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Columbus, Montana
Columbus, Montana
Columbus, Montana
Location of Columbus, Montana
Location of Columbus, Montana
Country United States
State Montana
County Stillwater
Area
 • Total 1.37 sq mi (3.55 km2)
 • Land 1.37 sq mi (3.55 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
3,586 ft (1,093 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 1,857
 • Density 1,355.47/sq mi (523.10/km2)
Time zone UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code
59019
Area code(s) 406
FIPS code 30-16825
GNIS feature ID 0770043

Columbus is a town in and the county seat of Stillwater County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,857 at the 2020 census.

History

The community originated as a stagecoach station on the Yellowstone River.

The original name was Sheep Dip, then changed to Stillwater, but because of a Stillwater, Minnesota on the Northern Pacific RR, the mail presented a problem. Then came the name Columbus, Montana.

Geography and climate

Columbus is located at 45°38′N 109°15′W / 45.64°N 109.25°W / 45.64; -109.25 (45.64, -109.25).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.35 square miles (3.50 km2), of which, 1.32 square miles (3.42 km2) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2) is water.

Columbus is located between the Yellowstone River, the old Yellowstone Trail, Highway 10, and now Interstate 90.

Climate data for Columbus, Montana (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 38.9
(3.8)
42.8
(6.0)
52.0
(11.1)
60.8
(16.0)
69.7
(20.9)
78.3
(25.7)
87.2
(30.7)
85.9
(29.9)
75.3
(24.1)
62.2
(16.8)
47.1
(8.4)
37.0
(2.8)
61.4
(16.3)
Average low °F (°C) 12.3
(−10.9)
15.6
(−9.1)
23.7
(−4.6)
31.1
(−0.5)
39.7
(4.3)
47.3
(8.5)
52.6
(11.4)
50.4
(10.2)
41.3
(5.2)
31.9
(−0.1)
21.5
(−5.8)
11.9
(−11.2)
31.6
(−0.2)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.58
(15)
0.64
(16)
1.02
(26)
1.89
(48)
2.71
(69)
2.21
(56)
1.23
(31)
0.89
(23)
1.23
(31)
1.30
(33)
0.62
(16)
0.56
(14)
14.89
(378)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 5.5
(14)
6.0
(15)
6.7
(17)
3.2
(8.1)
1.6
(4.1)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.5
(1.3)
2.7
(6.9)
3.7
(9.4)
5.6
(14)
35.6
(90)
Source: NOAA

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 521
1920 987 89.4%
1930 834 −15.5%
1940 962 15.3%
1950 1,097 14.0%
1960 1,281 16.8%
1970 1,173 −8.4%
1980 1,439 22.7%
1990 1,573 9.3%
2000 1,748 11.1%
2010 1,893 8.3%
2020 1,857 −1.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,893 people, 767 households, and 517 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,434.1 inhabitants per square mile (553.7/km2). There were 843 housing units at an average density of 638.6 per square mile (246.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.5% White, 0.1% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.7% of the population.

There were 767 households, of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.6% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.97.

The median age in the town was 40.4 years. 26% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.8% were from 25 to 44; 27.4% were from 45 to 64; and 16.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

Education

Columbus Public Schools educates students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Columbus High School's team name is the Cougars.

Stillwater County Library is a public library which serves the area.

Infrastructure

Woltermann Memorial Airport is a public use airport located southeast of town.

The 100 kW solar array at the Stillwater Smelter was the first “behind-the-meter” industrial scale solar installation project in Montana.

Notable people

  • Annie Duke, professional poker player, lived here with her husband.
  • Dwan Edwards, professional football player, attended high school here.
  • William Thomas Hamilton, known as Wildcat Bill, a 19th-century frontiersman, scout, trapper, trader and author.
  • Jack Vaughn, Assistant Secretary of State, Ambassador to Panama and Colombia, and Director of the Peace Corps from 1966 to 1969, was born in Columbus.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Columbus (Montana) para niños

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