Malta, Montana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Malta
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Downtown Malta from the Empire Builder
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Location of Malta, Montana
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| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Phillips |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.07 sq mi (2.78 km2) |
| • Land | 1.07 sq mi (2.78 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,257 ft (688 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,860 |
| • Density | 1,731.84/sq mi (668.95/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
59538
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| Area code(s) | 406 |
| FIPS code | 30-47425 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410916 |
Malta (
i/ˈmɔːltə/ MAWL-tə) is a city in Phillips County, Montana, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Phillips County. Malta is located where two important roads, U.S. Route 2 and U.S. Route 191, meet. In 2020, about 1,860 people lived there.
Contents
History of Malta
Malta started as a small rail siding (a short railway track) in 1887. This was after James J. Hill and his partners built the St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba railway. This railway later became the Great Northern Railway.
A post office was opened in Malta in 1890. People say the city got its name when a Great Northern official spun a globe. His finger landed on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea.
Famous Dinosaur Discoveries
Malta is famous for its dinosaur discoveries. In 2000, a 77-million-year-old Brachylophosaurus dinosaur was found north of Malta. This dinosaur, nicknamed Leonardo, is one of the best-preserved dinosaurs ever found. It is also one of only four that were fossilized in such a complete way.
Leonardo and other brachylosaurs like Elvis, Roberta, and Peanut are on display. You can see them at The Great Plains Dinosaur Museum in Malta.
Geography and Location
Malta is located on the High Plains of Montana. To the south of the town are the Little Rocky Mountains. The Milk River flows north of the town.
The city gets its water from wells. This well water is pumped to two large tanks. These tanks are located on a hill in a residential area called Hillcrest. The water is cleaned to make sure it is safe to drink. Then, it goes into the city's water system for everyone to use.
The United States Census Bureau says that Malta covers about 1.06 square miles (2.78 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the city limits.
Malta's Climate
Malta has a semi-arid climate. This means it gets some rain, but not a lot. Winters are long, cold, and dry. Summers are hot and get more rain.
| Climate data for Malta, Montana, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1959–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 67 (19) |
75 (24) |
86 (30) |
92 (33) |
97 (36) |
107 (42) |
109 (43) |
109 (43) |
106 (41) |
91 (33) |
81 (27) |
75 (24) |
109 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 54.8 (12.7) |
56.9 (13.8) |
69.0 (20.6) |
80.1 (26.7) |
86.8 (30.4) |
94.9 (34.9) |
99.3 (37.4) |
99.6 (37.6) |
94.5 (34.7) |
82.5 (28.1) |
66.9 (19.4) |
55.6 (13.1) |
101.9 (38.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 29.2 (−1.6) |
32.8 (0.4) |
44.0 (6.7) |
56.4 (13.6) |
66.1 (18.9) |
75.4 (24.1) |
85.5 (29.7) |
85.2 (29.6) |
73.7 (23.2) |
57.9 (14.4) |
42.6 (5.9) |
32.1 (0.1) |
56.7 (13.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 17.5 (−8.1) |
21.1 (−6.1) |
31.6 (−0.2) |
43.4 (6.3) |
53.1 (11.7) |
62.6 (17.0) |
70.3 (21.3) |
69.1 (20.6) |
58.1 (14.5) |
44.2 (6.8) |
30.5 (−0.8) |
20.6 (−6.3) |
43.5 (6.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 5.8 (−14.6) |
9.3 (−12.6) |
19.3 (−7.1) |
30.5 (−0.8) |
40.0 (4.4) |
49.9 (9.9) |
55.1 (12.8) |
53.0 (11.7) |
42.6 (5.9) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
18.3 (−7.6) |
9.1 (−12.7) |
30.3 (−1.0) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −24.0 (−31.1) |
−15.7 (−26.5) |
−4.6 (−20.3) |
14.7 (−9.6) |
25.3 (−3.7) |
37.8 (3.2) |
45.1 (7.3) |
40.7 (4.8) |
27.8 (−2.3) |
12.5 (−10.8) |
−6.2 (−21.2) |
−17.1 (−27.3) |
−31.5 (−35.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −51 (−46) |
−45 (−43) |
−35 (−37) |
−6 (−21) |
14 (−10) |
29 (−2) |
35 (2) |
32 (0) |
15 (−9) |
−10 (−23) |
−32 (−36) |
−51 (−46) |
−51 (−46) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.27 (6.9) |
0.24 (6.1) |
0.50 (13) |
1.07 (27) |
2.42 (61) |
2.70 (69) |
1.87 (47) |
1.21 (31) |
1.09 (28) |
0.98 (25) |
0.37 (9.4) |
0.23 (5.8) |
12.95 (329.2) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 6.6 (17) |
6.4 (16) |
4.1 (10) |
2.7 (6.9) |
0.6 (1.5) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.4 (3.6) |
4.8 (12) |
5.6 (14) |
32.2 (81) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 3.4 | 2.8 | 3.9 | 5.9 | 8.7 | 9.6 | 7.8 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 63.2 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 3.9 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 17.7 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Population of Malta
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 433 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,427 | 229.6% | |
| 1930 | 1,342 | −6.0% | |
| 1940 | 2,215 | 65.1% | |
| 1950 | 2,095 | −5.4% | |
| 1960 | 2,339 | 11.6% | |
| 1970 | 2,195 | −6.2% | |
| 1980 | 2,367 | 7.8% | |
| 1990 | 2,340 | −1.1% | |
| 2000 | 2,120 | −9.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,997 | −5.8% | |
| 2020 | 1,860 | −6.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 Census Information
In 2020, there were 1,860 people living in Malta. There were 912 households, which are groups of people living together. Most people living in Malta were White (84.1%). About 4.7% were Native American.
The average age of people in Malta was 51.4 years old. About 21.4% of the population was under 18 years old. Also, 27.6% were 65 years or older. Many residents have German (44.7%), Norwegian (21.3%), or Irish (16.7%) family backgrounds.
The average income for a household in Malta was $44,189. About 8.4% of the people lived below the poverty line. This means their income was too low to meet basic needs.
2010 Census Information
In 2010, Malta had 1,997 people. There were 902 households. The city had about 1,006 housing units. Most residents (88.2%) were White. About 5.5% were Native American.
The average age in Malta was 46.8 years. About 23.1% of residents were under 18. Also, 23.2% were 65 or older. The population was 46.7% male and 53.3% female.
Education in Malta
Malta Public Schools provide education for students. They teach children from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. The sports teams at Malta High School are called the Mustangs and Mustangettes.
Arts and Culture in Malta
Malta is home to two stops on The Montana Dinosaur Trail. These are the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and Field Station and the Phillips County Museum.
The Great Plains Dinosaur Museum also has the Judith River Dinosaur Institute. This institute lets people join in educational dinosaur digs. You can also take a course on how to prepare fossils. Every June, the museum hosts the Montana Dinosaur Festival. This festival has activities for both adults and children, all about paleontology (the study of fossils).
The Phillips County Museum shares local history. It has items from Native American culture, cowboys, and early settlers. The H.G. Robinson House and Gardens are also on site. This house is one of the oldest homes in Malta.
The Phillips County Carnegie Library is the public library in Malta. Its building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site.
Transportation and Infrastructure
U.S. Route 2 goes through Malta from east to west. U.S. Route 191 travels north to south.
Amtrak's Empire Builder train stops daily in Malta. This train travels between Chicago and Seattle/Portland. The stop is at the Malta station.
The Malta Airport is a public airport. It serves the town and nearby areas.
Media in Malta
The Phillips County News is a local newspaper. It comes out once a week. They offer both a printed paper and news online.
The radio station KMMR FM 100.1 plays Country music. It is licensed in Malta.
Notable People from Malta
- Greg Hertz, who served in the Montana Congress.
- Karl Ohs, who was the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Montana.
See also
In Spanish: Malta (Montana) para niños
