Churchill, Montana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Churchill, Montana
CDP
Location of Amsterdam-Churchill, Montana
Country	United States
State	Montana
County	Gallatin
Area
• Total	3.55 sq mi (9.20 km2)
• Land	3.55 sq mi (9.20 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	4,584 ft (1,397 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,030
• Density	289.98/sq mi (111.95/km2)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
Area code(s)	406
FIPS code	30-01550
GNIS ID	2629943

Churchill is a small community in Gallatin County, Montana, in the United States. It's known as a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's a special area defined for gathering population data. In 2020, about 1,030 people lived here. Churchill is part of the larger Bozeman area. It used to be part of a combined area called Amsterdam-Churchill.

Exploring Churchill's Geography

Churchill is located in the beautiful state of Montana. It's a place with wide-open spaces and amazing views.

Land and Water Around Churchill

The area around Churchill is mostly used for farming. This means you'll see many fields and small streams. The community covers about 3.6 square miles (9.2 square kilometers) of land. There is no large body of water within its borders.

Several small creeks border the town. Camp Creek is to the west, and Godfrey Creek is to the south and east. Valley Ditch is found to the east and north. Even though it's near the huge Gallatin National Forest, Churchill itself doesn't have many trees.

Mountain Views from Churchill

Churchill is in the Gallatin Valley. This location gives residents fantastic views of nearby mountains. To the north, you can see the Bridger Mountains. Looking south, you'll spot the Gallatin Mountains.

Churchill's Interesting History

The name "Church Hill" was later shortened to Churchill. This community is at the heart of Montana's biggest Dutch settlement. This area stretches about 14 miles (22 km) south from Manhattan to a place called Little Holland.

The Dutch Community's Center

While Amsterdam was the main shopping area for the Dutch settlers, Churchill was their cultural hub. The very first church for the Dutch community, the 1st Christian Reformed Church, was built here. Today, it's known as Manhattan Christian Reformed Church.

Connected to this church is Manhattan Christian School. This is a private school run by parents. Both the church and school are still active today. There's also Bethel Christian Reformed Church, which grew from the original church. The Churchill Retirement Home is also part of the community.

The large church on the hill is likely how the town got its name. It was once the biggest wooden building west of the Mississippi River.

How the Settlement Grew

In the late 1890s, Dutch immigrants came to the Gallatin Valley. They got help from the Manhattan Malting Company. They created a long line of homes, farms, and ranches. This settlement stretched about 14 miles south of Manhattan. Amsterdam and Churchill were roughly in the middle of this area.

The Northern Pacific Railway noticed the community's growth. They added a train stop called Amsterdam to the west of "the hill." Not to be outdone, the C.M. & St. Paul Railway (also known as the Milwaukee Road) built a stop for farm goods. This stop was about two miles east of Churchill. It was called the "Holland Siding." Because of this, the area "east of the hill" became known as Holland on maps.

About seven miles south of Churchill is "Little Holland." Many Dutch settlers made their homes here. Today, it's marked by one of the two cemeteries the original Dutch settlers created. The other cemetery is located in Churchill.

Churchill's Population

Learning in Churchill

Students in Churchill have several options for their education.

Public Schools

Younger students in public schools attend either Amsterdam School or Manhattan Elementary School. When they get to high school, students go to Manhattan High School. In 2022, Manhattan High School had 260 students. There were also 18.8 full-time teachers.

Private School Options

Manhattan Christian School is a private school located in Churchill. This school is a Class C school. This special designation is used in Montana for sports competitions.

Media and News in Churchill

Churchill is part of the Bozeman media market. This means that TV and radio stations in Bozeman serve the Churchill area.

Local Radio and News

The FM radio station KXLB is licensed in Churchill. KXLB plays country music for the wider Bozeman area. For local news, residents can read the Bozeman Daily Chronicle newspaper.

Getting Around Churchill

Churchill has good connections to major roads and a nearby airport.

Road Connections

Churchill is located about 8 miles (13 km) south of Interstate 90. This is a major highway that crosses Montana. It's also about 6 miles (10 km) west of Montana Highway 85.

Nearest Airport

The closest airport for travelers is Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport.

See also

In Spanish: Churchill (Montana) para niños