Terry, incorporated in 1910, is a town in and the county seat of Prairie County, Montana, United States.[1] The population was 611 at the 2000 census.
History
The town is named for Gen. Alfred Howe Terry, a General in the Union Army who commanded an 1876 expedition in connection with George Armstrong Custer’s campaign against Native Americans in the United States[2], specifically in the west.
- Terry was on the Milwaukee Road rail line.
- Custer Creek, just outside of Terry, was the site of a train wreck in 1938[3].
Geography and climate
Terry is located at 46°47′24″N 105°18′48″W / 46.79°N 105.31333°W / 46.79; -105.31333 (46.790099, -105.313431)[4], in Eastern Montana, approximately 1 km south of the Yellowstone River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all of it land. It is located just off Interstate 94.
The town on average has over 200 days of sunshine a year.
The average annual snowfall is 17.6 inches a year[5].
The Terry Badlands lie just north of the Yellowstone River, and is one of the wilderness study areas in Montana [6].
Neighborhoods
- Downtown
- Yellowstone District
- West Town
- Terry Central Park
Major Land Features
- The Yellowstone River runs adjacent to the township of Terry, and constitutes a major component in the town's economy. The Buffalo Rapids Project is a large irrigation project that draws on the Yellowstone's water. The river is also a source of recreation, with many people fishing and kayaking in it's waters.
- The Terry Badlands WSA
- Rolling prairie, farmland, and rangeland
Climate
 Weather averages for Terry, Montana, USA  |
| Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| Record high °F (°C) |
65
(18) |
73
(23) |
79
(26) |
93
(34) |
102
(39) |
110
(43) |
111
(44) |
111
(44) |
106
(41) |
94
(34) |
79
(26) |
69
(21) |
| Average high °F (°C) |
28
(-2) |
36
(2) |
47
(8) |
60
(16) |
71
(22) |
81
(27) |
89
(32) |
88
(31) |
76
(24) |
62
(17) |
43
(6) |
32
(0) |
| Average low °F (°C) |
2
(-17) |
10
(-12) |
20
(-7) |
31
(-1) |
42
(6) |
52
(11) |
57
(14) |
55
(13) |
43
(6) |
46
(8) |
18
(-8) |
6
(-14) |
| Record low °F (°C) |
-45
(-43) |
-41
(-41) |
-35
(-37) |
-5
(-21) |
14
(-10) |
30
(-1) |
38
(3) |
28
(-2) |
15
(-9) |
-9
(-23) |
-31
(-35) |
-43
(-42) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) |
0.31
(7.9) |
0.24
(6.1) |
0.43
(10.9) |
1.06
(26.9) |
1.92
(48.8) |
2.15
(54.6) |
1.55
(39.4) |
1.29
(32.8) |
1.28
(32.5) |
0.94
(23.9) |
0.44
(11.2) |
0.24
(6.1) |
| Source: Weather.com[7] June 07, 2009 |
Demographics
As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 611 people, 294 households, and 171 families residing in the town. The population density was 866.2 people per square mile (332.3/km²). There were 387 housing units at an average density of 548.7/sq mi (210.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.55% White, 0.33% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.16% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
There were 294 households out of which 18.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.5% were non-families. 39.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.62.
In the town the population was spread out with 17.2% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 15.1% from 25 to 44, 32.9% from 45 to 64, and 31.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $25,294, and the median income for a family was $34,531. Males had a median income of $25,938 versus $21,538 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,093. About 3.5% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The only schools in Prairie County are located in Terry. The K-12 enrollment at the beginning of the 07-08 school year was 125 students[9].
- Bolin Elementary School
- Grandey Middle School
- Terry High School
Culture
Media
The major newspaper in Terry is the Terry Tribune, established in 1908[10].
Events
Several festivals are held annually in Terry. The largest of these events is "Terry Yippie", a town-wide BBQ and games fair held in Terry Central Park. The Evelyn Cameron Gala is often in the fall. In August, the Prairie County Fair is held at the Terry Fairgrounds[11].
Tourism
The Terry Badlands WSA and the Evelyn Cameron Museum attract visitors from all over the world every year. The guest registry in the Evelyn Cameron muesuem has entries from as far away as Europe, Asia, and Africa. Efforts to increase ecotourism include an Americorps VISTA project to create a trail network for hikers and campers in the surrounding badlands. The Terry Badlands Trails Project encourages the Leave No Trace principles.
Notable natives and residents
Gallery
The Terry Badlands can often be seen from the streets of Terry, Montana.
|
A typical ridgeline in the Terry Badlands Wilderness Study Area.
|
The town of Terry can be seen in the distance to the south from a butte in the WSA.
|
A view north on Logan Avenue in Downtown Terry, Montana during a typical snowy day.
|
References
External links
