Editing Billings, Montana (section)

==History==
{{see also|Timeline of Billings, Montana}}

===Name===
The city is named for [[Frederick H. Billings]], a former president of the [[Northern Pacific Railroad]] from [[Woodstock, Vermont]]. An earlier name for the area was Clark's Fork Bottom.

The [[Crow language|Crow]]  people from the nearby [[Crow Indian Reservation]] call the city {{lang|cro|Ammalapáshkuua}}. It means 'where they cut wood', and is named as such because of a sawmill built in the area by early white settlers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Apsáalooke Place Names Database |work=Library @ Little Big Horn College|access-date=March 19, 2020|url=http://lib.lbhc.edu/index.php?q=node%2F200&search=Ammalapashkuua}}</ref> The [[Cheyenne language|Cheyenne]] from the nearby [[Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation]] refer to the city as {{langx|chy|É'êxováhtóva|lit=sawing place|label=none}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Cheyenne placenames|work=Cheyenne Language|url=http://www.cheyennelanguage.org/words/places/places.htm|access-date=March 19, 2020}}</ref> and the [[Gros Ventre language|Gros Ventre]] from the nearby [[Fort Belknap Indian Reservation]] refer to it as {{langx|ats|ʔóhuutébiθɔnɔ́ɔ́nh|lit=where they saw lumber|label=none}},<ref>{{cite journal|author=Cowell, A.|author2=Taylor, A.|author3=Brockie, T.|title=Gros Ventre ethnogeography and place names: A diachronic perspective|journal=Anthropological Linguistics|year=2016|volume=58|number=2|pages=132–170|doi=10.1353/anl.2016.0025|s2cid=151520012}}</ref> both also named for the sawmill, or translations of the Crow name.

===Prehistory===
The downtown core and much of the rest of Billings is in the Yellowstone Valley, a canyon carved out by the [[Yellowstone River]]. Around 80 million years ago, the Billings area was on the shore of the [[Western Interior Seaway]]. The sea deposited sediment and sand around the shoreline. As the sea retreated, it left a deep layer of sand. Over millions of years, this sand was compressed into stone known as [[Eagle Sandstone]]. Over the last million years the river has carved its way down through this stone to form the canyon walls known as the Billings [[Rimrocks]] or the Rims.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Shores of an Ancient Sea...|url=http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/docs/roadsigns/ShoreAncientSea.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130324024110/http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/docs/roadsigns/ShoreAncientSea.pdf |archive-date=2013-03-24 |url-status=live|publisher=Montana Department of Transportation|access-date=March 27, 2013}}</ref>

The [[Pictograph Cave (Billings, Montana)|Pictograph Caves]] are about five miles south of downtown. These caves contain over 100 [[Pictogram|pictographs]] (rock paintings), the oldest of which is over 2,000 years old. Approximately 30,000 artifacts (including stone tools and weapons) have been excavated from the site.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pictograph Cave State Park|url=http://stateparks.mt.gov/pictograph-cave/|publisher=Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks|access-date=February 26, 2013}}</ref> These excavations have proven the area has been occupied since at least 2600 BC until after AD 1800.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pictograph Cave |url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=307&ResourceType=Site |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=February 26, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905013208/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=307&ResourceType=Site |archive-date=2012-09-05}}</ref>

The [[Crow Indians]] have called the Billings area home since about 1700. The present-day [[Crow Nation]] is just south of Billings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crowtribe.com/ |title=Official Website of the Crow Tribe - Aps?alooke Nation Executive Branch |access-date=January 31, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131021713/http://www.crowtribe.com/ |archive-date=January 31, 2013  }}</ref>

===Lewis and Clark Expedition===
In July 1806, [[William Clark]] (of the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]]) passed through the Billings area. On July 25 he arrived at what is now known as [[Pompeys Pillar National Monument|Pompey's Pillar]] and wrote in his journal "... at 4 P M arrived at a remarkable rock, i ascended this rock and from its top had a most extensive view in every direction."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804–1806|url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8419/8419-h/8419-h.htm#link32H_4_0351|publisher=Project Gutenburg|access-date=February 26, 2013|author=Meriwether Lewis and William Clark}}</ref> Clark carved his name and the date into the rock, leaving the only remaining physical evidence of their expedition. He named the place Pompey's Tower, naming it after the son of his [[Shoshone]] interpreter and guide [[Sacajawea]]. In 1965, Pompey's Pillar was designated as a national historic landmark, and was proclaimed a national monument in January 2001. An interpretive center has been built next to the monument.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pompeys Pillar National Monument|url=http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/content/mt/en/fo/billings_field_office/pompeyspillar.html|publisher=Bureau of Land Management|access-date=February 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130316083125/http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/content/mt/en/fo/billings_field_office/pompeyspillar.html|archive-date=March 16, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Coulson/Billings===
[[File:Coulson, Montana.jpg|thumb|[[Coulson, Montana]]]]

The area where Billings is today was known as Clark's Fork Bottom. Clark's Fork Bottom was to be the hub for hauling freight to Judith and Musselshell Basins. At the time these were some of the most productive areas of the [[Montana Territory]]. The plan was to run freight up Alkali Creek, now part of Billings Heights, to the basins and [[Fort Benton, Montana|Fort Benton]] on the [[Hi-Line (Montana)|Hi-Line]].{{citation needed|date=May 2014}}

In 1877, settlers from the Gallatin Valley area of the Montana Territory formed [[Coulson, Montana|Coulson]] the first town of the Yellowstone Valley.<ref name="autogenerated2" /> The town was started when John Alderson built a sawmill and convinced PW McAdow to open a general store and trading post on land Alderson owned on the bank of the Yellowstone River. The store went by the name of Headquarters, and soon other buildings and tents were being built as the town began to grow. At this time before the coming of the railroad, most goods coming to and going from the Montana Territory were carried on paddle riverboats. It is believed it was decided to name the new town Coulson in an attempt to attract the Coulson Packet Company that ran riverboats between St Louis and many points in the Montana Territory. In spite of their efforts the river was traversed only once by paddle riverboat to the point of the new town.

Coulson was a rough town of dance halls and saloons and not a single church. The town needed a sheriff and the famous mountain man [[Liver-Eating Johnson|John "Liver-Eating" Johnson]] took the job. Many disagreements were settled with a gun in the coarse Wild West town. Soon a graveyard was needed and [[Boothill Cemetery (Billings, Montana)|Boothill Cemetery]] was created. It was called Boothill because most of the people in it were said to have died with their boots on. Today, Boothill Cemetery sits within Billings' city limits and is the only remaining physical evidence of Coulson's existence.

When the railroad came to the area, Coulson residents were sure the town would become the railroads hub and Coulson would soon be the Territories largest city. The railroad only had claim to odd sections and it had two sections side-by-side about two miles west of Coulson. Being able to make far more money by creating a new town on these two sections the railroad decided to create the new town of Billings, the two towns existed side by side for a short time with a trolley even running between them. However, most of Coulson's residents moved to the new booming town of Billings. In the end Coulson faded away with the last remains of the town disappearing in the 1930s. Today Coulson Park, a Billings city park, sits on the river bank where Coulson once was.<ref>{{cite web|title=Yellowstone County Towns, Train Stations & Post Offices|url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mtygf/towns.htm|publisher=rootsweb|access-date=March 27, 2013}}</ref>

===Early railroad town===
Named after the [[Northern Pacific Railway]] president [[Frederick H. Billings]], the city was founded in 1882.<ref name="names">{{cite book|last1=Carkeek Cheney|first1=Roberta|title=Names on the Face of Montana|date=1983|publisher=Mountain Press Publishing Company|location=Missoula, Montana|isbn=0-87842-150-5|page=5}}</ref><ref name="mhs">{{cite web|title=Montana Place Names Companion|url=http://mtplacenames.org/|publisher=Montana Historical Society|access-date=July 25, 2017}}</ref> The Railroad formed the city as a western railhead for its further westward expansion. At first the new town had only three buildings but within just a few months it had grown to over 2,000. This spurred Billings' nickname of the Magic City because, like magic, it seemed to appear overnight.<ref name="autogenerated2" />

{{Panorama|image=File:MT Panoramic view of Billings 1915.jpg|caption=Panoramic view of downtown Billings, 1915, looking east and south from the intersection of North 28th Street (extending away in the photo's right half) and 3rd Avenue North (extending away in the photo's  left half). The [[Electric Building (Billings, Montana)|Electric Building]] is under construction (center). [[First Congregational United Church of Christ (Billings, Montana)|First Congregational Church]] is on the far left. |height=200}}

The nearby town of Coulson appeared a far more likely site. Coulson was a rough-and-tumble town where arguments were often followed by gunplay. [[Liver-Eating Johnson]] was a lawman in Coulson.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://johnlivereatingjohnston.com/ |title=John Liver Eating Johnston |publisher=Johnlivereatingjohnston.com |date=July 5, 2009 |access-date=August 7, 2012}}</ref> Perhaps the most famous person to be buried in Coulson's Boothill cemetery is H.M. "Muggins" Taylor,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billings.k12.mt.us/talesw/teamtale/castle/taylor.htm |title=Taylor |publisher=Billings.k12.mt.us |access-date=August 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722022000/http://www.billings.k12.mt.us/talesw/teamtale/castle/taylor.htm |archive-date=July 22, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> the scout who carried the news of Custer's Last Stand at the [[Battle of the Little Bighorn|Battle of Little Bighorn]] to the world. Most buried here were said to have died with their boots on. The town of Coulson had been on the [[Yellowstone River]], which made it ideal for the commerce [[steamboat]]s brought up the river. However, when the Montana & Minnesota Land Company oversaw the development of potential railroad land, they ignored Coulson, and platted the new town of Billings just a couple of miles to the northwest. Coulson quickly faded away; most of her residents were absorbed into Billings. Yet, for a short time, the two towns coexisted; a trolley even ran between them. But ultimately there was no future for Coulson as Billings grew. Though it stood on the banks of the Yellowstone River only a couple of miles from the heart of present-day downtown Billings, the city of Billings never built on the land where Coulson once stood. Today Coulson Park sits along the banks of the Yellowstone where the valley's first town once stood.<ref name="autogenerated2" />

===20th century===
[[File:Montana - Billings - NARA - 23941913 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Aerial view of Downtown Billings, 1930]]
By the 1910 census, Billings' population had risen to 10,031, ranking it the sixth fastest-growing community in the nation.<ref name="autogenerated2" /> Billings became an energy center in the early years of the twentieth century with the discovery of oil fields in Montana and Wyoming. Then the discovery of large natural gas and coal reserves secured the city's rank as first in energy.<ref name="autogenerated2" /> In the early 20th century, its served as regional trading center and energy hub for eastern Montana and northern Wyoming, an area then known as the [[Midland Empire]].

[[File:First Interstate Center, Billings, MT cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|Built in 1985 and standing at {{Convert|272|ft|m}}, [[First Interstate Center]] is the tallest building in Montana.<ref>{{cite web|title=First Interstate Center|url=http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=6284|access-date=August 1, 2012|author=Skyscraper Source Media Inc.}}</ref>]]

After [[World War II]], Billings became the region's major financial, medical and cultural center. Billings has had rapid growth from its founding; in its first 50 years growth was, at times, as high as 200 to 300 percent per decade.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T9HrAAAAMAAJ&q=census+billings+montana+1900&pg=PA311 |title=Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910: Population by Counties and ... – United States. Bureau of the Census |date=May 17, 2012 |access-date=August 7, 2012}}</ref>

Billings growth has remained robust throughout the years. In the 1950s, it growth rate was 66 percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://population.us/mt/billings/ |title=Population of Billings, Montana |location=Billings / |publisher=population.us |access-date=March 11, 2019}}</ref> The [[1973 oil embargo]] by [[OPEC]] spurred an oil boom in eastern Montana, northern Wyoming and western North Dakota. With this increase in oil production, Billings became the headquarters for energy sector companies. In 1975 and 1976, the [[Colstrip]] coal-fire generation plants 1 and 2 were completed; plants 3 and 4 started operating in 1984 and 1986.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Billings saw major growth in its downtown core; the first high-rise buildings to be built in Montana were erected. In 1980, the 22-floor Sheraton Hotel was completed. Upon its completion, it was declared "the tallest load-bearing brick masonry building in the world" by the Brick Institute of America.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=sheratonbillingshotel-billings-mt-usa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021232341/http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=sheratonbillingshotel-billings-mt-usa |url-status=usurped |archive-date=October 21, 2012 |title=Crowne Plaza, Billings, U.S.A |location=Billings / |publisher=Emporis.com |access-date=August 7, 2012}}</ref> During the 1970s and 1980s, other major buildings were constructed in the downtown core;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emporis.com/wm/ci/bu/?id=102598 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024100808/http://www.emporis.com/wm/ci/bu/?id=102598 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=October 24, 2012 |title=Buildings of Billings |publisher=Emporis.com |access-date=August 7, 2012}}</ref> the Norwest Building (now Wells Fargo), Granite Tower, Sage Tower, the MetraPark arena, the TransWestern Center, many new city-owned parking garages, and the [[First Interstate Center]], the tallest building in Montana.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=1interstatecenter-billings-mt-usa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024234428/http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=1interstatecenter-billings-mt-usa |url-status=usurped |archive-date=October 24, 2012 |title=First Interstate Center, Billings, U.S.A |location=Billings / |publisher=Emporis.com |access-date=August 7, 2012}}</ref>

With the completion of large sections of the interstate system in Montana in the 1970s, Billings became a shopping destination for an ever-larger area. The 1970s and 1980s saw new shopping districts and shopping centers developed in the Billings area. In addition to the other shopping centers, two new malls were developed, and Rimrock Mall was redeveloped and enlarged, on what was then the city's west end. Cross Roads Mall was built in Billings Heights, and West Park Plaza mall in midtown. Several new business parks were also developed on the city's west end during this period.

Billings was affected by the [[1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens]] in May; the city received about {{Convert|1|in|adj=on}} of ash on the ground.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2000/fs036-00/ |title=Mount St. Helens – From the 1980 Eruption to 2000, Fact Sheet 036-00 |publisher=pubs.usgs.gov |access-date=August 7, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512162409/http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2000/fs036-00/ |archive-date=May 12, 2013  }}</ref> The [[Yellowstone fires of 1988]] blanketed Billings in smoke for weeks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yellowstone-bearman.com/yfire.html |title=Yellowstone's Year Of Fire-1988 |publisher=Yellowstone-bearman.com |date=August 20, 1988 |access-date=August 7, 2012}}</ref>

In the 1990s, the service sector in the city increased with the development of new shopping centers built around big box stores which built multiple outlets in the Billings area. With the addition of more interchange exits along [[I-90]], additional hotel chains and service industry outlets are being built in Billings. Development of business parks and large residential developments on the city's west end, South Hills area, Lockwood, and the Billings Heights were all part of the 1990s. Billings received the [[All-America City Award]] in 1992.

===21st century===
[[File:4th Av Downtown Billings, Montana.JPG|thumb|Intersection of 4th Ave. N., and N. 28th St. downtown]]

In the 21st century, Billings saw the development of operations centers in the city's business parks and downtown core by such national companies as GE, Wells Fargo, and First Interstate Bank. The Downtown Billings Alliance led efforts to transform downtown in order to increase economic and civic opportunities.<ref name="dba">{{cite web |title=the mission |url=https://downtownbillings.com/about/about-the-dba/ |publisher=Downtown Billings Alliance |access-date=20 May 2023}}</ref> In 2002, [[Skypoint]] was completed. This artistic structure provides a defining area to host events. Downtown saw a renaissance of the historic area as building after building was restored.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gazette opinion: Another wave of downtown renaissance |url=https://billingsgazette.com/opinion/gazette-opinion-another-wave-of-downtown-renaissance/article_d47612c3-ff51-5ce2-82ab-449eb08096b8.html |publisher=Billings Gazette |access-date=20 May 2023 |date=Jul 17, 2018}}</ref> In 2007, Billings was designated a [[Preserve America|Preserve America Community]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.preserveamerica.gov/12-26-07PAcommunity-billingsMT.html |title=Preserve America Community |publisher=Preserveamerica.gov |date=March 13, 2009 |access-date=August 7, 2012 |archive-date=July 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716075427/http://www.preserveamerica.gov/12-26-07PAcommunity-billingsMT.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Various changes were made to make the city more environmentally friendly. The [[Billings Metropolitan Transit|MET Transit Center]] for city buses received [[LEED]] Platinum status in 2010. This was the first transportation facility in the US to do so.<ref name="bpw">{{cite web |title=City of Billings receives U.S. Green Building Council LEED Cities Grant |url=https://www.billingsmtpublicworks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/867/LEED-Cities-Press-Release-on-Scholarship-Grant-04192021-final |publisher=Billings Public Works |access-date=20 May 2023 |date=April 19, 2021}}</ref> In 2022, Billings received LEED Gold certification, the first city to do so in Montana and the 21st globally.<ref name="gold LEED">{{cite web |title=LEED for Cities Gold |url=https://www.billingsmt.gov/3097/LEED-for-Cities-Gold |publisher=City of Billings |access-date=20 May 2023}}</ref> Projects to achieve this status included increased efficiency at the water and waste water treatment plant, adding electric city buses and EV charging stations, and adding a conservation area to the west-end.<ref name="gold LEED" />

Significant road developments began, providing infrastructure for city growth. In 2000, a new exit on [[Interstate 90]] was completed. Zoo Drive exit provides ease of access to the quickly growing west-end area.<ref name="shiloh">{{cite web |title=Gazette opinion: Public investment paves way for Shiloh businesses |date=September 3, 2014 |url=https://billingsgazette.com/news/opinion/editorial/gazette-opinion/gazette-opinion-public-investment-paves-way-for-shiloh-businesses/article_0501b889-4e5a-5f58-8092-4da509f86175.html |publisher=Billings Gazette |access-date=20 May 2023}}</ref> The [[Yellowstone River]] bridge is being rebuilt as part of the Billings Bypass project, which will create a new arterial roadway from Lockwood to the Heights.<ref name="river bridge">{{cite web |last1=Riesinger |first1=Russ |title=Bridge construction underway for new Billings Bypass project |url=https://www.ktvq.com/news/local-news/bridge-construction-underway-for-new-billings-bypass-project |publisher=KTVQ |access-date=20 May 2023 |date=May 19, 2021}}</ref><ref name="MT DOT">{{cite web |title=Project Overview |url=https://www.mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/billingsbypass/ |publisher=Montana Department of Transportation |access-date=20 May 2023}}</ref>

The city saw a significant growth in businesses. With the completion of the Shiloh interchange exit, the TransTech Center was developed<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.transtechcenter.com/ |title=Transtech Center |publisher=Transtech Center |access-date=August 7, 2012}}</ref> and more hotels were built. In 2010 the Shiloh corridor was open for business with the completion of the Shiloh parkway, a {{convert|4.8|mi|km|adj=on}} multi-lane street with eight [[roundabout]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/government-and-politics/article_146041ab-beff-52c0-97a1-791734c50f36.html|title=Shiloh Road open end to end | publisher = BillingsGazette.com |date=November 13, 2010 |access-date=August 7, 2012}}</ref>  Other new centers include Billings Town Square and West Park Promenade, Montana's first open-air shopping mall. In 2009, ''Fortune Small Business'' magazine named Billings the best small city in which to start a business.<ref name="autogenerated1" /><ref name="billingsgazette.com" />

On June 20, 2010 (Father's Day), [[2010 Billings tornado|a tornado]] touched down in the downtown core and Heights sections of Billings. The [[MetraPark Arena]] and area businesses suffered major damage.

In the 2010s, Eastern Montana and North Dakota experienced an energy boom due to the [[Bakken formation]], the largest oil discovery in U.S. history.<ref name="marketwire.com" /><ref name="wallstreet-online.de" />