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Townsend
Mainstreet, Townsend
Mainstreet, Townsend
Motto(s): 
First City on the Missouri & Valley of Adventure
Location of Townsend, Montana
Location of Townsend, Montana
Country United States
State Montana
County Broadwater
Area
 • Total 1.52 sq mi (3.93 km2)
 • Land 1.52 sq mi (3.93 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
3,842 ft (1,171 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 1,787
 • Density 1,175.66/sq mi (454.71/km2)
Time zone UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code
59644
Area code(s) 406
FIPS code 30-74575
GNIS feature ID 0792298
Website http://www.townsendmt.com/

Townsend is a city in and the county seat of Broadwater County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,787 at the 2020 census.

History

Lewis and Clark passed through on the voyage of discovery in 1805, although the first white settlers, homesteaders and Civil War veterans in search of gold, did not arrive until the late 1860s. In 1883, a railstop was established as businesses became established supporting gold mining in the region. Townsend was named by railroad officials, in honor of the wife of Charles Barstow Wright, president of the Northern Pacific (1875–1879).

Geography

Townsend is located at 46°19′13″N 111°31′4″W / 46.32028°N 111.51778°W / 46.32028; -111.51778 (46.320218, -111.517642).

Situated at approximately 3800 feet above sea level. Located approximately 35 miles from Helena, the state capital and 35 miles from the convergence of the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin rivers which form the headwaters of the Missouri River. Nicknamed "the first city on the Missouri River", Townsend sits nearby the southern tip of Canyon Ferry Lake (a part of, and fed by, the Missouri River) a popular recreation destination and Montana's third largest body of water.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.59 square miles (4.12 km2), of which 1.58 square miles (4.09 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1890 245
1900 446 82.0%
1910 759 70.2%
1920 897 18.2%
1930 735 −18.1%
1940 1,309 78.1%
1950 1,316 0.5%
1960 1,528 16.1%
1970 1,371 −10.3%
1980 1,587 15.8%
1990 1,635 3.0%
2000 1,867 14.2%
2010 1,878 0.6%
2020 1,787 −4.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,878 people, 822 households, and 495 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,188.6 inhabitants per square mile (458.9/km2). There were 888 housing units at an average density of 562.0 per square mile (217.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.5% White, 0.2% African American, 1.5% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.8% of the population.

There were 822 households, of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.8% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.85.

The median age in the city was 45.7 years. 22% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.5% were from 25 to 44; 28.2% were from 45 to 64; and 22.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.1% male and 48.9% female.

Climate

Townsend experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with cold, dry winters and hot, wetter summers.

Climate data for Townsend, Montana
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 64
(18)
72
(22)
77
(25)
88
(31)
94
(34)
100
(38)
101
(38)
105
(41)
99
(37)
89
(32)
73
(23)
67
(19)
105
(41)
Average high °F (°C) 34.5
(1.4)
41.1
(5.1)
50.3
(10.2)
59.9
(15.5)
68.2
(20.1)
75.8
(24.3)
82.5
(28.1)
82.4
(28.0)
72.4
(22.4)
61.0
(16.1)
44.7
(7.1)
35.6
(2.0)
59.0
(15.0)
Daily mean °F (°C) 23.6
(−4.7)
29.0
(−1.7)
37.3
(2.9)
45.6
(7.6)
53.8
(12.1)
61.2
(16.2)
66.7
(19.3)
65.7
(18.7)
56.3
(13.5)
46.4
(8.0)
33.5
(0.8)
24.7
(−4.1)
45.3
(7.4)
Average low °F (°C) 12.6
(−10.8)
16.9
(−8.4)
24.3
(−4.3)
31.3
(−0.4)
39.3
(4.1)
46.6
(8.1)
50.8
(10.4)
49.0
(9.4)
40.2
(4.6)
31.7
(−0.2)
22.2
(−5.4)
13.7
(−10.2)
31.6
(−0.3)
Record low °F (°C) −39
(−39)
−38
(−39)
−26
(−32)
6
(−14)
13
(−11)
19
(−7)
34
(1)
25
(−4)
12
(−11)
−11
(−24)
−29
(−34)
−37
(−38)
−39
(−39)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.35
(8.9)
0.23
(5.8)
0.54
(14)
0.71
(18)
1.73
(44)
2.03
(52)
1.36
(35)
1.36
(35)
1.01
(26)
0.60
(15)
0.40
(10)
0.35
(8.9)
10.67
(272.6)
Source 1: NOAA (normals, 1971–2000)
Source 2: The Weather Channel (Records)

Education

Townsend School District educates students from kindergarten to 12th grade. The mascot for Broadwater High School is the Bulldogs.

Broadwater Community Library is located in Townsend.

Infrastructure

Townsend Airport is a public use airport located 2 miles east of town.

Notable people

  • Ben Clopton - cartoon artist
  • Patrick Duffy - actor who played Bobby Ewing in Dallas and was also in Step By Step, was born in Townsend
  • Esther Reed - identity thief, was born in Townsend

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Townsend (Montana) para niños

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