Livingston, Montana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Livingston, Montana
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Downtown Livingston (2024)
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Location within Park County and Montana
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| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Park |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.04 sq mi (15.63 km2) |
| • Land | 5.98 sq mi (15.49 km2) |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.15 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,495 ft (1,370 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 8,040 |
| • Density | 1,344.71/sq mi (519.16/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
59047
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| Area code | 406 |
| FIPS code | 30-43975 |
| GNIS ID | 2410851 |
Livingston is a city in Montana, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Park County. You can find Livingston in southwestern Montana, right next to the Yellowstone River. It's also just north of Yellowstone National Park, America's first national park. In 2020, about 8,040 people lived in Livingston.
Contents
History of Livingston
The city of Livingston started because of the Northern Pacific Railway (NPR). This railway needed a central spot in the Rocky Mountains to fix their steam trains. Livingston was perfect for this. It also became the first main entry point for visitors heading to Yellowstone National Park. The NPR even built a special train line that went 50 miles south to the park's north entrance in Gardiner.
How Clark City Became Livingston
Before Livingston, there was a small community called Benson's Landing. It was about 3 miles away, by the Yellowstone River. In 1872, a fisherman named Amos Benson built a cabin there. This spot had a ferry and a trading post.
In 1882, the Northern Pacific Railway survey crew set up a camp of about 40 tents. They were looking for a good place to build a supply store. On July 16, 1882, two important people, George H. Carver and Joseph J. McBride, arrived. They became the first local residents, setting up their tents. Soon, 30 wagons with 140 oxen arrived, carrying lots of goods for the new store.
This new settlement was first called "Clark City." It was named after Heman Clark, a main contractor for the Northern Pacific. By the fall of 1882, Clark City was growing fast. It had stores, hotels, restaurants, and many saloons. About 500 people lived there.
But the railroad had already planned a town called Livingston for the same area. When the railroad officially arrived on November 22, 1882, it was decided that Livingston would be built nearby. People from Clark City then bought land in Livingston and moved there. This meant the end of Clark City and the beginning of Livingston.
Livingston's Official Start
On December 21, 1882, Livingston officially became a city. It was named after Johnston Livingston, who was an important person in the Northern Pacific Railway. He was a stockholder and director. Some people also think the town was named after his nephew, Crawford Livingston Jr. Crawford bought land in the area and started the First National Bank in 1883. He often called Livingston "his town."
Livingston is located where the Yellowstone River makes a turn. It's also close to Interstate 90. In 1806, Captain William Clark of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition camped near where the city is today. This was on his journey back east.
Things to See and Do
Even though Livingston is a small city, it has many interesting places to visit.
- The Livingston Depot was built in 1902. It's a beautiful old train station that has been fixed up. Now, it's a railroad museum open from May to September.
- The Yellowstone Gateway Museum tells the story of the area. It covers everything from ancient times to the Wild West and Yellowstone National Park history.
- If you like fishing, the International Fly Fishing Federation's museum is a great place to learn about this popular sport. They also host meetings for fishing fans.
Many famous people have lived in or visited Livingston. Calamity Jane, a famous figure from the Old West, lived here for about 20 years. Even some European royalty visited the city! Later, people like actors Peter Fonda and Margot Kidder, comedian Rich Hall, and author Jim Harrison made Livingston their home. The musician Jimmy Buffett even mentioned Livingston in some of his songs.
Livingston's economy relies a lot on tourism today. The city has worked to make itself more appealing to visitors. It has 17 places listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means they are important historical sites. Livingston also has a sister-city relationship with Naganohara, Japan.
- Images of Livingston, Montana
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Plat of Livingston, 1883
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Gateway to Yellowstone, Frank Jay Haynes, 1884
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Second Livingston NPRR Depot, 1894
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Residential neighborhood
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Fire station reincarnated as fitness center
Geography and Climate
Livingston covers about 6 square miles. Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
Livingston's Weather
Livingston has a climate that is called "warm-summer humid continental." This means it has warm summers and cold winters.
| Climate data for Livingston, Montana (Livingston Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1948–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 67 (19) |
70 (21) |
75 (24) |
86 (30) |
93 (34) |
99 (37) |
104 (40) |
105 (41) |
102 (39) |
91 (33) |
77 (25) |
64 (18) |
105 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 55.7 (13.2) |
57.3 (14.1) |
67.6 (19.8) |
76.2 (24.6) |
82.5 (28.1) |
91.0 (32.8) |
97.8 (36.6) |
97.0 (36.1) |
92.3 (33.5) |
80.8 (27.1) |
65.3 (18.5) |
55.5 (13.1) |
99.1 (37.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 37.4 (3.0) |
38.9 (3.8) |
47.8 (8.8) |
54.4 (12.4) |
64.4 (18.0) |
73.8 (23.2) |
85.7 (29.8) |
84.8 (29.3) |
73.5 (23.1) |
58.2 (14.6) |
44.9 (7.2) |
36.4 (2.4) |
58.4 (14.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 28.1 (−2.2) |
28.9 (−1.7) |
36.1 (2.3) |
42.2 (5.7) |
51.0 (10.6) |
59.3 (15.2) |
67.9 (19.9) |
66.5 (19.2) |
57.3 (14.1) |
45.5 (7.5) |
35.1 (1.7) |
27.6 (−2.4) |
45.5 (7.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 18.8 (−7.3) |
18.9 (−7.3) |
24.3 (−4.3) |
30.0 (−1.1) |
37.6 (3.1) |
44.8 (7.1) |
50.2 (10.1) |
48.1 (8.9) |
41.2 (5.1) |
32.7 (0.4) |
25.3 (−3.7) |
18.8 (−7.3) |
32.6 (0.3) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −9.4 (−23.0) |
−6.9 (−21.6) |
1.2 (−17.1) |
14.8 (−9.6) |
23.2 (−4.9) |
33.6 (0.9) |
40.0 (4.4) |
36.9 (2.7) |
27.1 (−2.7) |
11.6 (−11.3) |
−1.7 (−18.7) |
−8.7 (−22.6) |
−20.5 (−29.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −32 (−36) |
−33 (−36) |
−32 (−36) |
−2 (−19) |
11 (−12) |
27 (−3) |
33 (1) |
28 (−2) |
10 (−12) |
−12 (−24) |
−31 (−35) |
−41 (−41) |
−41 (−41) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.44 (11) |
0.47 (12) |
0.79 (20) |
1.71 (43) |
2.66 (68) |
2.42 (61) |
1.31 (33) |
1.07 (27) |
1.20 (30) |
1.36 (35) |
0.62 (16) |
0.50 (13) |
14.55 (369) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 10.4 (26) |
6.2 (16) |
7.3 (19) |
7.6 (19) |
2.5 (6.4) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.9 (2.3) |
5.1 (13) |
7.5 (19) |
8.5 (22) |
56.0 (142) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 5.5 | 6.5 | 8.4 | 11.8 | 13.6 | 12.9 | 9.2 | 7.8 | 7.5 | 9.5 | 7.1 | 6.3 | 106.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 5.4 | 4.8 | 6.6 | 6.9 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 3.4 | 5.2 | 5.4 | 39.9 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Livingston has some of the warmest winters in Montana. However, it can feel very cold because it's one of the windiest places in the United States.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 2,850 | — | |
| 1900 | 2,778 | −2.5% | |
| 1910 | 5,259 | 89.3% | |
| 1920 | 6,311 | 20.0% | |
| 1930 | 6,391 | 1.3% | |
| 1940 | 6,642 | 3.9% | |
| 1950 | 7,683 | 15.7% | |
| 1960 | 8,229 | 7.1% | |
| 1970 | 6,883 | −16.4% | |
| 1980 | 6,994 | 1.6% | |
| 1990 | 6,701 | −4.2% | |
| 2000 | 6,851 | 2.2% | |
| 2010 | 7,044 | 2.8% | |
| 2020 | 8,040 | 14.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 7,044 people living in Livingston. Most people (96.2%) were White. About 0.8% were Native American, and 0.3% were Asian. About 2.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in the city was about 41 years old. Around 21% of the people were under 18.
Economy and Jobs
Livingston was a railroad city until the mid-1980s. Today, it mostly depends on tourism. The Federation of Fly Fishers, an organization for fly fishing, is based here.
Here are some of the biggest private employers in Park County, where Livingston is located:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Livingston HealthCare | 250–499 |
| 2 | Printingforless.com | 250–499 |
| 3 | Chico Hot Springs Resort and Day Spa | 100–249 |
| 4 | Church Universal and Triumphant | 100–249 |
| 5 | Albertsons | 50–99 |
| 6 | Community Health Partners | 50–99 |
| 7 | Evergreen Health & Rehab | 50–99 |
| 8 | Montana's Rib & Chop House | 50–99 |
| 9 | Town & Country Foods | 50–99 |
| 10 | Town Pump | 50–99 |
Education in Livingston
Livingston has its own public school system called Livingston Public Schools. This system teaches students from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. The high school team is called the Park High School Rangers.
The city also has a public library, called the Livingston-Park County Public Library.
Transportation
- Airport: Mission Field is a public airport located five miles east of Livingston.
- Bus Service: You can take a bus to Livingston using Jefferson Lines.
Media and Entertainment
Newspapers
The Livingston Enterprise is the local daily newspaper. There are also monthly and bimonthly magazines published in Livingston.
Radio Stations
Livingston has several radio stations, playing different types of music and talk shows. Some examples are KPRK 1340 AM (talk radio) and KOBB-FM 93.7 (oldies music).
TV Channels
Livingston can receive TV channels from both the Bozeman and Billings markets. These include channels like KTVM (NBC) and KTVQ-TV (CBS).
Livingston in Movies and TV
Livingston has been a filming location for several movies and TV shows.
Movies Filmed in or Near Livingston
- Rancho Deluxe (1975)
- A River Runs Through It (1992)
- The Horse Whisperer (1998)
- Certain Women (2016)
- Wildlife (film) (2018)
- Montana Story (2021)
TV Shows Set in Livingston
- Yellowstone (American TV series) (starting 2018)
Famous People from Livingston
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Livingston:
- Dan Bailey: A famous fly tyer and owner of a popular fly shop.
- Tom Brokaw: A well-known television journalist.
- Calamity Jane: A famous scout and heroine of the American West.
- Rich Hall: A comedian, writer, and musician.
- Jim Harrison: A poet and author, known for Legends of the Fall.
- Margot Kidder: An actress.
- John Mayer: A popular musician.
- Sam Peckinpah: A film director.
- Christopher Paolini: Author of The Inheritance Cycle fantasy books.
See also
In Spanish: Livingston (Montana) para niños
