Opheim is a town in Valley County,

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...

, United States. The population was 75 at the 2020 census.

History

*Opheim was named for Alfred Sumner Opheim (1872-1949), who together with his wife Helen (Ouandahl) Opheim (1874-1930), served as the first postmasters of the town. *The town was founded before the expansion of the Great Northern Railway, but benefited by having its own depot. In the early 1990s, railway abandonment occurred between the towns of Scobey and Opheim. *Opheim was once the location of

Opheim Air Force Station Opheim Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-26, NORAD ID: Z-26) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located west of Opheim, Montana. It was closed in 1979. History In late 1951 Air Defense Command selected ...

, a former

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

General Surveillance Radar station. Since its closing in 1979, the population has decreased significantly. *The city was also home to many banks, bars, stores, and a movie theater, all of which have changed hands or closed. The town has no major source of income and is currently facing a slow economic decline. *Granrud's Lefse in Opheim is one of the few area bakeries that still produces the traditional Norwegian potato

flatbread A flatbread is a bread made with flour; water, milk, yogurt, or other liquid; and salt, and then thoroughly rolled into flattened dough. Many flatbreads are unleavened, although some are leavened, such as pizza and pita bread. Flatbreads ran ...

Lefse Lefse () is a traditional soft Norwegian flatbread. It is made with flour, can include riced potatoes, and includes butter, and milk, cream, or lard. It is cooked on a large, flat griddle. Special tools are used to prepare lefse, including a po ...

. *Opheim has a strong

Norwegian-American Norwegian Americans ( nb, Norskamerikanere, nn, Norskamerikanarar) are Americans with ancestral roots in Norway. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the latter half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the ...

heritage as reflected by the high school's mascot, the Vikings. Opheim High School was the source of media attention in 2008 when the graduating class consisted of one student. *Opheim celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011 over the 4th of July weekend. Hundreds of former residents and former students enjoyed a number of events marking a rich history of immigrant homesteaders that once made Opheim a thriving town of 3,000 residents and business providing services to all of north Valley County.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the town has a total area of , all land.

Climate

According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Opheim has a

semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...

, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 85 people, 47 households, and 24 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 69 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.6%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

and 2.4% from two or more races. There were 47 households, of which 12.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.9% were non-families. 46.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.81 and the average family size was 2.54. The median age in the town was 58.4 years. 11.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 3.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 15.4% were from 25 to 44; 42.4% were from 45 to 64; and 27.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 45.9% male and 54.1% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 111 people, 56 households, and 31 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 83 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 99.1%

, and 0.9% from two or more races. No

African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, Native Americans,

Asians Asian people (or Asians, sometimes referred to as Asiatic people)United States National Library of Medicine. Medical Subject Headings. 2004. November 17, 200Nlm.nih.gov: ''Asian Continental Ancestry Group'' is also used for categorical purpos ...

Pacific Islanders Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Ocea ...

, or people of other races live in Opheim. Nobody in Opheim is

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. There were 56 households, out of which 21.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were

living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.9% were non-families. 41.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.98 and the average family size was 2.63. In the town, the population was spread out, with 17.1% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 20.7% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 31.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 105.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100 males. The median income for a household in the town was $24,583, and the median income for a family was $36,563. Males had a median income of $38,333 versus $25,625 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $24,680. 7.2% of the population and no families were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

. none under the age of 18 and 20.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Education

Opheim Public School educates students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Opheim High School's team name is the Vikings.

References

{{Authority control Towns in Valley County, Montana