
Poplar is a city in
Roosevelt 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 758 at the
2020 census.
It is the tribal headquarters for the
Fort Peck Indian Reservation
The Fort Peck Indian Reservation (, ) is located near Fort Peck, Montana, in the northeast part of the state. It is the home of several federally recognized bands of Assiniboine, Lakota, and Dakota peoples of Native Americans.
With a total ...
, though
Wolf Point is the most populous.
The reservation is home to both the
Assiniboine
The Assiniboine or Assiniboin people ( when singular, Assiniboines / Assiniboins when plural; Ojibwe: ''Asiniibwaan'', "stone Sioux"; also in plural Assiniboine or Assiniboin), also known as the Hohe and known by the endonym Nakota (or Nakoda ...
and
Sioux
The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin ( ; Dakota/ Lakota: ) are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations people from the Great Plains of North America. The Sioux have two major linguistic divisions: the Dakota and Lakota peoples (translati ...
Tribes, two distinct American Indian Nations.
The U.S. Army constructed Camp Poplar here in the 1870s to oversee the reservation.
Poplar became reservation headquarters after the military abandoned the camp in 1893.
Poplar hosts a Native American Pow Wow called Poplar Indian Days every year, the first weekend in September that is well attended by locals and traveling dancers with prizes for dancers and drummers.
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 a total area of , all land.
The
Poplar River joins the
Missouri River
The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...
near town.
Climate
According to the
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Poplar 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 se ...
, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.
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 810 people, 313 households, and 196 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 352 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 25.2%
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 ...
, 71.4%
Native American, 0.2%
Asian, 0.1% from
other races, and 3.1% 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 0.6% of the population.
There were 313 households, of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.3% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 19.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 12.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.4% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.16.
The median age in the city was 31.2 years. 30.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 8.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.2% male and 49.8% female.
2000 census
As of the 2000
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 ...
,
there were 911 people, 325 households, and 206 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 350 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 63.67%
Native American, 0.11%
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 ...
, 32.16%
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 ...
, 0.77%
Asian, 0.22% from
other races, and 3.07% 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 0.88% of the population.
There were 325 households, out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.9% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 19.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.7% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,896, and the median income for a family was $29,688. Males had a median income of $22,250 versus $19,000 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 $10,579. About 23.4% of families and 31.5% 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 32.6% of those under age 18 and 22.2% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Poplar is the seat for the Fort Peck
Sioux
The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin ( ; Dakota/ Lakota: ) are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations people from the Great Plains of North America. The Sioux have two major linguistic divisions: the Dakota and Lakota peoples (translati ...
and
Assiniboine
The Assiniboine or Assiniboin people ( when singular, Assiniboines / Assiniboins when plural; Ojibwe: ''Asiniibwaan'', "stone Sioux"; also in plural Assiniboine or Assiniboin), also known as the Hohe and known by the endonym Nakota (or Nakoda ...
Tribes, including the tribal law enforcement agency, courthouse,
and the
Fort Peck Reservation correctional facility.
The
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also known as Indian Affairs (IA), is a United States List of United States federal agencies, federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of the Interior. It is responsible for im ...
maintains an agency office in Poplar.
Education
K-12
Poplar Public Schools, District 9/2B, is the second largest public school system on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation with a total enrollment of 824 students for the 2006-2007 school year. Poplar Public Schools operates elementary, middle, and junior/senior high schools.
Poplar High School's team name is the Indians.
College
Poplar is home to the main campus of
Fort Peck Community College. A branch campus is located in
Wolf Point, Montana
Wolf Point is a city in and the county seat of Roosevelt County, Montana, United States. The population was 2,517 at the 2020 census, down 4% from 2,621 in the 2010 Census. It is the largest community on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Wolf ...
.
Library
The James E. Shanley Tribal Library is an affiliate of Roosevelt County Library and available to all county patrons.
Infrastructure
Transportation
U.S. Route 2
U.S. Route 2 or U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway System, United States Numbered Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected ...
, a major east-west route across the northern tier of states, connects Poplar with other Hi-line communities in Montana and
North Dakota
North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...
. The
Poplar Municipal Airport provides for light aircraft and general aviation on a single runway.
[. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective November 15, 2012.] Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
serves
Wolf Point, approximately 20 miles west.
Medical facilities
The
Indian Health Service
The Indian Health Service (IHS) is an operating division (OPDIV) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). IHS is responsible for providing direct medical and public health services to members of federally recognized Native ...
(IHS) operates the Vern E. Gibbs Health Center through its Fort Peck Service Unit. The health center provides ambulatory, dialysis, and preventive health services. The IHS contracts with Northeast Montana Health Services (NEMHS) which operates Poplar Community Hospital, a critical access hospital with an emergency room, swingbed unit, pharmacy, 22-bed inpatient facility for inpatient services, as well as the Riverside Clinic, and hospital and clinic in Wolf Point, Montana. Poplar has a BLS and ALS ambulance staffed by first responders and EMTs. The ambulance service averages 4.5 calls a day.
Notable residents
*
Barry Beach, convicted murderer
*
Chrysti Smith, radio broadcaster
*
William S. Yellow Robe Jr. (Assiniboine, 1960–2021), playwright, author, professor
References
External links
Poplar Public Schools websitePoplar Chamber of Commerce website
{{authority control
Cities in Roosevelt County, Montana
Montana populated places on the Missouri River
Cities in Montana
Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes