Cut Bank, Montana

Cut Bank
City
Housing along Cut Bank Creek
Location of Cut Bank, Montana
Coordinates: 48°38′5″N112°19′52″W / 48.63472°N 112.33111°W / 48.63472; -112.33111
Country	United States
State	Montana
County	Glacier
Area [1]
• Total	1.16 sq mi (3.01 km2)
• Land	1.16 sq mi (3.00 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation	3,773 ft (1,150 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,056
• Density	2,641.31/sq mi (1,020.07/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP code	59427
Area code	406
FIPS code	30-18775
GNIS feature ID	0770395
Website	cityofcutbank.org

Cut Bank is a city in and the county seat of Glacier County, Montana, United States, located just east of the "cut bank" (gorge) along Cut Bank Creek. ^[2] The population was 3,056 at the 2020 census, ^[3] The town began in 1891 with the arrival of the Great Northern Railway. ^[4]

Geography

Cut Bank is located in eastern Glacier County. The Blackfeet Indian Reservation is located just west of Cut Bank, on the western side of Cut Bank Creek.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.99 square miles (2.56 km²), all land. ^[5]

The city is located 30 miles (48 km) south of the Canada–United States border. The name of the city comes from the cut bank (gorge) — a scenic hazard to navigation and a geologic feature of the same name. The Cut Bank Creek river is spanned cliffs to cliffs by a scenic elevated railway bridge high above the canyon floor less than a mile from the edge of the town.

Climate

Cut Bank experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk), with long, cold, dry winters and short, warm, wetter summers. In winter, bitterly cold arctic air masses move south and impact the eastern side of the American Continental Divide. During such invasions, Cut Bank, with its comparatively high elevation and topography, is frequently the coldest location in the lower 48 U.S. States. Being close to the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains also makes the area subject to occasional Chinook winds that can rapidly increase the local temperature.

Climate data for Cut Bank, Montana (Cut Bank Municipal Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1903–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	67 (19)	71 (22)	77 (25)	87 (31)	91 (33)	101 (38)	106 (41)	107 (42)	97 (36)	88 (31)	79 (26)	67 (19)	107 (42)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	54.8 (12.7)	54.7 (12.6)	62.5 (16.9)	72.1 (22.3)	80.4 (26.9)	85.5 (29.7)	93.1 (33.9)	93.3 (34.1)	88.0 (31.1)	76.2 (24.6)	61.9 (16.6)	53.7 (12.1)	95.3 (35.2)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	32.3 (0.2)	34.2 (1.2)	42.6 (5.9)	52.3 (11.3)	62.3 (16.8)	70.4 (21.3)	80.2 (26.8)	79.7 (26.5)	68.7 (20.4)	54.4 (12.4)	41.0 (5.0)	32.9 (0.5)	54.2 (12.3)
Daily mean °F (°C)	21.8 (−5.7)	23.1 (−4.9)	31.1 (−0.5)	40.2 (4.6)	49.6 (9.8)	57.6 (14.2)	64.9 (18.3)	63.9 (17.7)	54.4 (12.4)	42.0 (5.6)	30.6 (−0.8)	22.8 (−5.1)	41.8 (5.4)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	11.3 (−11.5)	12.0 (−11.1)	19.7 (−6.8)	28.1 (−2.2)	37.0 (2.8)	44.7 (7.1)	49.6 (9.8)	48.0 (8.9)	40.1 (4.5)	29.7 (−1.3)	20.2 (−6.6)	12.6 (−10.8)	29.4 (−1.4)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	−18.9 (−28.3)	−14.0 (−25.6)	−5.6 (−20.9)	11.6 (−11.3)	23.4 (−4.8)	34.8 (1.6)	39.5 (4.2)	37.2 (2.9)	25.7 (−3.5)	9.1 (−12.7)	−6.8 (−21.6)	−15.3 (−26.3)	−28.8 (−33.8)
Record low °F (°C)	−46 (−43)	−47 (−44)	−34 (−37)	−25 (−32)	9 (−13)	21 (−6)	32 (0)	25 (−4)	−4 (−20)	−14 (−26)	−33 (−36)	−46 (−43)	−47 (−44)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	0.22 (5.6)	0.23 (5.8)	0.36 (9.1)	0.95 (24)	1.65 (42)	2.73 (69)	1.29 (33)	0.96 (24)	1.08 (27)	0.57 (14)	0.42 (11)	0.31 (7.9)	10.77 (274)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	4.0 (10)	4.1 (10)	6.8 (17)	3.9 (9.9)	1.2 (3.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.4 (1.0)	3.0 (7.6)	5.6 (14)	4.4 (11)	33.4 (83.5)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	4.2	4.2	5.9	7.9	9.8	11.3	6.7	6.1	6.5	5.1	4.8	4.2	76.7
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	4.9	4.8	7.0	3.2	0.9	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	2.5	4.5	5.2	33.5
Source: NOAA (snow, snow days 1981–2010) [6] [7] [8]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1900	43		—
1910	500		1,062.8%
1920	1,181		136.2%
1930	845		−28.5%
1940	2,509		196.9%
1950	3,721		48.3%
1960	4,539		22.0%
1970	4,004		−11.8%
1980	3,688		−7.9%
1990	3,329		−9.7%
2000	3,105		−6.7%
2010	2,869		−7.6%
2020	3,056		6.5%
source: [9] U.S. Decennial Census [10] [3]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, ^[11] there were 2,869 people, 1,249 households and 739 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,927 inhabitants per square mile (1,130.1/km²). There were 1,441 housing units at an average density of 1,470 per square mile (567.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 74.7% White, 0.2% African American, 19.0% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population.

There were 1,249 households, of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.8% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.94.

The median age was 41.2 years. 24.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 28.8% were from 45 to 64; and 16.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

Education

The area school district is Cut Bank Public Schools, ^[12] with its components being Cut Bank Elementary School District and Cut Bank High School District. ^[13] Cut Bank Public Schools educates students from kindergarten through 12th grade. ^[14] Cut Bank High School's team name is the Wolves. ^[15]

Cut Bank has a public library, the Glacier County Library. ^[16]

Media

The Cut Bank Pioneer Press is a newspaper that provides both print and e-edition news. ^[17]

Transportation

Amtrak station in Cut Bank

Cut Bank is served by Amtrak's Empire Builder long-distance train on its route from Chicago to Seattle/Portland. ^[18] There is one eastbound and one westbound train per day. ^[19]

A train of the same name served the city under Amtrak's predecessor, the Great Northern Railway. The city, in conjunction with Amtrak and the current track owner BNSF Railway, recently repainted its historic train station in the traditional Great Northern depot colors.

The city contains an important railroad freight yard operated by the BNSF.

Cut Bank Municipal Airport is a public use airport 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Cut Bank. ^[20]

U.S. Route 2 passes through the city as Main Street, leading east 22 miles (35 km) to Interstate 15 at Shelby and west 34 miles (55 km) to Browning.

Notable people

• Gerard Jones, comic book writer, born in Cut Bank
• Rosalie Mae Jones/Daystar, choreographer and dancer, founder of Daystar Contemporary Dance-Drama of Indian America
• James C. Nelson, Montana Supreme Court justice
• Rob Quist, musician
• Glenn Roush, Montana state legislator
• Hart Merriam Schultz, American Indian artist
• Gloria Jean Siebrecht, amateur paleontologist
• Alexis Wineman, Miss Montana 2012
• Danielle Wineman, Miss Montana 2015
• Jordan Peccia, Yale Professor and Head of College

See also

• Cut Bank Penguin
• Cut Bank (film)
• Cut Bank station
• List of oil pipelines

References

1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved November 2, 2021.
4. "Cut Bank". Montana Place Names Companion. Montana Historical Society. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
5. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
6. "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . Retrieved July 17, 2021.
7. "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . Retrieved July 17, 2021.
8. "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Cut Bank Airport, MT (1981–2010)". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
9. Moffatt, Riley. Population History of Western U.S. Cities & Towns, 1850-1990. Lanham: Scarecrow, 1996, 129.
10. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved December 18, 2012.
12. "Directory of Montana Schools". Montana Office of Public Instruction. March 13, 2024. p. 121-122/319. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
13. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Glacier County, MT" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. p. 3 (PDF p. 4/6). Retrieved March 13, 2024. - Text list
14. "Cut Bank School District 15" . Retrieved April 12, 2021.
15. "Member Schools". Montana High School Association. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
16. "Montana Public Libraries". PublicLibraries.com. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
17. "Home page". Cut Bank Pioneer Press. September 14, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
18. "Cut Bank, Montana". Amtrak. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
19. Rubin, Richard (August 27, 2024). "4,000 Miles, 6 Small Towns: A Whistle-Stop Tour of America". The New York Times. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
20. "CTB(KCTB) Cut Bank Intl". Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved January 3, 2024.

External links

• City of Cut Bank official website