Mine in Butte
Arlee (Lake) - named for Flathead
Indian chief, Arlee
Armstead (Beaverhead) - named for
Harry Armstead, a mining man
Ashley (Petroleum) - named for Eben L. Ashley, who homesteaded there
in early days
Assiniboine - Indian Tribe, old
fort, & military reservation; refers to stony nature of the land
Augusta (Lewis & Clark) - named
for a daughter of D. J. Hogan, prominent area rancher
Aznoe (Chouteau) - named for
Walter & Myron Aznoe who maintained P.O. on their ranch 1913-15
Bainville (Roosevelt) - named for
C. M. Bainville a local resident of that section
Baker (Fallon) - County Seat;
named for A.G. Baker, engineer with Chicago, Mil., St. Paul & Pacific RR
Banna[o]ck (Beaverhead) -
"southern people" or "root diggers"; named for tribe of Indians
Barker (Judith Basin) - named for
"Buck" Barker, discovered a mine in this section, October 23, 1879
Battrick (Fergus) - named for a
post master, a local resident
Bay Horse (Powder River) - named
for a creek, in turn derived named from a wild bay stallion
Bear Paw Mountains (Hill, Blaine,
Chouteau) - named for the ridges that resemble a bear's paw
Beaverhead (Beaverhead) - river
named for beaver head shaped rock, county name from Indians
Belgrade (Gallatin) - named in
honor of a capitalist from Belgrade, Serbia who traveled through town
Belltower (Carter) - named for a
butte in the neighborhood, resembling a bell in shape
Bennett Creek (Carbon) - creek
named for Captain Bennett of the U.S. Army, killed by Indians, 1878
Bernice (Jefferson) - named for
Bernice Cannon, dau. of Charles W. Cannon of Helena, railroad VP
Big Horn (Big Horn) - County &
river; named for Rocky Mountain sheep, frequently called "big horn"
Big Swamp Creek (Beaverhead) -
creek named from swamp land caused by beaver dams
Big Timber (Sweet Grass) - named
for the old Big Timber stage station at mouth of Big Timber Cr.
Billings (Yellowstone) - County
Seat; named for Billings family, railroad barron
Billmar Creek (Park) - named for
Andrew Billmar, an early settler
Birdseye (Lewis & Clark) -
probably named for Charles G. Birdseye, a prominent resident
Birdtail Divide (Cascade) - a
spur of hills; one peak resembles a bird's tail spread
Birney (Rosebud) - named by Joe
Brown for his partner in the cattle business
Bitterroot - Mountains & Valley;
named after the bitterroot plant
Blackfoot (Glacier) - named for
the Blackfoot [Blackfeet] Indians
Blackwood (Gallatin) - named for
Edward L. Blackwood & A. B. Blackwood, settlers in 1880s
Blaine (Blaine) - named for James
G. Blaine, United States Senator from Maine
Blair (Roosevelt) - named for
Sidney D. Blair, a local resident
Bloody Dick Creek (Beaverhead) -
creek named for an Englishman living there in the 1860s
Bonner (Missoula) - named fro E.L.
Bonner, early settler in Missoula and RR president
Boulder (Jefferson) - County
Seat; named for stream along which there are numerous boulders
Boyes (Carter) - named for a Mr.
Boyes, a resident of the vicinity
Bozeman (Gallatin) - County Seat;
named for John M. Bozeman, pioneer, 1864 settler
Bridger (Carbon) - named for Jim
Bridger, scout, fur trader and guide; originally named Stringtown
Broadus (Powder River) - County
Seat; named for Broaddus family, early settlers on Powder River
Broadwater (Broadwater) - county
named for Colonel Charles A. Broadwater, a pioneer
Brockway (McCone) - named for a
James Brockway, an early settler in that section
Browning (Glacier) - named for
Commissioner Browning of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Brown's Gulch (Silver Bow) -
gulch named for Peter Brown, who located a claim there in the 1860s
Bruffey's (Park) - named for
George, an early settler in the vicinity
Burtonville (Teton) - named for
Z.T. Burton, founder of the settlement
Butte (Silver Bow) - named for a
prominent butte overlooking the city
Bynum (Teton) - named for the
Bynum family, early settlers in the region
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