Livingston is a city in and the county seat of Park County, Montana, United States.[1] The population was 6,851 at the 2000 census. Livingston is located in southwestern Montana, on the Yellowstone River, north of Yellowstone National Park.
History
Livingston came into being in 1882 in consequence of planning by the Northern Pacific Railway, which deemed it a good location for railroad shops to service its steam trains before their ascent over the Bozeman Pass, the highest point on the line (approx. 5600 feet). Originally named Clark City, it took its present name after an NP executive. In addition Livingston became the original gateway to Yellowstone National Park, which the NP began promoting heavily to visitors from the East, by way of a branch running some sixty miles south to first the Cinnabar station and later Gardiner, as well as headquarters for the NP's Central Division.
Livingston is situated on the Yellowstone River where it bends from north to east toward Billings, and in proximity to Interstate 90. In 1806 Captain William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped on the town's present outskirts on the return trip east, following the descending Yellowstone River. Clark's party rejoined the Lewis party at the confluence with the Missouri River, near Williston, North Dakota.
Original NPRR Depot, 1894
Dan Bailey's Fly Shop in Livingston
Though a small town, Livingston is home to a number of popular tourist points. The Livingston Depot, built in 1902 after two predecessors, is a restored rail station that today houses a railroad museum from approximately May through September. The Yellowstone Gateway Museum documents regional history from one of the oldest North American archaeological sites to Wild Western and Yellowstone history. The International Fly Fishing Federation's museum is an extensive introduction to a popular game sport and hosts annual enthusiasts meetings. The town was inhabited for two decades by Calamity Jane and visited by adventurous traveling members of European royalty. Today it is a small art haven, filming location (A River Runs Through It, The Horse Whisperer, Rancho Deluxe, and others), fishing destination, railroad town, and writers' and actors' colony. In 1938, Dan Bailey, an eastern fly-fisherman, established his world famous Dan Bailey's Fly Shop and mail order fly tying business on Park Street where it still resides today[2]. Livingston is also the home of the Fly Fishing Discovery Center, a museum operated by the Federation of Fly Fishers[3]. Actors Peter Fonda, Margot Kidder, as well as Saturday Night Live alumnus Rich Hall musician Ron Strykert and Poet Jim Harrison call the town home. Jimmy Buffett mentions Livingston in multiple songs.
Its economy is booming, the unemployment rate is well below the national and state average. A small proportion of its workforce commutes to Bozeman, the destination resort Chico Hot Springs some twenty-five miles south, and various campsites and ranches in the high-value area of Paradise Valley. Recently, the town has invested much time and money into creating attractions and accommodations for tourists visiting during the Lewis and Clark bicentennial years. It has a sister-city relationship with 
Naganohara, Japan.
Geography
Livingston is located at 45°39′32″N 110°33′49″W / 45.65889°N 110.56361°W / 45.65889; -110.56361 (45.658840, -110.563718),[4] at an altitude of 4.501 feet (1372 m).[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.8 km²), of which, 2.6 square miles (6.8 km²) of it is land and 0.38% is waters.
Demographics
| Historical populations |
| Census |
Pop. |
|
%± |
| 1930 |
900 |
|
—
|
| 1940 |
2,850 |
|
216.7% |
| 1950 |
2,778 |
|
−2.5% |
| 1960 |
5,359 |
|
92.9% |
| 1970 |
6,311 |
|
17.8% |
| 1980 |
6,391 |
|
1.3% |
| 1990 |
6,642 |
|
3.9% |
| 2000 |
6,851 |
|
3.1% |
| Est. 2007 |
7,411 |
|
8.2% |
| source:[6][7] |
As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 6,851 people, 3,084 households, and 1,751 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,601.3 people per square mile (1,005.8/km²). There were 3,360 housing units at an average density of 1,275.8/sq mi (493.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.39% White, 0.31% African American, 0.98% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.60% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.16% of the population.
There were 3,084 households out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,980, and the median income for a family was $40,505. Males had a median income of $26,619 versus $18,684 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,636. About 5.6% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
Media
Newspapers
Livingston Enterprise is a local daily newspaper, and the Livingston Current is a weekly newspaper.
AM radio
FM radio
- KGLT 91.9, (Variety), Montana State University-Bozeman
- KOBB-FM 93.7, (Oldies), Reier Broadcasting Company
- KMMS-FM 95.1, (Adult Album), GapWest Broadcasting
- KISN 96.7, (Top 40 (CHR)), GapWest Broadcasting
- KOZB 97.5, (Classic rock), Reier Broadcasting Company
- KBOZ-FM 99.9, (Country Music), Reier Broadcasting Company
- KXLB 100.7, (Country Music), GapWest Broadcasting
- KBMC (FM) 102.1, (Variety), Montana State University-Billings
- KZMY 103.5, (Hot Adult Contemporary), GapWest Broadcasting
- KBZM 104.7, (Classic Hits), Orion Media
- KSCY 106.9, (Country Music), Orion Media
Television
Notable residents
- Dan Bailey, renowned fly tyer and owner of Dan Bailey's Fly Shop
- Ed Bouchee, major league baseball first baseman
- Tim Cahill, travel writer
- Russell Chatham, landscape artist
- Michael Dahlquist, drummer for the band Silkworm
- Al Feldstein, comic artist and painter
- Jim Harrison, author of "Legends of the Fall"
- Torey Hayden, psychologist and author
- Margot Kidder, actress
- Thomas Leforge, mid-19th century liaison to and resident among the Crow Tribe
- Pete Lovely, American race car driver
- Ken Niles, radio actor
- James F. O'Connor, United States Representative from Montana
- Lester Thurow, economist, author, and Rhodes Scholar
References
External links
