Reed Point is a
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
(CDP) in
Stillwater 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 185 at the
2000 census.
Geography
Reed Point is located at (45.707165, -109.544546).
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 CDP 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, Reed Point 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
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 2000, there were 185 people, 79 households, and 50 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 92 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.05%
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 ...
, 1.62%
Native American, and 4.32% 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 ...
or
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 3.78% of the population.
There were 79 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% 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, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.9 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $26,500, and the median income for a family was $33,000. Males had a median income of $21,250 versus $18,000 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 CDP was $16,389. About 9.1% of families and 12.0% 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 16.7% of those under the age of eighteen and 42.9% of those 65 or over.
Education
Reed Point Schools educates students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Reed Point High School's team name is the Renegades.
History
Reed Point was named after Harry Reed who, with his wife, Alice McCleary Reed, ran a stage station for several years.
About 1876, attracted by the reports of the Black Hills stampede, the Reeds went overland with a covered wagon. After a short sojourn around
Spearfish, South Dakota
Spearfish (Lakota: ''Hočhápȟe'') is a city in Lawrence County, South Dakota. The population was 12,193 at the time of the 2020 census.
History
Before the Black Hills Gold Rush of 1876, the area was used by Native Americans (primarily bands ...
, they joined an expedition going to the Big Horn and Yellowstone valley in the summer of 1877. The caravan was attacked by Native Americans while it was still in the Black Hills country, and several of its members were killed.
Their party was later joined by another, led by Dr. W.A. Allen. Their travels across the plains were marked by other encounters with Native Americans and by many hardships. The party reached the Yellowstone River about the time Chief Joseph and the
Nez Perce
The Nez Percé (; autonym in Nez Perce language: , meaning "we, the people") are an Indigenous people of the Plateau who are presumed to have lived on the Columbia River Plateau in the Pacific Northwest region for at least 11,500 years.Ames, K ...
tribe made their raid through this section and fought the Battle of Canyon Creek.
While Harry Reed worked with a timber crew, Alice Reed worked at several ranches and stage stations along the Yellowstone River. About 1878, the Reed's went to
Coulson, Montana
Coulson is a ghost town located in Yellowstone County, Montana, United States, on the north bank of the Yellowstone River, approximately one mile east of present-day downtown Billings
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Monta ...
, where Harry Reed was employed in carrying mail to Fort Custer. He narrowly escaped death by drowning in a freshet of Pryor Creek, but his health was so impaired that he died several months later. The young and widowed Alice Reed made a living by washing clothes until, in April, 1881, she remarried to John Schock, a Civil War veteran who was in charge of the McAdow Ferry at Coulson.
["Death Removes Pioneer Woman". Schock obituary article, n.d.]
In 1901, the post office was established as Reed, but the name was changed to Reed Point in 1906. Bob Guthrie plotted the townsite in 1911 and a new bridge spanned the
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the Western United States. Considered the principal tributary of upper Missouri, via its own tributaries it drains an area with headwaters across the mountains an ...
the same year.
References
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Census-designated places in Stillwater County, Montana
Census-designated places in Montana