Otter is an unincorporated community in southwestern Powder River County, Montana, United States, in the

Custer National Forest Custer National Forest is located primarily in the south central part of the U.S. state of Montana but also has separate sections in northwestern South Dakota. With a total area of , the forest comprises over 10 separate sections. While in the wes ...

. It lies along local roads southwest of the town of Broadus, the county seat of Powder River County. Its elevation is 3,484 feet (1,062 m). Although Otter is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 59062.

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Otter has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

History

The Community of Otter was named for Otter Creek. The town post office (opened in 1895) is located within a mile of its head. Otter Creek was named by fur traders and trappers in the early days of Montana's history. In 1897, area cattle rancher Levi Howes established the civilian redoubt

Fort Howes Fort Howes was a civilian redoubt established in 1897 in what was then Custer County, Montana, United States in response to the murder of a sheepherder. Today the site is within Custer National Forest and is occupied by a Bureau of Land Manageme ...

in response to an anticipated attack by the Northern Cheyenne. In 1900, a sheep raid led by future Wyoming Governor and US Senator

John B. Kendrick John Benjamin Kendrick (September 6, 1857 – November 3, 1933) was an American politician and cattleman who served as a United States senator from Wyoming and as the List of governors of Wyoming, ninth Governor of Wyoming as a member of the De ...

resulted in over 2,000 sheep being killed. Kendrick's participation in the raid was unconfirmed until 1974.

References

Unincorporated communities in Powder River County, Montana Unincorporated communities in Montana {{PowderRiverCountyMT-geo-stub

Climate

History

See also

References