Belt, Montana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Belt, Montana
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Location of Belt, Montana
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| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Cascade |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.34 sq mi (0.88 km2) |
| • Land | 0.34 sq mi (0.88 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,511 ft (1,070 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 510 |
| • Density | 1,508.88/sq mi (582.80/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
59412
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| Area code(s) | 406 |
| FIPS code | 30-05275 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2409827 |
Belt is a small town in Cascade County, Montana, United States. In 2020, about 510 people lived there. Belt is part of the larger Great Falls, Montana metropolitan area.
The town got its name from Belt Butte, a mountain nearby. This mountain has a dark layer that looks like a belt wrapped around it.
Contents
History of Belt
Belt was once a very important place for mining coal in Montana. It was home to the state's very first coal mine! This mine provided fuel to Fort Benton. Because of all the coal, people sometimes called Belt "Little Pittsburgh," "Coal Banks," or "Black Diamond City." The town's post office opened a long time ago, on February 2, 1885.
Many skilled carpenters and architects from Finland helped build the town. Today, 15 buildings in Belt are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites. The Belt Museum is even located in the old town jail, which is also a historic building.
Around 1930, the big factories in Great Falls stopped using coal and switched to natural gas. This change meant less demand for coal from Belt, which affected the town's economy.
Geography and Nature
Belt is a small town, covering about 0.34 square miles (0.88 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the town limits.
Belt Creek flows right through the town. This creek is home to different kinds of fish, including minnows, suckers, and trout. If you look around Belt, you'll also see the beautiful Highwood Mountains and Little Belt Mountains nearby.
Belt's Climate
Belt has a semi-arid climate. This means it's generally dry, but not a desert. It gets enough rain to support some plant life, but not a lot.
People of Belt
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 1,158 | — | |
| 1920 | 967 | −16.5% | |
| 1930 | 810 | −16.2% | |
| 1940 | 744 | −8.1% | |
| 1950 | 702 | −5.6% | |
| 1960 | 757 | 7.8% | |
| 1970 | 656 | −13.3% | |
| 1980 | 825 | 25.8% | |
| 1990 | 571 | −30.8% | |
| 2000 | 633 | 10.9% | |
| 2010 | 597 | −5.7% | |
| 2020 | 510 | −14.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Belt has changed over the years. In 1910, over a thousand people lived there. By 2020, the population was 510.
Life in Belt (2010 Census)
In 2010, there were 597 people living in Belt. Most residents were White (95.5%). About 23.8% of the people in Belt were under 18 years old. The average age in town was 43.4 years.
Education in Belt
Students in Belt attend Belt Public Schools, which teach kids from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. The school teams are called the Huskies. Belt High School is known as a Class C school for sports. This is a classification used for athletic competitions in Montana, usually for smaller schools.
Media and News
If you want to read local news about Belt, you can find it in the Judith Basin Press. This newspaper is based in Stanford and comes out once a week.
There's also a radio station called KGFJ that is licensed in Belt. It's part of the Christian Satellite Network (CSN) International.
Getting Around and Local Business
U.S. Route 89 passes south and west of Belt. Another road, Montana Secondary Highway 331, goes through the town.
The closest airport for travel is the Great Falls International Airport. For medical care, people in Belt usually go to facilities in Great Falls.
Belt is also home to the Harvest Moon Brewing Company. They make craft beer and, as of 2023, their products are sold in five different states!
Famous People from Belt
- James R. Browning: He was a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which is a very important court.
- Matt Maki: He was a master carpenter from Finland who built many things in the 1890s.
See also
In Spanish: Belt (Montana) para niños
