Chester, Montana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chester, Montana
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Liberty County Courthouse in Chester
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Location of Chester, Montana
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| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Liberty |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.49 sq mi (1.26 km2) |
| • Land | 0.49 sq mi (1.26 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,133 ft (955 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 847 |
| • Density | 1,739.22/sq mi (671.48/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
59522
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| Area code(s) | 406 |
| FIPS code | 30-14200 |
| GNIS ID | 2413195 |
Chester is a small town in Montana, United States. It is the main town and county seat of Liberty County. In 2020, the town had a population of 847 people.
Contents
History of Chester
Long ago, in the early 1700s, Native American tribes like the Blackfoot, Piegan Blackfeet, and Blood Tribe lived in this area. They traveled along an ancient path called the Old North Trail.
In 1806, famous explorers Lewis and Clark explored this region. Meriwether Lewis wrote in his journal about seeing thousands of buffalo. Later, in 1859, another explorer, the Earl of Southesk, also described vast numbers of buffalo covering the plains.
As more people arrived, especially those looking for gold, the area grew. A post office opened in Chester on November 22, 1895. The town officially became a town in 1910. This was also when a new train station was built. Chester got its name from the first telegraph operator, who named it after his hometown in Pennsylvania.
Geography and Climate
Chester is located in Montana and covers about 0.48 square miles (1.26 square kilometers) of land. It is near the center of an important farming area known as the Golden Triangle.
Chester's Weather
Chester has a semi-arid climate. This means it's quite dry. Winters are long, cold, and dry, while summers are short, hot, and a bit wetter. The temperatures are similar to other continental climates, but with less rain or snow.
| Climate data for Chester, Montana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1900–1920, 1942–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 66 (19) |
74 (23) |
79 (26) |
88 (31) |
94 (34) |
101 (38) |
104 (40) |
105 (41) |
99 (37) |
90 (32) |
77 (25) |
71 (22) |
105 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 50.3 (10.2) |
53.5 (11.9) |
65.1 (18.4) |
75.1 (23.9) |
83.4 (28.6) |
88.1 (31.2) |
95.1 (35.1) |
94.8 (34.9) |
89.2 (31.8) |
78.7 (25.9) |
61.8 (16.6) |
52.8 (11.6) |
96.9 (36.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 28.7 (−1.8) |
33.0 (0.6) |
44.1 (6.7) |
55.5 (13.1) |
65.8 (18.8) |
72.7 (22.6) |
82.5 (28.1) |
82.0 (27.8) |
71.0 (21.7) |
56.8 (13.8) |
41.1 (5.1) |
31.6 (−0.2) |
55.4 (13.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 15.7 (−9.1) |
19.6 (−6.9) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
41.5 (5.3) |
52.0 (11.1) |
59.5 (15.3) |
67.1 (19.5) |
65.8 (18.8) |
55.7 (13.2) |
42.1 (5.6) |
28.2 (−2.1) |
18.6 (−7.4) |
41.4 (5.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 2.6 (−16.3) |
6.2 (−14.3) |
16.6 (−8.6) |
27.5 (−2.5) |
38.2 (3.4) |
46.2 (7.9) |
51.7 (10.9) |
49.7 (9.8) |
40.5 (4.7) |
27.3 (−2.6) |
15.2 (−9.3) |
5.6 (−14.7) |
27.3 (−2.6) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −26.0 (−32.2) |
−17.1 (−27.3) |
−5.9 (−21.1) |
13.3 (−10.4) |
23.9 (−4.5) |
34.9 (1.6) |
41.2 (5.1) |
38.0 (3.3) |
25.9 (−3.4) |
8.5 (−13.1) |
−9.4 (−23.0) |
−17.2 (−27.3) |
−32.9 (−36.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −57 (−49) |
−44 (−42) |
−38 (−39) |
−19 (−28) |
8 (−13) |
19 (−7) |
30 (−1) |
28 (−2) |
8 (−13) |
−17 (−27) |
−33 (−36) |
−52 (−47) |
−57 (−49) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.54 (14) |
0.45 (11) |
0.59 (15) |
1.10 (28) |
1.68 (43) |
2.76 (70) |
1.19 (30) |
1.09 (28) |
1.00 (25) |
0.74 (19) |
0.58 (15) |
0.56 (14) |
12.28 (312) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 8.3 (21) |
5.7 (14) |
5.1 (13) |
3.7 (9.4) |
0.4 (1.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.6 (1.5) |
0.7 (1.8) |
5.6 (14) |
6.3 (16) |
36.5 (93) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 6.9 | 10.2 | 11.7 | 6.4 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 79.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 4.0 | 4.8 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 21.8 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People of Chester
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 402 | — | |
| 1930 | 387 | −3.7% | |
| 1940 | 548 | 41.6% | |
| 1950 | 733 | 33.8% | |
| 1960 | 1,158 | 58.0% | |
| 1970 | 936 | −19.2% | |
| 1980 | 963 | 2.9% | |
| 1990 | 942 | −2.2% | |
| 2000 | 871 | −7.5% | |
| 2010 | 847 | −2.8% | |
| 2020 | 847 | 0.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Chester's Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 847 people living in Chester. These people lived in 395 households, with 223 of them being families. Most residents (97.3%) were White.
About 21% of households had children under 18. Nearly half (48.4%) were married couples. Many households (41.8%) were made up of single individuals, and about 22% of those living alone were 65 or older. The average household had about 2 people, and families had almost 3 people.
The average age in Chester was 51 years old. About 21% of the residents were under 18. About 28% were 65 or older. There were slightly more females (54.5%) than males (45.5%) in the town.
Arts and Culture
Chester has places where you can learn about its history and enjoy local art.
- The Liberty County Museum shares the history of the area and its people during the summer.
- The Liberty Village Arts Center shows and sells art from local and regional artists.
- The Liberty County Library offers books, digital media, and computers with internet access.
Parks and Recreation
There are many fun outdoor activities near Chester:
- Lake Elwell is about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of town. You can go boating, water skiing, camping, and picnicking there. It's also great for fishing, both in warm weather and ice fishing in winter.
- The Marias River is good for fishing and floating downstream from Tiber Dam.
- The Sweet Grass Hills to the north are tall peaks, perfect for exploring.
- In the fall, hunting for deer, antelope, game birds, and elk is popular.
In town, Chester offers:
- A swimming pool in the summer, with swimming lessons and an annual swim meet.
- A city park with a pavilion, picnic areas, a playground, and restrooms.
- An ice skating rink in the winter.
Education
Students in Chester attend CJI (Chester-Joplin-Inverness) School. This school was formed in 2005 and competes in sports in the Class C division of the Montana High School Association.
Local Media
Radio Stations
You can listen to several radio stations in the area:
- KSEN AM 1150 from Shelby plays "Oldies" music.
- KZIN FM 96.7 from Shelby plays "Wide Open Country" music.
- KPQX FM 92.5 from Havre plays "Your Kind of Country" music.
- KXEI FM 95.1 from Havre plays "Christian music".
- KMON AM 560 from Great Falls plays "Classic Country" music.
Television Channels
Television channels are available from Great Falls and Lethbridge, Alberta:
- From Great Falls: KRTV (CBS, CW, Grit, ION, Laff), KTVH (NBC, CW, Cozi TV, Court TV, Court TV Mystery), KUGF-TV (PBS, PBS Kids, Create, World, Legislature), KFBB (ABC, FOX, SWX Right Now).
- From Lethbridge, Alberta: CISA-DT (Global), CFCN-DT (CTV).
Satellite TV and wired internet streaming are also available.
Newspapers
- The Liberty County Times is a weekly newspaper published in Chester.
- The Havre Daily News is a regional newspaper published Monday through Friday. It has an online version too.
- The larger Great Falls Tribune is also available in most areas.
Infrastructure
- U.S. Route 2 runs along the northern side of Chester, making it easy to travel to and from the town.
- Liberty County Airport is a county-owned airport located just a mile (1.6 km) west of Chester.
- The Amtrak Empire Builder train passes through Chester on BNSF tracks. However, it does not stop in Chester. The closest train station is in Shelby, about 43 miles (69 km) to the west.
- Liberty County Transit offers transportation for all ages within Liberty County. It can also connect you to the Amtrak station in Shelby or to buses and planes in Great Falls. They also provide rides for medical appointments.
- Logan Health Chester is a local health center with doctors, nurses, and visiting medical specialists.
Notable People
Some well-known people have connections to Chester:
- Philip Aaberg (born 1949), a pianist, keyboardist, and composer.
- Michael Claxton (born 1976), a basketball player and coach.
- Casey FitzSimmons, an NFL tight end who played for the Detroit Lions.
- William E. Hunt, who served as a Montana Supreme Court Justice from 1985 to 2000.
- Allen Kolstad, a former Lieutenant Governor of Montana from 1989 to 1991.
See also
In Spanish: Chester (Montana) para niños
