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Valier, Montana
Location of Valier, Montana
Location of Valier, Montana
Country United States
State Montana
County Pondera
Area
 • Total 0.86 sq mi (2.24 km2)
 • Land 0.86 sq mi (2.24 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
3,822 ft (1,165 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 530
 • Density 612.72/sq mi (236.44/km2)
Time zone UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code
59486
Area code(s) 406
FIPS code 30-76225
GNIS feature ID 2413417

Valier is a small town in Pondera County, Montana, in the United States. It is a friendly community with a population of 530 people, according to the 2020 census. Valier is known for its beautiful natural surroundings and its connection to local history.

History of Valier

The town of Valier got its name from Peter Valier. He was in charge of building the Montana Western Railway line. This railroad connected Valier to Conrad, which is the main town in Pondera County. Valier officially became a town in 1909.

Geography and Nature

Valier is located right next to Lake Frances. This lake is a great spot for fishing. You can find fish like pike, perch, walleye, and rainbow trout there. The Swift Dam and its reservoir are also close by.

The town has a unique location. To the west, you can see the amazing Rocky Mountains. To the east, there are wide-open plains. The total area of Valier is about 0.86 square miles (2.24 square kilometers), and it's all land.

Valier's Climate

Valier has what is called a semi-arid climate. This means it's usually dry, but it does get some rain. It's not as dry as a desert, but it's not super wet either. On climate maps, this type of weather is shown as "BSk".

Climate data for Valier, Montana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1911–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 64
(18)
69
(21)
77
(25)
85
(29)
91
(33)
101
(38)
102
(39)
103
(39)
99
(37)
88
(31)
78
(26)
74
(23)
103
(39)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 35.1
(1.7)
37.3
(2.9)
45.5
(7.5)
55.1
(12.8)
64.4
(18.0)
71.4
(21.9)
81.5
(27.5)
81.2
(27.3)
71.6
(22.0)
57.1
(13.9)
43.1
(6.2)
34.9
(1.6)
56.5
(13.6)
Daily mean °F (°C) 24.0
(−4.4)
25.8
(−3.4)
33.3
(0.7)
42.6
(5.9)
51.7
(10.9)
59.1
(15.1)
66.8
(19.3)
66.0
(18.9)
57.3
(14.1)
44.9
(7.2)
32.9
(0.5)
25.0
(−3.9)
44.1
(6.7)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 13.0
(−10.6)
14.4
(−9.8)
21.1
(−6.1)
30.2
(−1.0)
39.0
(3.9)
46.7
(8.2)
52.2
(11.2)
50.7
(10.4)
43.1
(6.2)
32.8
(0.4)
22.7
(−5.2)
15.1
(−9.4)
31.8
(−0.1)
Record low °F (°C) −43
(−42)
−49
(−45)
−35
(−37)
−21
(−29)
8
(−13)
28
(−2)
30
(−1)
28
(−2)
4
(−16)
−15
(−26)
−29
(−34)
−42
(−41)
−49
(−45)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.25
(6.4)
0.31
(7.9)
0.44
(11)
1.25
(32)
2.23
(57)
3.09
(78)
1.05
(27)
1.33
(34)
1.25
(32)
0.74
(19)
0.43
(11)
0.26
(6.6)
12.63
(321)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 3.8 4.2 4.7 6.4 8.2 10.6 5.8 5.9 5.3 4.9 4.2 3.5 67.5
Source: NOAA

People of Valier

Historical population
Census Pop.
1920 613
1930 575 −6.2%
1940 641 11.5%
1950 710 10.8%
1960 724 2.0%
1970 651 −10.1%
1980 640 −1.7%
1990 519 −18.9%
2000 498 −4.0%
2010 509 2.2%
2020 530 4.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2010, there were 509 people living in Valier. About 87% of the people were White. Around 8% were Native American. A small number of people were Asian or from two or more different backgrounds.

Many different types of families live in Valier. Some households had children under 18. Many were married couples living together. Some households had a single parent. About 17% of homes had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average age in Valier was about 47 years old.

Valier's Economy

The main way people make a living in Valier is through farming. This includes raising cattle. There are also three Hutterite colonies nearby. These are communities that live and work together.

Education in Valier

Students in Valier go to Valier Schools. They can attend from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. The high school team is called the Panthers. The Valier Public Library serves the community. It offers books and other resources.

Local News and Travel

The local newspaper in Valier is called The Valierian. It comes out every week. You can read it in print or online.

Valier is located on Highway 44. This road connects to bigger highways like I-15 and US 89. It's a good spot between Glacier National Park and Great Falls. The town also has a small airport called Valier Airport. It has a grass landing strip. Water planes can also land on Lake Frances.

Famous People from Valier

  • Scott Curry is an American Football player. He went to high school in Valier.
  • Ivan Doig was a well-known author. He graduated from Valier High School.

See also

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

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