Timeline of Billings, Montana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Prior to 20th century
- 1877 – Homesteaders arrive.[1]
- 1882
- March 24: Incorporation date of the Minnesota and Montana Land and Improvement Company.[2]
- First church established.
- Billings Depot built.
- Billings Herald newspaper begins publication.[3]
- Billings Cemetery established.
- 1883
- 1885 – Billings Daily Gazette newspaper begins publication.
- 1889 – Town becomes part of new State of Montana.
- 1891 – The Weekly Times newspaper begins publication.[3]
20th century
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- 1901 – Public Library established.[5][6]
- 1902 – Billings and Northern Railroad in operation.[citation needed]
- 1903 – Moss Mansion (residence) built.
- 1904
- Northern Hotel in business.
- BBWA Canal tunnel dug through the Rimrocks.
- 1907 – Babcock Theatre built.[7]
- 1908 – Billings Polytechnic founded.
- 1910
- Masonic Temple (Billings, Montana) built.
- Population: 10,031.
- 1912 – Billings and Central Montana Railway in operation.[citation needed]
- 1917 – Cereal Food Processor Building constructed.[citation needed]
- 1927 – Eastern Montana Normal School founded.
- 1928 – Billings Municipal Airport begins operating.[8]
- 1929 – Yale Oil refinery begins operating.[9]
- 1931 – Fox Theater opens.
- 1932 – Cobb Field baseball park opens.
- 1935 – Intermountain Union College relocated to Billings (approximate date).[citation needed]
- 1937 – Pictograph Cave excavation begins near city.
- 1940 – Billings Senior High School opens.
- 1944 – St. Patrick's High School established.
- 1947
- Rocky Mountain College established.
- Carter Oil Company refinery built near Billings.[10]
- 1948 – Billings Mustangs baseball team formed.
- 1950
- Billings Symphony Orchestra founded.
- Shrine Auditorium built.[citation needed]
- Population: 31,834.
- 1953 – Billings Studio Theater company founded.
- 1957 – Yellowstone County Courthouse built.
- 1958 – June 2: Tornado.
- 1959 – Billings West High School established.
- 1962 – Kampgrounds of America headquartered in Billings.
- 1964 – Yellowstone Art Center opens.
- 1969 – Billings Vocational-Technical Education Center (BVTC) opens.
- 1971 – Western Heritage Center opens.
- 1974 – Sage Tower built.
- 1975
- Montana Entertainment Trade and Recreation Arena opens.
- Granite Tower built.
- Rimrock Mall in business.
- 1977 – Norwest Bank built.
- 1980
- Sheraton Hotel built.
- City covered in ash from 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
- Population: 66,798.
- 1982 – Rocky Plaza condos built.
- 1985 – First Interstate Center built.
- 1986 – Flag of Billings, Montana design adopted.
- 1987 – Skyview High School established.
- 1988 – City filled with smoke from Yellowstone fires of 1988.
- 1990 – Population: 81,151.[11]
- 1992 – December 18: Airplane crash.[12]
- 1993
- Billings Bulls ice hockey team formed.
- Community members protest antisemitism, launching the Not In Our Town movement.
- 1994
- Montana Women's Prison in operation.[13]
- Eastern Montana College and the Vocational-Technical Education Center become Montana State University Billings.
- 1995 – ZooMontana opens.
- 1996 – Charles Tooley becomes mayor.[14]
- 1999
- Four Dances Natural Area acquired by US Bureau of Land Management.[15]
- City website online.[16]
- Mormon Temple dedicated.
21st century
- 2000 – Population: 89,847.
- 2002 – Skypoint awning/sculpture installed.[17]
- 2007 – Billings Dharma Center dedicated.[18]
- 2008 – Dehler Park (stadium) opens.
- 2009
- Magic City Rollers roller derby league formed.[19]
- Tom Hanel becomes mayor.[20]
- 2010
- June 20: 2010 Billings tornado.[21]
- Population: 104,170.
- 2011 – July: Oil pipeline bursts near city.[22]
- 2012
- New federal courthouse built.[23]
- Northern Hotel reopens.
- 2014 – New public library built.[24]
- 2017 – Bill Cole becomes mayor.
- 2020 – Population: 117,116.
- 2022 – Shrine Auditorium reopens as the Eagle Seeker Community Center.[25]
- 2023 – Rocky Vista University campus opens.[26]
- 2024
- 2025 – Billings City Hall moved to former federal building.
- 2026 – Mike Nelson becomes mayor.
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