Choteau 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 parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Teton County,

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

, United States. The population was 1,721 at the 2020 census. Choteau is named after French fur merchant, trader and explorer Pierre Chouteau, Jr., who is also the namesake of Chouteau County, Montana.

Fort Pierre, South Dakota Fort Pierre is a city in Stanley County, South Dakota, United States. It is part of the Pierre, South Dakota micropolitan area and the county seat of Stanley County. The population was 2,115 at the 2020 census. The settlement of Fort Pierre ...

, and Pierre, South Dakota, are also named after Chouteau. Originally a trading post established by A. B. Hamilton in 1873, the town was platted in 1883.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has an area of , all land. The Teton River runs nearby, although for some distance upstream of Choteau it is dry during much of the year. Being located along the Rocky Mountain Front, Choteau is near several mountains. Some of them are Mount Frazier, Old Baldy, and Rocky Mountain. The Ear Mountain Wildlife Management Area seeks to protect local wildlife, especially

mule deer The mule deer (''Odocoileus hemionus'') is a deer indigenous to western North America; it is named for its ears, which are large like those of the mule. Two subspecies of mule deer are grouped into the black-tailed deer. Unlike the related whit ...

and bighorn sheep. About west is the Teton Pass Ski Area. The area has downhill skiing, backcountry skiing, and snowmobile trails. Just to the south is Freezout Lake, a bird watcher's paradise. Hundreds of thousands of birds gather at the lake during peak migration. 230 species have been documented at the lake.

Climate

Choteau experiences 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 se ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

''BSk'') with cold, dry winters and warm, more humid summers.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 1,684 people, 791 households, and 441 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 888 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.0%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 2.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.3% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population. There were 791 households, of which 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.8% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.2% were non-families. 39.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.75. The median age in the city was 49.1 years. 19.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.8% were from 25 to 44; 29.8% were from 45 to 64; and 25.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.4% male and 53.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,781 people, 807 households, and 464 families residing in the city. The

was 994.3 people per square mile (/km²). There were 897 housing units at an average density of 500.8 per square mile (/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.94%

, 0.06%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 2.92% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 2.75% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.18% of the population. There were 807 households, out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 39.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.82. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 25.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there ware 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $25,708, and the median income for a family was $35,655. Males had a median income of $22,429 versus $17,098 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $14,999. About 12.7% of families and 17.6% 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 ...

, including 30.2% of those under the age of 18 and 12.5% of those 65 and older.

Arts and culture

Choteau is part of the Montana Dinosaur Trail. The town is near one of the world's most important paleontology sites, Egg Mountain. The Old Trail Museum in Choteau is home to the Montana state fossil, the Maiasaura. The 3-D display can be viewed during the summer operating season. Also showcased is the Egg Mountain find along with a commentary on its significance in paleontology. Besides dinosaurs the museum has artifacts and information about the Blackfeet and Métis histories, local geology, and local history. Bynum, north, is home to The Montana Dinosaur Center. They have a skeletal model of what is believed to be the world's longest dinosaur, a diplodocus. Choteau/Teton Public Library serves the area.

Government

Choteau has a mayor-council system of government. In 2023 the mayor was Chris Hindoien. Choteau is split into two wards, each with two councilmembers.

In the news

Choteau made national news in the U.S. because it is the town nearest to a ranch that David Letterman purchased in 1999 as a vacation home. Letterman has talked about the ranch on his late-night show and showed photos of a black bear invading the place in September 2003. On his first show after the attacks of September 11, 2001, Letterman gave an impassioned monologue about New York City in the aftermath. He concluded his seven-minute speech by mentioning Choteau's rally to raise money for victims of the attacks, despite the long drought there, as an example of the spirit of the United States. On March 19, 2009, Letterman married his girlfriend of 23 years at the Teton County Courthouse in Choteau. In 2008, school authorities in Choteau made national news headlines by canceling a speaking engagement by Nobel laureate climate researcher Steve Running, who was scheduled to speak to local high school students.

Education

Choteau Public Schools serves all grades of children. In 2022, grades K-8 had 240 students with 19.5 full-time equivalency teachers. The high school had 107 students with 10 teachers.

Media

The ''Choteau Acantha'' is a newspaper printed weekly or accessed online. The radio stations KETI-LP and KUDI are licensed in Choteau. Both are Christian stations.

Infrastructure

U.S. Route 89 and 287 converge in town. Choteau Airport is a public use airport one mile (2 km) northeast of town. The nearest commercial airport is Great Falls International Airport, away. Benefis Teton Medical Center provides local medical care.

Notable people

* John Edward Erickson, Governor of Montana, was born in Stoughton. * J. Frank Glendon, actor * A. B. Guthrie Jr., American novelist * David Letterman, late-night talk show host * Jay Neitz, vision scientist * J. K. Ralston, western painter * Flint Rasmussen, rodeo clown * Jim Waltermire, Montana Secretary of State

References

External links

*
Choteau Chamber of Commerce website
{{authority control Cities in Teton County, Montana County seats in Montana Cities in Montana