Bearcreek, Montana
Encyclopedia
Bearcreek is a town in Carbon County
, Montana
, United States
. It is part of the Billings, Montana
Metropolitan Statistical Area
. The population was 83 at the 2000 census
.
The town of Bearcreek was named for Bear Creek, which runs through the middle of town. The town is home to the Bear Creek Saloon
which hosts fund raising pig races throughout the year.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), all of it land.
that began in the 1890s to supply coal for the Northern Pacific Railway
and the Anaconda Company
. The town was platted and incorporated after the arrival of the Montana, Wyoming & Southern Railroad in 1906. (A rail spur ran to the mines in and around Bearcreek from Belfry
for extracting the coal. From Belfry, it could be taken north to Billings, Montana
or south to Cody, Wyoming
.) It grew rapidly as American and foreign-born workers moved there, drawn by the promise of steady work. By 1917, the mines around Bearcreek were employing 1,200 men. At its peak, Bearcreek and the surrounding communities of Washoe, New Caledonia, Chickentown, Scotch Coulee, International, and Stringtown, had a population of about 3,000 people, most of whom worked in the coal mines. Today, those surrounding towns are almost completely gone, with only a few houses and a quilt shop marking Washoe, currently the largest of them.
With its diverse ethnic composition, Bearcreek traditionally celebrated Christmas twice, on December 25 and January 6, the Greek Orthodox Church
holiday.
On February 27, 1943, the Smith Mine #3
exploded in the worst coal mining accident
in the history of Montana
, killing 74 men. In addition, the trend toward natural gas
for heating and diesel locomotive
s caused the demand for coal to fall sharply, and Bearcreek’s production was in decline by the late 1940s.
After the 1953 closure of the railroad between Bridger and Bearcreek, the town’s population dwindled. Today, the rail spur has been removed, and no active mining is done in the area, but Bearcreek is again growing thanks to its proximity to Red Lodge
.
of 2000, there were 83 people, 38 households, and 22 families residing in the town. The population density
was 690.3 people per square mile (267.1/km2). There were 40 housing units at an average density of 332.7 per square mile (128.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.39% White, 1.20% African American, and 2.41% from two or more races.
There were 38 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were married couples
living together, 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.35.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 4.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,917, and the median income for a family was $32,500. Males had a median income of $20,250 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $13,572. There were 3.8% of families and 12.6% of the population living below the poverty line, including 20.0% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.
Carbon County, Montana
-National protected areas:* Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area * Custer National Forest * Gallatin National Forest -Economy:During the early history of Carbon County, coal mining was the predominant industry...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is part of the Billings, Montana
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Billings Metropolitan Area
The Billings Metropolitan Statistical Area is the largest metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Montana. Located in south central portion of the state, its population was 158,050 at the 2010 census....
. The population was 83 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
The town of Bearcreek was named for Bear Creek, which runs through the middle of town. The town is home to the Bear Creek Saloon
Bear Creek Saloon and Steakhouse
Bear Creek Saloon and Steakhouse is a restaurant in the small town of Bear Creek, Montana. The Saloon is family owned by Pits & Lynn DeArmond since it was purchased in 1982. The restaurant houses fund-raising pig races throughout the year that uses full grown pigs in the summer and piglets in the...
which hosts fund raising pig races throughout the year.
Geography
Bearcreek is located at 45.159849°N 109.156322°W (45.159849, -109.156322).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), all of it land.
History
Bearcreek owes its existence to area coal miningCoal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
that began in the 1890s to supply coal for the Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
and the Anaconda Company
Anaconda Copper
Anaconda Copper Mining Company was one of the largest trusts of the early 20th century. The Anaconda was purchased by Atlantic Richfield Company on January 12, 1977...
. The town was platted and incorporated after the arrival of the Montana, Wyoming & Southern Railroad in 1906. (A rail spur ran to the mines in and around Bearcreek from Belfry
Belfry, Montana
Belfry is a census-designated place in Carbon County, Montana, United States. It is part of the Billings, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 219 at the 2000 census. It is located approximately 11 miles from the Wyoming border, roughly halfway between Billings, Montana and...
for extracting the coal. From Belfry, it could be taken north to Billings, Montana
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
or south to Cody, Wyoming
Cody, Wyoming
Cody is a city in Park County, Wyoming, United States. It is named after William Frederick Cody, primarily known as Buffalo Bill, from William Cody's part in the creation of the original town. The population was 9,520 at the 2010 census...
.) It grew rapidly as American and foreign-born workers moved there, drawn by the promise of steady work. By 1917, the mines around Bearcreek were employing 1,200 men. At its peak, Bearcreek and the surrounding communities of Washoe, New Caledonia, Chickentown, Scotch Coulee, International, and Stringtown, had a population of about 3,000 people, most of whom worked in the coal mines. Today, those surrounding towns are almost completely gone, with only a few houses and a quilt shop marking Washoe, currently the largest of them.
With its diverse ethnic composition, Bearcreek traditionally celebrated Christmas twice, on December 25 and January 6, the Greek Orthodox Church
Greek Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition whose liturgy is also traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament...
holiday.
On February 27, 1943, the Smith Mine #3
Smith Mine disaster
The Smith Mine disaster was the worst coal mining disaster in the State of Montana, and the 43rd worst in the United States, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ....
exploded in the worst coal mining accident
Mining accident
A mining accident is an accident that occurs during the process of mining minerals.Thousands of miners die from mining accidents each year, especially in the processes of coal mining and hard rock mining...
in the history of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, killing 74 men. In addition, the trend toward natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
for heating and diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s caused the demand for coal to fall sharply, and Bearcreek’s production was in decline by the late 1940s.
After the 1953 closure of the railroad between Bridger and Bearcreek, the town’s population dwindled. Today, the rail spur has been removed, and no active mining is done in the area, but Bearcreek is again growing thanks to its proximity to Red Lodge
Red Lodge, Montana
Red Lodge is a city in and the county seat of Carbon County, Montana, United States. It is part of the Billings, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 83 people, 38 households, and 22 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 690.3 people per square mile (267.1/km2). There were 40 housing units at an average density of 332.7 per square mile (128.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.39% White, 1.20% African American, and 2.41% from two or more races.
There were 38 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.35.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 4.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,917, and the median income for a family was $32,500. Males had a median income of $20,250 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $13,572. There were 3.8% of families and 12.6% of the population living below the poverty line, including 20.0% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.