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Whitehall, Montana
Whitehall Looking W.JPEG
Location of Whitehall, Montana
Location of Whitehall, Montana
Country United States
State Montana
County Jefferson
Area
 • Total 0.70 sq mi (1.83 km2)
 • Land 0.70 sq mi (1.83 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
4,360 ft (1,330 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 1,006
 • Density 1,426.95/sq mi (550.94/km2)
Time zone UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code
59759
Area code(s) 406
FIPS code 30-79900
GNIS feature ID 2413480

Whitehall is a small town located in Jefferson County, Montana, in the United States. In 2020, about 1,000 people lived there. It's considered part of the larger Helena area.

The Story of Whitehall

Whitehall started as a train station, or "depot," built by the Northern Pacific and Montana Railroad. This happened on September 25, 1889. A man named E.G. Brooke chose the name. He liked a town he had stayed in while traveling through Illinois. Just about a year later, on September 3, 1890, Whitehall officially became a town.

Exploring Whitehall's Location

Whitehall is nestled in the Jefferson Valley. This valley sits between two mountain ranges: the Tobacco Root Mountains and the Highland Mountains. The town is also right in the middle of the Deerlodge National Forest. This forest is home to many trees, like pine, fir, spruce, and juniper.

Many rivers flow near Whitehall. There are also several mountain lakes. These waters are full of different kinds of trout, making it a great spot for fishing.

The town covers about 0.70 square miles (1.83 square kilometers) of land.

Whitehall Montana looking SW.

Whitehall's Weather

Whitehall has a semi-arid climate. This means it's usually dry, but not a desert. It gets some rain and snow, but not a lot.

Climate data for Whitehall, Montana
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 32.2
(0.1)
37.4
(3.0)
43.2
(6.2)
56.5
(13.6)
65.4
(18.6)
71.5
(21.9)
84.1
(28.9)
83.2
(28.4)
71.4
(21.9)
60.1
(15.6)
44.1
(6.7)
37.2
(2.9)
57.2
(14.0)
Daily mean °F (°C) 20.9
(−6.2)
25.9
(−3.4)
31.3
(−0.4)
43
(6)
51.5
(10.8)
57.6
(14.2)
66.7
(19.3)
65.4
(18.6)
55.4
(13.0)
45.8
(7.7)
32.8
(0.4)
26.6
(−3.0)
43.6
(6.4)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 9.6
(−12.4)
14.5
(−9.7)
19.4
(−7.0)
29.5
(−1.4)
37.7
(3.2)
43.8
(6.6)
49.3
(9.6)
47.5
(8.6)
39.5
(4.2)
31.4
(−0.3)
21.4
(−5.9)
16
(−9)
29.9
(−1.2)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.3
(7.6)
0.2
(5.1)
0.5
(13)
0.8
(20)
1.8
(46)
2
(51)
0.9
(23)
0.8
(20)
1.1
(28)
0.5
(13)
0.2
(5.1)
0.3
(7.6)
9.5
(240)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 4.5
(11)
4.2
(11)
5.4
(14)
2.8
(7.1)
0.7
(1.8)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0.7
(1.8)
1.5
(3.8)
2.3
(5.8)
4.5
(11)
26.6
(68)
Source: Weatherbase

Who Lives in Whitehall?

The number of people living in Whitehall has changed over the years. Here's a quick look at the population:

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 417
1920 629 50.8%
1930 553 −12.1%
1940 818 47.9%
1950 928 13.4%
1960 898 −3.2%
1970 1,035 15.3%
1980 1,030 −0.5%
1990 1,067 3.6%
2000 1,044 −2.2%
2010 1,038 −0.6%
2020 1,006 −3.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

Whitehall's Population in 2010

In 2010, about 1,038 people lived in Whitehall. Most residents were White (94%). There were also small groups of Native American (1.7%) and Asian (0.5%) people. About 2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in Whitehall was about 45.7 years old. About 23% of the people were under 18. About 17.4% were 65 years or older.

Arts and Culture in Whitehall

Whitehall offers some interesting places to learn and explore:

  • Jefferson Valley Museum: This museum shows the history of the area. You can see artifacts from early Native American tribes. It also covers the arrival of the railroads. The museum has over 10,000 items. It is located in a restored dairy barn.
  • Lewis and Clark Caverns: These are amazing limestone caves. You can take guided tours through them in the summer. The area also has trails for hiking and biking. It's a great place to watch wildlife.
  • Ringing Rocks: This unique area has special rocks. When you hit them, they make a sound like a bell!
  • Whitehall Community Library: This is the public library for the town. It's a great place to find books and learn.

Fun Things to Do in Whitehall

Whitehall is a great place for outdoor activities:

  • Fishing: The many rivers nearby are perfect for fishing.
  • Boating: There are four lakes within 60 miles where you can go boating.
  • Skiing and Hot Springs: The town is close to five ski resorts. There are also three hot springs where you can relax.
  • Hiking and Camping: Whitehall is between two mountain ranges. Both offer trails for hiking and backpacking. You can also find many camping spots.

Learning in Whitehall

Whitehall Public Schools serves the students in the area. It has two main parts:

  • Whitehall Elementary School District
  • Whitehall High School District

The schools include:

  • Whitehall Elementary School (for grades K-6)
  • Whitehall Middle School (for grades 7-8)
  • Whitehall High School (for grades 9-12)

Whitehall High School is a Class B school. This means it has between 108 and 306 students. This class size helps decide how they compete in sports. The school mascot is the Trojans. Their school colors are purple and gold.

Whitehall News and Radio

  • The Whitehall Ledger: This is the local newspaper. It comes out once a week.
  • Radio Stations: Two radio stations broadcast from Whitehall.
    • KESW-LP is part of Jefferson County Radio. This is a network of stations owned by Jefferson County Disaster & Emergency Services.
    • KQLR is a K-Love station. It is owned by a non-profit Christian organization.

Getting Around Whitehall

  • Highways: Interstate 90 passes by Whitehall. You can get into town from exit 249. Montana Highway 55 ends in Whitehall. Montana Highway 69 starts here. Montana Highway 2 goes through the town from east to west.
  • Airport: The closest airport is Bert Mooney Airport in Butte.

Healthcare in Whitehall

Whitehall Medical Clinic provides medical care for the community. For hospital needs, St. James Healthcare is located in Butte.

Famous People from Whitehall

Some notable people have connections to Whitehall:

  • Sam Adams (born 1963): He used to be the mayor of Portland, Oregon.
  • Chet Huntley (1911–1974): A famous broadcaster who graduated from Whitehall High School.
  • Rob "Robbie" Johnson (born 1983): A Major League Baseball player who played Little League in Whitehall.
  • Bill Pullman (born 1953): An actor who owns a ranch near town and lives there part-time.

See also

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

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