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Select
brief notes about place names throughout the state, with an
emphasis on towns.
A-B, C-D,
E-G,
H-L,
M-R,
S,
T-Z
Photo above on Left: The community of Landusky is
named for Powell "Pike" Landusky, reputed to be one of the
toughest rough-and-tumble fighters of the west, who was
killed by Kid Curry in 1894.
Select Towns and
Their Stories
Billings –
in the Yellowstone Valley between the
mountains and plains, Billings is Montana's largest city
Bozeman –
located north of Yellowstone
National Park, Bozeman was founded by a Georgian
Butte –
at the turn of the 20th century, Butte
was one of the largest cities west of the Mississippi
Place
Names of Towns and Landmarks (A-B)
County location in
parenthesis; place names are towns
unless indicated otherwise.
The listing below is
condensed and edited from a more comprehensive list on the
Montana Railroad History website (compiled from several
sources, primarily The Montana Almanac 1957 edition,
published by Montana State University).
For those interested
in more than this cursory listing of place names,
consider purchasing a copy of
Montana Place Names: From Alzada to Zortman,
published by the Montana Historical Society press, or
visit the accompanying interactive website.
Also see the 1954 article, "Montana Place Name
Records," by Lucille Childears.
Alberton (Mineral) -
named for Albert J. Earling, pres. of Chicago, Mil., St.
Paul & Pacific Railway
Aldridge (Park) - named for Mr. Aldridge, director
of the Montana Coal & Coke company
Allendale (Yellowstone) - named for Dr. W. A.
Allen, who laid out the townsite
Alzada (Carter) - named for Mrs. Alzada Sheldon in
1890, a settler in 1883; prior name: Stoneville
Anaconda Mine - named after Gen. McClellan's
Anaconda strategy during the Civil War
Anaconda (Deer Lodge) - county seat named after
the Anaconda Mine in Butte
Arlee (Lake) - named for Flathead Indian chief,
Arlee
Armstead (Beaverhead) - named for Harry Armstead,
a mining man
Ashley (Petroleum) - named for Eben L. Ashley, who
homesteaded there in early days
Assiniboine - Indian Tribe, old fort, &
military reservation; refers to stony nature of the land
Augusta (Lewis & Clark) - named for a daughter
of D. J. Hogan, prominent area rancher
Aznoe (Chouteau) - named for Walter & Myron
Aznoe who maintained P.O. on their ranch 1913-15
Bainville (Roosevelt) - named for C. M. Bainville
a local resident of that section
Baker (Fallon) - County Seat; named for A.G.
Baker, engineer with Chicago, Mil., St. Paul & Pacific
RR
Banna[o]ck (Beaverhead) - "southern people" or
"root diggers"; named for tribe of Indians
Barker (Judith Basin) - named for "Buck" Barker,
discovered a mine in this section, October 23, 1879
Battrick (Fergus) - named for a post master, a
local resident
Bay Horse (Powder River) - named for a creek, in
turn derived named from a wild bay stallion
Bear Paw Mountains (Hill, Blaine, Chouteau) -
named for the ridges that resemble a bear's paw
Beaverhead (Beaverhead) - river named for beaver
head shaped rock, county name from Indians
Belgrade (Gallatin) - named in honor of a
capitalist from Belgrade, Serbia who traveled through town
Belltower (Carter) - named for a butte in the
neighborhood, resembling a bell in shape
Bennett Creek (Carbon) - creek named for Captain
Bennett of the U.S. Army, killed by Indians, 1878
Bernice (Jefferson) - named for Bernice Cannon,
dau. of Charles W. Cannon of Helena, railroad VP
Big Horn (Big Horn) - County & river; named
for Rocky Mountain sheep, frequently called "big horn"
Big Swamp Creek (Beaverhead) - creek named from
swamp land caused by beaver dams
Big Timber (Sweet Grass) - named for the old Big
Timber stage station at mouth of Big Timber Cr.
Billings (Yellowstone) - County Seat; named for
Billings family, railroad barron
Billmar Creek (Park) - named for Andrew Billmar,
an early settler
Birdseye (Lewis & Clark) - probably named for
Charles G. Birdseye, a prominent resident
Birdtail Divide (Cascade) - a spur of hills; one
peak resembles a bird's tail spread
Birney (Rosebud) - named by Joe Brown for his
partner in the cattle business
Bitterroot - Mountains & Valley; named after
the bitterroot plant
Blackfoot (Glacier) - named for the Blackfoot
[Blackfeet] Indians
Blackwood (Gallatin) - named for Edward L.
Blackwood & A. B. Blackwood, settlers in 1880s
Blaine (Blaine) - named for James G. Blaine,
United States Senator from Maine
Blair (Roosevelt) - named for Sidney D. Blair, a
local resident
Bloody Dick Creek (Beaverhead) - creek named for
an Englishman living there in the 1860s
Bonner (Missoula) - named fro E.L. Bonner, early
settler in Missoula and RR president
Boulder (Jefferson) - County Seat; named for
stream along which there are numerous boulders
Boyes (Carter) - named for a Mr. Boyes, a resident
of the vicinity
Bozeman (Gallatin) - County Seat; named for John
M. Bozeman, pioneer, 1864 settler
Bridger (Carbon) - named for Jim Bridger, scout,
fur trader and guide; originally named Stringtown
Broadus (Powder River) - County Seat; named for
Broaddus family, early settlers on Powder River
Broadwater (Broadwater) - county named for Colonel
Charles A. Broadwater, a pioneer
Brockway (McCone) - named for a James Brockway, an
early settler in that section
Browning (Glacier) - named for Commissioner
Browning of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Brown's Gulch (Silver Bow) - gulch named for Peter
Brown, who located a claim there in the 1860s
Bruffey's (Park) - named for George, an early
settler in the vicinity
Burtonville (Teton) - named for Z.T. Burton,
founder of the settlement
Butte (Silver Bow) - named for a prominent butte
overlooking the city
Bynum (Teton) - named for the Bynum family, early
settlers in the region
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