Editing Lodge Grass, Montana

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Lodge Grass, Montana
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]
| native_name        = ''Eelalapiío<br>Aashbacheeitche''
| image_skyline      = File:Crow Reservation 19.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Landforms near Lodge Grass, Montana
| image_map          = Big_Horn_County_Montana_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Lodge_Grass_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Lodge Grass, Montana
<!-- Location -->| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{USA}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|Montana}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Montana|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Big Horn County, Montana|Big Horn]]
<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Quincy Dabney<ref>{{cite web |title=Water System Details |url=https://sdwisdww.mt.gov/DWW/JSP/WaterSystemDetail.jsp?tinwsys_is_number=1530&tinwsys_st_code=MT&wsnumber=MT0000277 |website=Drinking Water Branch |access-date=30 January 2025}}</ref>
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = <!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 5, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 0.67
| area_land_km2      = 0.67
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi   = 0.26
| area_land_sq_mi    = 0.26
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00
<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 441
| population_density_km2 = 659.83
| population_density_sq_mi = 1709.30
<!-- General information -->| timezone           = [[Mountain Time Zone|Mountain (MST)]]
| utc_offset         = -7
| timezone_DST       = MDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -6
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 3366
| coordinates        = {{coord|45|18|51|N|107|22|04|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 59050
| area_code          = [[Area code 406|406]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 30-44275
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2412909<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2412909}}</ref>
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Lodge Grass''' ({{langx|cro|Eelalapiío}})<ref>Crow Language Consortium, Crow Dictionary Online, "Lodge Grass" [https://dictionary.crowlanguage.org/#/E/lodge%20grass Link]</ref> is a town in [[Big Horn County, Montana|Big Horn County]], [[Montana]], United States. The population was 441 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=November 2, 2021}}</ref>

It is at the confluence of Lodge Grass Creek and the [[Little Bighorn River]], on the [[Crow Indian Reservation]].

==Source and derivation of name==
The two words of the name of "Lodge Grass" are not usually put together, in that order, to make a commonly used name, or meaningful phrase.  This is because the name "Lodge Grass" came from a mistake of interpretation of the Crow Indian name for "Greasy Grass".

Lodge Grass is named after Lodge Grass Creek, which flows through the town, but as explained in a video viewed in 2013 on YouTube by [[Joe Medicine Crow]], Crow tribal historian, the correct Crow name for Lodge Grass Creek is Greasy Grass Creek.<ref name="Medicine Crow">{{cite web|last=Medicine Crow|first=Joe|title=Dr. Joe Medicine Crow at Lodge Grass Creek, March 25, 2012|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOcD19TSLYI| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201150233/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOcD19TSLYI| archive-date=February 1, 2014 | url-status=dead|publisher=WYman Scott|accessdate=June 12, 2013}}</ref>

Crow tradition holds that when the Crows camped on the bottoms of the Lodge Grass Creek or the Little Bighorn River in the spring and summer, when the grass in the valley would be high and when the dew was heavy the bellies and legs of the horses would become wet and glisten as if covered with grease.<ref name="Medicine Crow" /> In another traditional version of the same derivation of the name, when the Crows camped on the creek and walked through the thick grass in the morning when it held dew, their moccasins and leggings would get wet and they would look greasy.  Thus the Crows called the valley areas of the Little Bighorn River and Lodge Grass Creek  "the Greasy Grass".

The Sioux also called the Little Horn River the Greasy Grass Creek.

The Crow name for "greasy" and the Crow name for "lodge" sound very much alike.  The Crow word for "greasy" is ''Tah-shay'', and the Crow word for "lodge" is ''Ah-shay'',<ref name="Medicine Crow" /> and the words sound so much alike that an early interpreter mistakenly interpreted the Crow name for "Greasy Grass" as "Lodge Grass".<ref name="Medicine Crow" />

The misinterpreted name stuck, and so the creek, and then the town became known as Lodge Grass.

==Geography==
[[Interstate 90 in Montana|Interstate 90]] passes near the community, with access from Exit 530. Grey Blanket Creek runs nearby.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.24|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=December 18, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archivedate=July 2, 2012 }}</ref>

A traditional camping area near the town is called '''{{lang|cro|Iishipia}}''' in the [[Crow language]].<ref>{{Cite web
| title = Apsáalooke Place Names Database
| work = Library @ Little Big Horn College
| accessdate = April 27, 2013
| url = http://lib.lbhc.edu/index.php?q=node%2F200&search=&d=Lodge+Grass&s=&submit=Go
}}</ref>

===Climate===
According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Lodge Grass has a [[semi-arid climate]], abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=42942&cityname=Lodge+Grass%2C+Montana%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary Lodge Grass, Montana]</ref>
{{Weather box
|location = Lodge Grass, Montana
|single line = Yes
|metric first = Yes
|collapsed = yes
|Jan high F = 38
|Feb high F = 44
|Mar high F = 51
|Apr high F = 61
|May high F = 71
|Jun high F = 80
|Jul high F = 90
|Aug high F = 89
|Sep high F = 78
|Oct high F = 64
|Nov high F = 49
|Dec high F = 40
|year high F = 63
|Jan low F = 17
|Feb low F = 22
|Mar low F = 27
|Apr low F = 36
|May low F = 45
|Jun low F = 52
|Jul low F = 58
|Aug low F = 57
|Sep low F = 48
|Oct low F = 39
|Nov low F = 28
|Dec low F = 20
|year low F = 37
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.9
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.7
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.3
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.1
|May precipitation inch = 2.9
|Jun precipitation inch = 2.6
|Jul precipitation inch = 1.3
|Aug precipitation inch = 1
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.8
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.7
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.9
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.8
|year precipitation inch = 17.8
|source 1 = Weatherbase <ref name=Weatherbase>
{{cite web
|url =http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=42942&cityname=Lodge-Grass-Montana
|publisher=Weatherbase
|title=Weatherbase.com
|year=2013
}}
Retrieved on September 24, 2013.
</ref>
|date=September  2013
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1930= 373
|1940= 839
|1950= 536
|1960= 687
|1970= 806
|1980= 499
|1990= 517
|2000= 510
|2010= 428
|2020= 441
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref><ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="2010 Census">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=December 18, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 428 people, 114 households, and 95 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1783.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 133 housing units at an average density of {{convert|554.2|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 9.6% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 86.7% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.2% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 3.3% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 114 households, of which 59.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 26.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 13.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 16.7% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.75 and the average family size was 4.05.

The median age in the town was 24.7 years. 39.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20% were from 25 to 44; 20.7% were from 45 to 64; and 8.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 510 people, 147 households, and 115 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|2,141.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 164 housing units at an average density of {{convert|688.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 11.57% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 86.67% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.59% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.18% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.57% of the population.

There were 147 households, out of which 57.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 27.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.1% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.47 and the average family size was 3.90.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 42.4% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 13.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $22,120, and the median income for a family was $22,222. Males had a median income of $20,833 versus $20,375 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $8,130. About 37.1% of families and 40.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 47.4% of those under age 18 and 31.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
The Lodge Grass city limits and surrounding is located within School District 2 & 27, or Lodge Grass Schools. The public  school system has been in existence since 1908. The mascot for Lodge Grass Schools are the Indians and Lady Indians.<ref>{{cite web |title=Member Schools |url=https://www.mhsa.org/memberschools |publisher=Montana High School Association |access-date=April 19, 2021}}</ref>  The [[Lodge Grass High School]] boys' basketball program is noted for having won five Class B state championships from 1980 to 1990, under Coach Gordon Real Bird.

==Notable people==
* [[Hairy Moccasin]] (1854 — 1922), a scout for the [[7th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|Seventh Cavalry]]
* [[Tuff Harris]] (b. 1983), [[National Football League]], 2007–2011 and in 2011, [[Canadian Football League]]
* [[Joe Medicine Crow]] (1913 – 2016), author and historian of the [[Crow Tribe]]
* [[Clara Nomee]] (1938 – 2012), former five-term chairwoman of the Crow Tribe (1990-2000)
* [[Kevin Red Star]] (b. 1943), [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] artist
* [[Pauline Small]] (1924 – 2005), first woman to be elected to any office of the Crow Tribe
* [[White Man Runs Him]] (c. 1858 – 1929), scout and source for the history of the [[Battle of the Little Bighorn]].
* [[Thomas Yellowtail]] (1903 - 1993), [[medicine man]] and chief of the Crow Tribe; born in Lodge Grass<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Yellowtail-Crow-Medicine-Dance-Chief/dp/0806126027 Yellowtail, Crow Medicine Man and Sun Dance Chief], Autobiography, Thomas Yellowtail and Michael Oren Fitzgerald, March 15, 1994. Retrieved June 10, 2016.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Big Horn County, Montana}}

[[Category:Towns in Big Horn County, Montana]]
[[Category:Crow Tribe of Montana]]