Jordan, Montana
Encyclopedia
Jordan is a town in and the county seat
of Garfield County
, Montana
, United States
. The population was 364 at the 2000 census
.
Before very long a town began to spring up around the post office. There were saloons, rooming houses, livery stables, blacksmiths and stores. In the later part of the 1910s the homestead boom hit Garfield County, which was then actually part of Dawson County to the east. By 1919, it became the consensus of many locals that they needed to form a county of their own and Garfield County was established. After much ado by competing towns in the area, Jordan was finally chosen as the county seat, by popular vote.
Jordan was incorporated as a town in 1951.
On March 25, 1996 an 81-day-long standoff between the antigovernment Montana Freemen
and federal officers began near here.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1 km²), all of it land.
BSk) with long, cold, dry winters and hot, wetter summers. The town is noted for its extreme weather; On December 15, 2009, the low was -40°F. Jordan ranks 10th in the U.S. in temperature range, from its lowest at -58°F. to its highest at 112°, a range of 170 degrees.
of 2000, there were 364 people, 169 households, and 98 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,024.9 people per square mile (390.4/km²). There were 233 housing units at an average density of 656.0 per square mile (249.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.63% White, 0.27% African American, 0.27% Pacific Islander, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.37% of the population.
There were 169 households out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples
living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.0% were non-families. 39.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 26.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $26,250, and the median income for a family was $34,583. Males had a median income of $21,250 versus $11,979 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $17,426. About 10.4% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.4% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Garfield County
Garfield County, Montana
-Politics:Garfield County is a solidly Republican county. It might be the most Republican county in Montana and one of the most Republican in the nation....
, 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...
. The population was 364 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...
.
History
Originally settled in 1896, Jordan received a post office on July 11, 1899. The founder, Arthur Jordan, had hunted the area a great deal and in 1896 decided to bring his family here to settle along the banks of the Big Dry Creek.Before very long a town began to spring up around the post office. There were saloons, rooming houses, livery stables, blacksmiths and stores. In the later part of the 1910s the homestead boom hit Garfield County, which was then actually part of Dawson County to the east. By 1919, it became the consensus of many locals that they needed to form a county of their own and Garfield County was established. After much ado by competing towns in the area, Jordan was finally chosen as the county seat, by popular vote.
Jordan was incorporated as a town in 1951.
On March 25, 1996 an 81-day-long standoff between the antigovernment Montana Freemen
Montana Freemen
The Montana Freemen were a Christian Patriot movement based outside the town of Jordan, Montana. The members of the group referred to their land as "Justus Township" and had declared themselves no longer under the authority of any outside government...
and federal officers began near here.
Geography
Jordan is located at 47°19.3′N 106°54.6′W (47.3212, -106.9106).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 0.4 square miles (1 km²), all of it land.
Climate
Jordan experiences a semi-arid climate (KöppenKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSk) with long, cold, dry winters and hot, wetter summers. The town is noted for its extreme weather; On December 15, 2009, the low was -40°F. Jordan ranks 10th in the U.S. in temperature range, from its lowest at -58°F. to its highest at 112°, a range of 170 degrees.
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 364 people, 169 households, and 98 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 1,024.9 people per square mile (390.4/km²). There were 233 housing units at an average density of 656.0 per square mile (249.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.63% White, 0.27% African American, 0.27% Pacific Islander, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.37% of the population.
There were 169 households out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% 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, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.0% were non-families. 39.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 26.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $26,250, and the median income for a family was $34,583. Males had a median income of $21,250 versus $11,979 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 $17,426. About 10.4% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.4% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
Notable residents
- Jerry KramerJerry KramerGerald Louis "Jerry" Kramer is a former professional football player, author and sports commentator, best remembered for his 11-year NFL career with the Green Bay Packers as an offensive lineman...
, National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player and author, was born here in 1936.