Plentywood is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

of Sheridan 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 1,669 at the 2020 census.

History

The first business in Plentywood opened in 1900, and a post office was established two years later. The city incorporated in 1912, following the arrival of a Great Northern Railway

branch line A branch line is a phrase used in railway terminology to denote a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line. Industrial spur An industri ...

that eventually ran from Bainville to Opheim. Local

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

suggests that the name of the nearby Plentywood Creek, after which the city was named, comes from a search for firewood. One day, according to the story, a group of cowboys watched in exasperation as the

chuck wagon A chuckwagon is a type of field kitchen covered wagon historically used for the storage and transportation of food and cooking equipment on the prairies of the United States and Canada. Such wagons formed part of a wagon train of settlers or fed ...

cook attempted to start a fire with damp buffalo chips. Finally, in frustration, Dutch Henry said, "If you'll go two miles up this creek, you'll find plenty wood." Plentywood has been a center for purchase of pulse crops since 2005.

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 city 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, Plentywood 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

At the 2010

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 ...

, there were 1,734 people, 820 households and 462 families in the city. 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 972 housing units at an average density of . The racial make-up was 95.0%

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 ...

, 0.2%

African American 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 ...

, 1.7% Native American, 0.7%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.3% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

and 2.1% from two or more races.

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 were 2.1% of the population. There were 820 households, of which 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% 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, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present and 43.7% were non-families. 40.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.68. The median age was 49.7 years. 19.1% of residents were under the age of 18, 5.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24, 18.7% were from 25 to 44, 32.4% were from 45 to 64 and 24.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender make-up was 47.8% male and 52.2% female.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 2,061 people, 857 households and 522 families in the city. The

was . There were 1,020 housing units at an average density of . The racial make-up was 97.14%

, 0.97% Native American, 0.15%

, 0.19% from

and 1.12% from two or more races.

of any race were 1.12% of the population. There were 857 households, of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were

living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.95. 23.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64 and 25.5% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males. The

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of ...

was $30,037 and the median family income was $37,679. Males had a median income of $24,741 and females $20,662. 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 ...

was $15,609. About 10.6% of families and 16.3% of the population 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 ...

, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 19.1% of those age 65 or over.

Radio

Plentywood is the location of Radio International, with the combined signals of KATQ 1070,

KATQ-FM KATQ-FM 100.1 FM, is a radio station licensed to serve Plentywood, Montana. The station is owned by the Radio International KATQ Broadcast Association, airing a classic rock format. Studios at 112 Third Avenue East. The station was assigned ...

100.1, and

107.1. All stations are located at 112 Third Avenue East. The stations serve the northeast

, western

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...

and southern

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...

region.

Infrastructure

Sher-Wood Airport is a public use airport located one mile (2 km) northeast of the town.

Education

Plentywood Schools educates students from kindergarten to 12th grade.

Plentywood High School

The school's team name is the Wildcats. In 1969, Plentywood played Choteau and lost in its first Class B boys' state championship basketball appearance. The 1976 boys' basketball team won the Montana Class A title against Hamilton as one of the smallest Class A teams in the state at the time. In 1978, the boys' basketball team won the Class B title against Big Timber after declining enrollment resulted in a downward classification. The 1979 boys' basketball team finished as runners-up to the archrival Scobey Spartans at the State B Boys' Basketball Tournament. The 2007 boys' basketball team finished again as runners up, this time to Huntly Project at the State B Boys' Tournament. In 1998, the Wildcats finished third at the State Tourney and in the 1980s had two top four finishes at the State Tournament as well. The 1971 Plentywood Wildcats American football team, coached by Doug Dierenfield, reached the class B state championship, losing in overtime 6–8 to Huntley Project. The 1981 Plentywood Wildcats American football team, coached by Ron Smith, beat the Big Timber Herders 20-14 for the State B title in Big Timber. Smith is the only coach in Sheridan County to have ever won a State Football title. In 1997, the Plentywood Wildcat American football team also reached the state championship, losing to Frenchtown 27-20 after being up 20–7 at half time. The 1999 and 2000 girls' golf team won the State B-C title. For 5 years, from 1997 to 2001, Plentywood was the state champion girls' 4x400 relay winner In 1977, Plentywood won the Class B State Championship in boys' cross country. Cross country was later dropped from the athletic program. The Plentywood boys' track team has won four state titles, in 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973.

Library

Sheridan County Library is a public library which serves the area.

Notable people

Robin Selvig Robin Selvig (born August 21, 1952) is an American women's college basketball coach. Selvig completed his 38th and final season as head coach of the Lady Griz women's basketball team at the University of Montana, in 2015–16. Selvig finished his ...

: University of Montana Grizzly women's basketball coach for 38 seasons is a native of nearby

Outlook Outlook or The Outlook may refer to: Computing * Microsoft Outlook, an e-mail and personal information management software product from Microsoft * Outlook.com, a web mail service from Microsoft * Outlook on the web, a suite of web applications ...

; his first teaching job was at Plentywood High School.

Climate

Plentywood experiences a

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

''BSk'') with long, cold, dry winters and hot, wetter summers.

References

External links

Sheridan County Online home page

Sheridan County, Montana

Plentywood High School Alumni Foundation

Montana Memory Project includes homesteading in Plentywood
br /> {{Authority control Cities in Sheridan County, Montana County seats in Montana 1912 establishments in Montana Cities in Montana