Sweet Grass (also Sweetgrass) is a
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), 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 count ...
and
unincorporated community
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
in
Toole 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 Columb ...
, United States, on the
Canada–US border. It is the northern terminus of
Interstate 15
Interstate 15 (I-15) is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States, running through Southern California and the Intermountain West. I-15 begins near the Mexican border in San Diego County and stretches north to Alberta, Cana ...
, an important route connecting western
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, the western
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, and
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. The population was 65 according to the
2020 census.
In 2004, a
joint border facility opened at the Sweetgrass
port of entry and
Coutts, Alberta
Coutts ( ) is a village in southern Alberta, Canada that is a port of entry into the U.S. state of Montana. It is one of the busiest ports of entry on the Canada–United States border in western Canada. It connects Highway 4 to Interstate 15, ...
, housing both Canadian and American federal authorities. At in elevation, it is one of the higher border crossings.
Fire service is provided through the volunteer fire department in
Coutts
Coutts & Co. is a London-headquartered private bank and wealth manager. Founded in 1692, it is the eighth oldest bank in the world. Today, Coutts forms part of NatWest Group's wealth management division. In the Channel Islands and the Isle of ...
.
Demographics
Climate
Sweet Grass has a semi-arid climate (Köppen ''BSk'') that closely borders a humid continental climate (Köppen ''Dwb'').
Notable people
*
Earl W. Bascom (1906-1995), "Father of Modern Rodeo" and Hall of Fame Cowboy, artist, sculptor, actor, inventor, cowboyed in the 1920s on a ranch on Kicking Horse Creek once owned by his cousin C.M. Russell
*
Charles M. Russell (1864-1926), cowboy artist and sculptor ranched on Kicking Horse Creek near the Sweetgrass Hills
In popular culture
* The town is referenced in the
Marias Pass
Marias Pass (elevation ) is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains in the western US state of Montana. Lying on the southern border of
Glacier National Park, it is traversed by US Highway 2 and by the BNSF Hi-Line Subdivision.
The pass is the ...
Approach/Route for
TRS2006, via two portals on a
BNSF Railway line that goes up to Sweet Grass.
*Referenced to in "Alberta Bound" by Paul Brandt. ("... and so I cranked up the radio cause there’s just a little more to go for I’d cross the border at that Sweet Grass sign.")
Notes
Census-designated places in Montana
Census-designated places in Toole County, Montana
Unincorporated communities in Montana
Unincorporated communities in Toole County, Montana
{{TooleCountyMT-geo-stub