Ennis Mt (Missoula, Bozeman, Virginia City: for sale, house, to buy)

[zencowboy]

Hello all:
Im retired Military and wanted to know about the virginia city ranch area? My wife and I have a couple of horses we enjoy riding and looking for a nice area to build a small cabin on. Also how far is the major stores like lowes wal-mart ect...Dont mind the winter..I spent time in Alaska..is ennis as windy as say livingston? Any info would be appreciated.

[Keim]

Originally Posted by zencowboy

Hello all:
Im retired Military and wanted to know about the virginia city ranch area? My wife and I have a couple of horses we enjoy riding and looking for a nice area to build a small cabin on. Also how far is the major stores like lowes wal-mart ect...Dont mind the winter..I spent time in Alaska..is ennis as windy as say livingston? Any info would be appreciated.

Major stores? In Ennis, MT? Don't hold your breath. I believe you'll need to drive to Butte for the like.

Check out their Chamber of Commerce:
Ennis Chamber

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Ennis is one of the most charming little towns in all of Montana, IMO. Lots of ranching in the area, and all the locals in the eateries talk ranch lingo. The fishing is good, they tell me; there's a nice little art gallery in town, and a couple of fun antique stores. But for major shopping I agree that Butte would be the closest town. I have no stats about the wind, but when we spent two days there in late September a few years ago it was nice and quiet. The locals did tell us that they get an early winter, and it lasts long, because of the high elevation. Some of the ranch owners are apparently snowbirds, and spend winters in AZ or CA.

[montanabrand]

Hello YOu can drive up over the pass toward Pony, there's a junction (road), foing east. Takes you to Bozeman. It's a secondary road along the madison river. But, there's a Lowes, Walmart, what have you. Thinking about 80 miles + from Ennis.

[natrldsastr]

OK, I can clear up any misconceptions about Ennis, cause I live here. This is a very small town, we do have 1 relatively new mid-sized grocery store. The big stores are all in Bozeman, approx. 50 mi up thru the canyon. Butte is further, and doesn't have the same selection of shopping (no Lowes, Costco, Target, Home Depot)

The Madison valley is famed for its blue ribbon fly fishing river. We are dependent on our tourist industry to some extent, being a crossroads to Yellowstone, and Virginia City. We get a lot of hunters in the fall due to our large elk herds and wilderness area to the east.

Property values can be out of control, due to a large influx of seasonal owners. People with money who can build/purchase a second home, then show up for 2 weeks every summer. Well, some show up for longer to drive the full timers crazy. There are properties for sale, and if you want to buy, now might be the time, before values skyrocket again.

You also question the Ruby Valley--this can be a better choice to find homes more reasonably priced in a small community.

Wind.....by golly we have wind. It won't be blowing in Boze, or over in the Ruby, but it will be doing 35-45 mph as soon as you pop over the hill.

[Ghost10]

Hi, the wife and I are moving to Ennis (full time) in fall of 2012. We just bought 20 acres in the Shining Mts airpark. I am a Army Reserve Helicopter pilot (getting out after my tour in Iraq is over) and a full time airline pilot. The wife wants to get into Organic Green House farming (no we are not hippies). We felt Ennis was the place to do it. We reside in Ohio but have been dreaming of the day we could move to MT. I'm looking forward to real life again, elk in the mountains and fish in the river.

[Mt-7]

Hello ghost, and welcome.
Come over to the let's visit thread and introduce yourself. Good conversation, sage advice and thank you for your service.

[happiness is]

Ditto to that!

Thank you for your service, Ghost, and welcome to Montana.
Maybe your wife can network with a business near Missoula that grows and sells lavender on Etsy.com.
Check out It's Lavender Harvest Time in Montana I Love by paulajeansgarden

[Timberwolf232]

Bozeman is closer to Ennis than Butte.. I used to do day trips to Ennis often when I lived in Gallatin County. It's a good place, there is lots of tourist stuff and Realtors trying to sell to out of staters with large wallets. The Madison river is a great place to fish, float and recreate, and Ennis lake is nice too. Lots of good hunting in Madison County also.

Good luck and thanks for your service...

From one vet to another.

[Ghost10]

Thanks all for the welcome! The wife and I are counting the days. We are hoping to be good neighbors and bring a little something to the community. Look forward to meeting the town and can't wait to say I reside in Montana.