Miles City, Montana
From birchyHistory
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| − | '''Miles City''' is a city in and the | + | '''Miles City''' is a city in and the county seat of [[Custer County, Montana|Custer County]], [[Montana]], [[United States]]. The population was 8,410 at the 2010 census. |
==History== | ==History== | ||
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After the [[Battle of the Little Bighorn]] in 1876, the U.S. Army created forts in eastern Montana, including one where the north-flowing [[Tongue River (Montana)|Tongue River]] flowed into the east-flowing [[Yellowstone River]]. The first fort was known as the Tongue River Cantonment or the Tongue River Barracks and was founded on August 27, 1876. A second, permanent fort was constructed on higher ground two miles to the west of the mouth of the Tongue and this became Fort Keogh. | After the [[Battle of the Little Bighorn]] in 1876, the U.S. Army created forts in eastern Montana, including one where the north-flowing [[Tongue River (Montana)|Tongue River]] flowed into the east-flowing [[Yellowstone River]]. The first fort was known as the Tongue River Cantonment or the Tongue River Barracks and was founded on August 27, 1876. A second, permanent fort was constructed on higher ground two miles to the west of the mouth of the Tongue and this became Fort Keogh. | ||
| − | [[Fort Keogh]] (named after Captain Myles Keogh, one of the battle dead, whose horse, Comanche, was the lone survivor of Custer's command) started as a few rough winter cabins, but grew into a moderate sized western fort, from which its commander, [[Nelson A. Miles|General Nelson A. Miles]], effectively brought the remaining "uncontrolled" Native Americans into subjugation during the last decade of the 1800s. | + | [[Fort Keogh]] (named after Captain Myles Keogh, one of the battle dead, whose horse, Comanche, was the lone survivor of Custer's command) started as a few rough winter cabins, but grew into a moderate sized western fort, from which its commander, [[Nelson A. Miles|General Nelson A. Miles]], effectively brought the remaining "uncontrolled" Native Americans into subjugation during the last decade of the 1800s. |
Nelson Miles said that "whiskey caused him more trouble than the Indians" and, after tiring of drunken soldiers causing problems during the winter campaign, evicted the sutlers who provided "liquid stock" in the spring of 1877. Moving two miles due east of the Tongue River Cantonment, these early merchants founded the first Miles City. Although fondly referred to as "Milestown," the first post office and first official plat both called the town "Miles City." When the old cantonment moved two miles west, the town literally picked up and followed, moving to the current site. The last occupants of Old Miles City stayed on until 1900 but the new community was the one that grew. | Nelson Miles said that "whiskey caused him more trouble than the Indians" and, after tiring of drunken soldiers causing problems during the winter campaign, evicted the sutlers who provided "liquid stock" in the spring of 1877. Moving two miles due east of the Tongue River Cantonment, these early merchants founded the first Miles City. Although fondly referred to as "Milestown," the first post office and first official plat both called the town "Miles City." When the old cantonment moved two miles west, the town literally picked up and followed, moving to the current site. The last occupants of Old Miles City stayed on until 1900 but the new community was the one that grew. | ||
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Before the town itself was founded, George Miles, the nephew of General Miles, who had accompanied his uncle on the western expedition and served in the quartermasters office, bought a herd of sheep, the first of many commercial enterprises in his involvement with the core founders of the town. | Before the town itself was founded, George Miles, the nephew of General Miles, who had accompanied his uncle on the western expedition and served in the quartermasters office, bought a herd of sheep, the first of many commercial enterprises in his involvement with the core founders of the town. | ||
| − | Livestock speculation brought thousands of cattle to the open ranges in the late 1880s, the railroad was extended through the area, and Texas drove numerous cattle to Miles City to fatten them on free grass and move them to where they could be loaded on trains bound for the slaughterhouses in | + | Livestock speculation brought thousands of cattle to the open ranges in the late 1880s, the railroad was extended through the area, and Texas drove numerous cattle to Miles City to fatten them on free grass and move them to where they could be loaded on trains bound for the slaughterhouses in Chicago. |
Miles City established a municipal electric utility around 1887 and it was a source of civic pride (as any city would have towards its own utilities) until a traveling employee of Minnesota Northern Power (predecessor of [[MDU Resources Group, Inc.]]) told the city council "the emperor has no clothes;" i.e., the system was far less efficient and in worse shape than they thought. The city council eventually put the question to the voters who instructed the city to sell the utility. By this time, the people with the Montana Power Company (now NorthWestern Energy's Montana division) became aware of this and were soon locked in an epic battle with Minnesota Northern over the franchise. A franchise election was held to determine who would serve Miles City on June 28, 1927. Minnesota Northern won by a scant 16 votes. | Miles City established a municipal electric utility around 1887 and it was a source of civic pride (as any city would have towards its own utilities) until a traveling employee of Minnesota Northern Power (predecessor of [[MDU Resources Group, Inc.]]) told the city council "the emperor has no clothes;" i.e., the system was far less efficient and in worse shape than they thought. The city council eventually put the question to the voters who instructed the city to sell the utility. By this time, the people with the Montana Power Company (now NorthWestern Energy's Montana division) became aware of this and were soon locked in an epic battle with Minnesota Northern over the franchise. A franchise election was held to determine who would serve Miles City on June 28, 1927. Minnesota Northern won by a scant 16 votes. | ||
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Miles City experienced rapid growth until the 1920s and 1930s, but became overshadowed by the upstart upriver town of [[Billings, Montana|Billings]], which was at the cross roads of transportation routes, and it became a banking center, oil refining center, and medical service center and is now the largest city in the state. | Miles City experienced rapid growth until the 1920s and 1930s, but became overshadowed by the upstart upriver town of [[Billings, Montana|Billings]], which was at the cross roads of transportation routes, and it became a banking center, oil refining center, and medical service center and is now the largest city in the state. | ||
| − | The publicly owned [[Miles City Municipal Airport]] is located less than two miles (3 km) from town. Notably, it was the site of an early | + | The publicly owned [[Miles City Municipal Airport]] is located less than two miles (3 km) from town. Notably, it was the site of an early scheduled airline crash, involving [[Northwest Airlines]] [[Northwest Airlines Flight 1|Flight 1]], which caught fire and crashed shortly after takeoff in January, 1939. |
| + | [[File:MilesCity&Area_c1884.jpg|thumb|right|500px]] | ||
==Geography== | ==Geography== | ||
| − | Miles City is located at | + | Miles City is located at 46.408460, -105.840093 at an altitude of 2369 feet (722 m). |
| − | According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of | + | According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of 3.34 sq. mi., all land. |
==Demographics== | ==Demographics== | ||
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==Radio stations== | ==Radio stations== | ||
{{Col-begin}} | {{Col-begin}} | ||
{{Col-1-of-2}} | {{Col-1-of-2}} | ||
| − | * [[KATL (AM)|KATL]] (AM 770) - | + | * [[KATL (AM)|KATL]] (AM 770) - Adult Contemporary |
| − | * [[KMTA]] (AM 1050) - | + | * [[KMTA]] (AM 1050) - Oldies |
| − | * [[KIKC (AM)|KIKC]] (AM 1250) - | + | * [[KIKC (AM)|KIKC]] (AM 1250) - Oldies |
{{Col-2-of-2}} | {{Col-2-of-2}} | ||
* [[KYPR]] (FM 90.7) - NPR station | * [[KYPR]] (FM 90.7) - NPR station | ||
| − | * [[KYUS-FM]] (92.3 FM) - | + | * [[KYUS-FM]] (92.3 FM) - Adult Hits |
| − | * [[KIKC-FM]] (101.3 FM) - | + | * [[KIKC-FM]] (101.3 FM) - Country music |
{{Col-end}} | {{Col-end}} | ||
==Events== | ==Events== | ||
| − | + | Miles City, MT, is known as the Cow Capital of the West with pickups and stock trucks lining up the streets. The city's cowboy tradition lives on through the largest event of the year, the [[Miles City Bucking Horse Sale]] which is held in May and features bareback riding events at the Eastern Montana Fairgrounds. Most of the horses are auctioned off to rodeos. | |
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| + | Miles City is also home to the Eastern Montana Fair, the Miles City Stockyards (livestock auction yard) and is the commercial hub of southeastern Montana. | ||
==Education== | ==Education== | ||
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* [[Jeff Meyer]], [[Television Director]], Born and educated in Miles City, son of Coleman and Shirley (Gundlach) Meyer. | * [[Jeff Meyer]], [[Television Director]], Born and educated in Miles City, son of Coleman and Shirley (Gundlach) Meyer. | ||
| − | == | + | ==Timeline== |
| − | + | [[File:Map_MilesCity_c1883.jpg|thumb|right|700px|c. 1883 [http://milescity.com/history/maps/bev1883/map1883-2000.jpg Full size] ]] | |
| + | Oct 1877: population is 300. [[Judge Carmichael]] is Probate Judge, [[John McCormick]] is County Clerk, [[H. J. Happy]] is Sheriff. Businesses include [[Paul McCormick]], [[Matt Carroll]], [[A. R. Ninnigner]] and [[Charley Johnson]]. [[Charles Savage]] clerks for Ninninger's store. [[Charley Brown]] has built on Main St. [[Bob Roberts]] and Happy operate a saloon. Business is brisk and merchants are running out of goods. [[McCormick & Co]] have large stock coming from "above" and Charley Savage has stock coming from "below". Matt Carroll will receive a large stock by the [[Diamond R]] train now enroute from Bozemen. 120 of the "engineers" that were building the fort leave about the 2oth for Bismarck. [[J. J. Graham]] has the contract to transport them in Mackinaws. Ames & Stone have built a court house for the County. Weather has been good, but winter is nearing. Payment vouchers are running out and a fresh Federal appropriation for the Army is anxiously looked for. The military wood contract was established at $5 (per ?cord?) for green and $6 for dry. | ||
| + | [[12 Aug 1882]]: Rates for the Yellowstone ferry operated by [[Broadwater, Hubbell & Co.]] cut its fares in half. | ||
| + | 1882 Is described as a "rude aggregation of log hus and board shanties. | ||
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| + | In Feb 1884, [[Sam Camp]] skipped town leaving many debts, including some men who had worked for him on the Tongue River Ditch. Also: [[Miles & Strevell] $128, [[Leighton, Jordan & Co.]] $464, [[J. W. Watson]] $57, [[A. W. Sleeper]] $384 for a total of $1002. | ||
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| + | [[4 Mar 1884]] proposed borders for incorporating Miles City were published under the Territorial Act of [[17 Feb 1881]]. Names associated with this proposal include: [[William Courtenay]], [[Benjamin W. Ladd]], [[G. P. Comstock]], [[F. E. Hammond]] and [[E. A. Kreidler]]. | ||
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| + | [[7 Jun 1885]] The telephone line has been repaired by Mr. Welch who advises that properly adjusted lightning arresters will prevent damage in the future. In building their new store, Gibbs and Lansing]] will probably have a separate room for the telephone exchange. (did they have one before and did the lightning storm cause a fire?) | ||
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| + | [[3 Jun 1885]] [[Yellowstone Journal]] publisher weighs the options for providing Miles City with water for fighting fires. He leans towards the ditch supplying a storage tank, but steam and hand powered pumps (also Hally and Knowles pumps) from the river are also considered. Mains and direct pressure pumps are mentioned. The ditch has no moving parts to break down, but the complexities of using private water for a public use would have to be overcome. Four days later he reports that he discussed the issue with the ditch company, which needed some guarantees of income. Until the city is incorporated though, such guarantees would be hard to obtain. The publisher feels that incorporation will happen in the autumn and that an agreement could be counted on. In the issue on the 16th, he approaches the subject from the standpoint that the city will soon need sewers and that the shallow grade will require a flow of water to keep the sewage moving. A reference is made to "...the recently established grade of Main street done by the authority of the board of county commissioners..." | ||
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| + | 1887, "the Thompson-Houston system of electric lighting has just been introduced"... "is now lined from end to end with handsome brick buildings." | ||
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| + | ==Gallery== | ||
| + | <gallery> | ||
| + | File:StiefflerMC.jpg|Miles City 1879 by [[Hermann Stieffel]] | ||
| + | </gallery> | ||
| + | * [http://www.birchy.com/history/Imgs/StiefflerMCpana.jpg Panorama of 1879 Miles City] | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
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| + | * '''[http://birchy.com/1931CityMap.jpg 1931 city map, as used by the 1940 census]''' | ||
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{{Commons category}} | {{Commons category}} | ||
* [http://gov.milescity.net City website] | * [http://gov.milescity.net City website] | ||
