Twin Bridges, Montana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Twin Bridges, Montana
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Welcoming water tower from a ranch road
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Location in Madison County and the state of Montana
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| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Madison |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Mayor |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.01 sq mi (2.63 km2) |
| • Land | 1.01 sq mi (2.63 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,626 ft (1,410 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 330 |
| • Density | 325.44/sq mi (125.61/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain Time Zone) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (Mountain Daylight Time) |
| ZIP code |
59754
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| Area code(s) | 406 |
| FIPS code | 30-75475 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0792499 |
Twin Bridges is a small town in Madison County, Montana, United States. It's special because three rivers meet there: the Ruby, Beaverhead, and Big Hole. These rivers then form the Jefferson River.
Twin Bridges is very famous for fly fishing, especially for trout. Many people come here to fish! In 2020, about 330 people lived in the town.
Contents
History of Twin Bridges
Long ago, four Native American trails met near where Twin Bridges is today. These trails were important for early settlers and trading companies. They helped decide where the town would grow.
In 1862, a man named Judge M.H. Lott came to Montana. He and his brother John T. Lott settled in the Ruby Valley in 1864. They built the first bridge over the Beaverhead River in 1865. Later, they built another bridge over the same river.
The Lott brothers helped build roads and encouraged more people to move to the area. Twin Bridges officially became a town in 1902, and M.H. Lott was its first mayor.
Geography and Climate
Twin Bridges is located in the northwest part of Madison County. It's about 9 miles (14 km) northwest of Sheridan. It's also about 27 miles (43 km) south-southwest of Whitehall and Interstate 90.
The town covers about 1.01 square miles (2.63 square kilometers) of land. The Beaverhead River flows right through the middle of town. The Big Hole River is about 1 mile (1.6 km) to the west. It joins the Beaverhead River just north of town to create the Jefferson River. The Ruby River also joins the Beaverhead River less than 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Twin Bridges.
Climate in Twin Bridges
Twin Bridges has a type of weather called a semi-arid climate. This means it's usually dry, but not a desert.
| Climate data for Twin Bridges, Montana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1955–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 62 (17) |
65 (18) |
78 (26) |
86 (30) |
93 (34) |
99 (37) |
101 (38) |
101 (38) |
98 (37) |
87 (31) |
73 (23) |
68 (20) |
101 (38) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 35.4 (1.9) |
39.6 (4.2) |
49.2 (9.6) |
57.0 (13.9) |
66.4 (19.1) |
74.7 (23.7) |
84.7 (29.3) |
83.4 (28.6) |
73.5 (23.1) |
59.3 (15.2) |
44.1 (6.7) |
34.5 (1.4) |
58.5 (14.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 24.2 (−4.3) |
27.3 (−2.6) |
35.5 (1.9) |
42.5 (5.8) |
51.3 (10.7) |
58.7 (14.8) |
65.4 (18.6) |
63.3 (17.4) |
55.1 (12.8) |
43.6 (6.4) |
31.7 (−0.2) |
23.3 (−4.8) |
43.5 (6.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 13.0 (−10.6) |
15.1 (−9.4) |
21.9 (−5.6) |
28.0 (−2.2) |
36.1 (2.3) |
42.7 (5.9) |
46.1 (7.8) |
43.2 (6.2) |
36.7 (2.6) |
27.9 (−2.3) |
19.3 (−7.1) |
12.0 (−11.1) |
28.5 (−1.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −39 (−39) |
−32 (−36) |
−28 (−33) |
2 (−17) |
12 (−11) |
24 (−4) |
28 (−2) |
23 (−5) |
10 (−12) |
−9 (−23) |
−27 (−33) |
−35 (−37) |
−39 (−39) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.22 (5.6) |
0.22 (5.6) |
0.37 (9.4) |
0.85 (22) |
1.70 (43) |
2.17 (55) |
0.89 (23) |
0.75 (19) |
0.88 (22) |
0.73 (19) |
0.33 (8.4) |
0.33 (8.4) |
9.44 (240) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 3.4 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 8.4 | 11.0 | 11.7 | 6.4 | 6.6 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 77.5 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Population of Twin Bridges
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 491 | — | |
| 1920 | 755 | 53.8% | |
| 1930 | 671 | −11.1% | |
| 1940 | 534 | −20.4% | |
| 1950 | 497 | −6.9% | |
| 1960 | 509 | 2.4% | |
| 1970 | 613 | 20.4% | |
| 1980 | 437 | −28.7% | |
| 1990 | 374 | −14.4% | |
| 2000 | 400 | 7.0% | |
| 2010 | 375 | −6.2% | |
| 2020 | 330 | −12.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Twin Bridges has changed over the years. In 2010, there were 375 people living in the town. These people lived in 172 households. About 25% of these households had children under 18 living there. Many households were married couples.
The average age of people in Twin Bridges in 2010 was about 44.6 years old. About 22.7% of the residents were under 18.
Economy and Tourism
Twin Bridges is a popular place for tourists, especially those who love fly fishing and cycling. The town is located on two long-distance bike trails: the TransAmerica Trail and the Lewis & Clark Bicycle Trail.
In 2009, a special "bike camp" was built in Twin Bridges for cyclists. Local shops also started selling basic bike supplies to help out visitors.
Arts and Culture
Twin Bridges has a few interesting places to visit:
- Twin Bridges Historical Association Museum: This museum is in one of the town's oldest buildings. It shows items from the area's history. You can learn about Native American culture, early settlers, mining, and farming.
- Twin Bridges Public Library: This library has been serving the community since 1897. It was started by a group called the Temperance Society. They wanted to offer a good place for people to go instead of saloons.
- Doncaster Round Barn: This is a unique three-story round barn. It's so special that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This property was once used to breed horses. One famous horse from here was Spokane, who won the Kentucky Derby race in 1889!
Education in Twin Bridges
Students in Twin Bridges attend schools in the Twin Bridges K-12 Schools district. This district teaches students from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. The Twin Bridges Public Library also helps students and everyone else in the area.
Local News
The Madisonian is a newspaper that covers news for Twin Bridges and the nearby Madison and Ruby Valleys. It comes out every week and also has an online version.
Transportation
- Airport: Ruby Valley Field is a public airport about 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of town.
- Highways: Two main roads, Montana Highway 287 and Montana Highway 41, meet in Twin Bridges.
Notable People from Twin Bridges
Many interesting people have connections to Twin Bridges:
- Angela McLean: She served as the lieutenant governor of Montana.
- Hamilton James: He is a co-chair for the Board of Trustees of the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
- Benny Reynolds: A well-known rodeo champion.
- Donald Rumsfeld: An American political figure and businessman.
- Spokane: A famous horse who won the 1889 Kentucky Derby.
- Kenneth Walsh: He was a member of the Montana House of Representatives.
Gallery
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Northern Entrance To Twin Bridges, MT
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Blue Anchor Cafe, Main Street, Twin Bridges, MT
See also
In Spanish: Twin Bridges (Montana) para niños
