Eastern Montana
Encyclopedia
Eastern Montana is a loosely-defined region of Montana. Some definitions are more or less inclusive than others, ranging from the most inclusive, which would include the entire part of the state east of the eastern front of the Rocky Mountains
. The center portion of Montana has come to be known as Central Montana thus making the more widely excepted definition of Eastern Montana as only the eastern third of the state.
Eastern Montana is in the midst of an economic boom with the Bakken formation
, the largest oil discovery in U.S. history,
, Blackfeet
and Crow
.
By the late 19th century, people from european decent set up homestead
s in the region, and the Native Americans
were mostly confined to Indian reservations as they were through out Montana and the west. To this day, Eastern Montana has a proud Native American
population.
Eastern Montana was the location of Custer's Last Stand.
or semi-arid
climate, with low precipitation that is to some extent countered by low evaporation rates. Typical precipitation is 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 cm), mostly in the form of snow
, which can fall at any time of the year, and summer thunderstorms. Summers are short but hot and winters are long and bitterly cold, though some parts of eastern Montana are moderated by the Chinook wind
, causing 'warm' spells of 35-50F (2-10C) that can last from several days to 2–3 weeks. Some parts of eastern Montana near desert
conditions and scrub in these areas substitutes for grassland
.
Though the prairie
landscape of eastern Montana has traditionally been considered a part of the Great Plains
, a recent (early 2010s) study has shown that, at least in some ways, the biomes of Eastern Montana have more in common and share more species with the Intermountain West
scrub steppes and the Palouse
of Eastern Washington
than they have with the neighboring plains of The Dakotas
. Eastern Montana also has breaks and highlands that are widely forested, such as the Custer National Forest
and areas around Fort Peck Lake
, contrary to the almost completely treeless plains of the Midwest.
and Scandinavia
n, especially Norwegian
, settlers.
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. The center portion of Montana has come to be known as Central Montana thus making the more widely excepted definition of Eastern Montana as only the eastern third of the state.
Eastern Montana is in the midst of an economic boom with the Bakken formation
Bakken Formation
The Bakken formation, initially described by geologist J.W. Nordquist in 1953,is a rock unit from the Late Devonian to Early Mississippian age occupying about of the subsurface of the Williston Basin, underlying parts of Montana, North Dakota, and Saskatchewan...
, the largest oil discovery in U.S. history,
History
The plains of eastern Montana were historically populated by Plains Indian tribes such as the SiouxSioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
, Blackfeet
Blackfeet
The Piegan Blackfeet are a tribe of Native Americans of the Algonquian language family based in Montana, having lived in this area since around 6,500 BC. Many members of the tribe live as part of the Blackfeet Nation in northwestern Montana, with population centered in Browning...
and Crow
Crow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
.
By the late 19th century, people from european decent set up homestead
Homestead (buildings)
A homestead is either a single building, or collection of buildings grouped together on a large agricultural holding, such as a ranch, station or a large agricultural operation of some other designation.-See also:* Farm house* Homestead Act...
s in the region, and the Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
were mostly confined to Indian reservations as they were through out Montana and the west. To this day, Eastern Montana has a proud Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
population.
Eastern Montana was the location of Custer's Last Stand.
Geography, Biomes and Climate
Eastern Montana has a steppeSteppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
or semi-arid
Semi-arid
A semi-arid climate or steppe climate describes climatic regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely...
climate, with low precipitation that is to some extent countered by low evaporation rates. Typical precipitation is 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 cm), mostly in the form of snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
, which can fall at any time of the year, and summer thunderstorms. Summers are short but hot and winters are long and bitterly cold, though some parts of eastern Montana are moderated by the Chinook wind
Chinook wind
Chinook winds , often called chinooks, commonly refers to foehn winds in the interior West of North America, where the Canadian Prairies and Great Plains meet various mountain ranges, although the original usage is in reference to wet, warm coastal winds in the Pacific Northwest.Chinook is claimed...
, causing 'warm' spells of 35-50F (2-10C) that can last from several days to 2–3 weeks. Some parts of eastern Montana near desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
conditions and scrub in these areas substitutes for grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
.
Though the prairie
Prairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
landscape of eastern Montana has traditionally been considered a part of the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
, a recent (early 2010s) study has shown that, at least in some ways, the biomes of Eastern Montana have more in common and share more species with the Intermountain West
Intermountain West
The Intermountain West is a region of North America lying between the Rocky Mountains to the east and the Cascades and Sierra Nevada to the west. It is also called the Intermountain Region.- Topography :...
scrub steppes and the Palouse
Palouse
The Palouse is a region of the northwestern United States, encompassing parts of southeastern Washington, north central Idaho and, in some definitions, extending south into northeast Oregon. It is a major agricultural area, primarily producing wheat and legumes...
of Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington is the portion of the U.S. state of Washington east of the Cascade Range. The region contains the city of Spokane , the Tri-Cities, the Columbia River and the Grand Coulee Dam, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and the fertile farmlands of the Yakima Valley and the...
than they have with the neighboring plains of The Dakotas
The Dakotas
The Dakotas is a collective term that refers to the U.S. states of North Dakota and South Dakota together. The term has been used historically to describe the Dakota Territory, and is continued to be used to describe the collective heritage, culture, geography, fauna, sociology, the economy, and...
. Eastern Montana also has breaks and highlands that are widely forested, such as the Custer National Forest
Custer National Forest
Custer National Forest is located primarily in the southern part of the U.S. state of Montana but also has separate sections in northwestern South Dakota. With a total area of 1,278,279 acres , the forest comprises over 10 separate sections...
and areas around Fort Peck Lake
Fort Peck Lake
Fort Peck Lake, or Lake Fort Peck, is a major reservoir in Montana, formed by the Fort Peck Dam on the Missouri River. The lake lies in the eastern prairie region of Montana approximately east of Great Falls and north of Billings, reaching into portions of six counties.The dam and reservoir were...
, contrary to the almost completely treeless plains of the Midwest.
Culture
Eastern Montana was mostly settled by GermanGermans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
and Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n, especially Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, settlers.
Cities in eastern Montana
- Glasgow, MontanaGlasgow, MontanaGlasgow is a city in and the county seat of Valley County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,253 at the 2000 census.-History:Glasgow was founded in 1887 as a railroad town by James J. Hill, who was responsible for creating many communities along the Hi-Line. The town was named after...
- Glendive, MontanaGlendive, MontanaGlendive is a city in and the county seat of Dawson County, Montana, United States. The population was 4,935 at the 2010 census.The town of Glendive is located in South Eastern Montana and is considered by many as an agricultural hub of Eastern Montana...
- Miles City, MontanaMiles City, MontanaMiles City is a city in and the county seat of Custer County, Montana, United States. The population was 8,123 at the 2010 census.- History :...
- Sidney, MontanaSidney, MontanaSidney is a city in and the county seat of Richland County, Montana, United States, less than away from the North Dakota border. The population was 5,191 at the 2010 census. The city lies along the Yellowstone River and is in proximity to the badlands of the Dakotas...