Eureka is a town in Lincoln County, Montana, United States, south of the Canada–US border. The population was 1,380 at the 2020 census.

History

Eureka was founded in the early 1880s as settlers moved north from Missoula and south from Canada; it was originally known as Deweyville. One of the last areas to be developed in Montana in frontier times, logging was a major draw and source of income for decades. Eureka was once billed as the "Christmas Tree Capital of the World," with evergreens shipped to many urban points for holiday sales. The Canadian fur-trapper and explorer David Thompson visited the area in the early 19th Century during his searches for a route to the Pacific Ocean. Early explorers, finding Indians there growing a native strain of tobacco, named it the Tobacco Plains. In the late 1970s, Eurekans began a "Tobacco Valley Rendezvous" every year in April to commemorate Thompson's visit. President

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...

gave a speech in Eureka on October 1, 1952, as part of a whistle-stop tour in support of Adlai Stevenson's ultimately unsuccessful presidential campaign. Owens & Hurst Lumber mill closed in 2005.

Geography

Eureka is located on the Tobacco River in an area known as the Tobacco Valley in the United States and Tobacco Plains in British Columbia. It is approximately from Kalispell. The Tobacco River flows west through the southern part of town. 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 town has a total area of , all land.

Climate

Eureka experiences a mild microclimate, notably warmer than the nearby cities of Kalispell and Whitefish,

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 ...

as well as Invermere and Fernie,

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

. Summer afternoons are hot and sunny with low humidity, whilst winters are often cloudy but lack the extremely temperatures found nearby.

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 1,037 people, 442 households, and 261 families living in the town. 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 495 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 94.8%

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 ...

, 0.6% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 1.4% from other races, and 2.9% 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 4.3% of the population. There were 442 households, of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.0% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.0% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age in the town was 43.3 years. 23.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.7% were from 25 to 44; 25.2% were from 45 to 64; and 23.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 45.4% male and 54.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,017 people, 431 households, and 252 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 494 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 96.76%

, 1.28% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.59% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. 1.47% of the population were

or Latino of any race. There were 431 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.3% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% 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 2.93. In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males. The median income for a household in the town was $27,120, and the median income for a family was $30,268. Males had a median income of $31,731 versus $18,214 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 town was $12,619. About 19.5% of families and 22.9% 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 33.5% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Farmers and Merchants State Bank at Eureka MT

This stunningly scenic area has many opportunities for outdoor activities. The Pacific Northwest Trail, a 1,200 mile hiking trail from the Continental Divide to the Pacific Ocean, passes through Eureka. Ten Lakes Scenic Area is located approximately 45 minutes from town. These 14,945 acres have been set aside for backcountry use. Just to the west is Lake Koocanusa, a large reservoir used for every type of water recreation. Every April Eureka has the large Rendezvous Days celebration. This fun event includes bed races and black powder events. Shakespeare in the Park performs every summer. Also in the summer is The Bull Thing, a Professional Bull Riders event. Eureka hosts the Lincoln County Fair which has carnival rides, rodeos, and local booths. Eureka has two listings on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

: the Eureka Community Hall and the Farmers and Merchants State Bank. They also have The Historical Village. It is a collection of several historic buildings, all furnished with period artifacts. The town has a

public library A public library is a library, most often a lending library, that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil servic ...

, a branch of the Lincoln County Public Libraries.

Government

Eureka has a Mayor-Council form of government. There are four council members and a mayor. In 2023 the town's mayor was LeeAnn Schermerhorn.

Education

Eureka Public Schools educates students from kindergarten through 12th grade. They are known as the Lions. The elementary school, pre-kindergarten through 4th grade, had 237 students enrolled for the 2021–2022 school year. Middle school, 5th to 8th grade, had 238 students. Lincoln County High School is a Class B high school, a designation which helps determine athletic competitions. For the 2021–2022 school year, 293 students were enrolled in the school.

Media

The ''Tobacco Valley News'' is a weekly newspaper available either by print or e-edition. Three radio stations are licensed in the town. KEUK is part of the

Montana Public Radio Montana Public Radio is a network of public radio stations serving the U.S. state of Montana, primarily the western part of the state. The network is currently owned by the University of Montana, and its studios are located on the university ca ...

network. KEUR-LP is a religious channel. KZXT is a local station airing an adult contemporary format

Infrastructure

US Route 93 cuts through town from north to south. Montana Highway 37 ends about north of town. Eureka Airport is a public use airport located 5 miles north of town. The nearest commercial airport is Glacier Park International Airport, south. Logan Health has 3 medical clinics in Eureka.

References

External links

*
Eureka Business Directory and Travel Guide
(archived copy) {{Lincoln County, Montana Towns in Lincoln County, Montana