Billings area (Laurel, Hardin, Red Lodge: sales, house, theatres)

[coco2]

Hi everyone! My husband might be taking a job in the Billings area. Where is the best place to live in that area? We are both in our early 50's. We won't have any family in the west, so we are hoping to move somewhere where people are open to welcoming newcomers into their "circle of friends". We have lived the last 6 years in a city that has been fairly closed off to "outsiders". It's been hard to make friends and we are itching to leave.

Any suggestions?

[MTSilvertip]

Lots of good places around Billings to live, mostly it depends how far you want to drive.

To the north, you have Lavina and Roundup. Both great llittle towns, but you have about an hours drive.

To the east, Belfry and Shepherd are both pretty homey.

To the south, if you really want to get back to basics you could check out Fromberg.

If you want a more liberal experience, to the south-west you have Red Lodge or for a better experience, Fishtail and Absarokee (Red Lodge has a local sales tax while the others don't).

To the east you have Laurel, Park City and Columbus or you can travel a bit farther and you have Reed Point, (lots of fun at the annual sheep drive and street dance) and Big Timber.

All are smaller towns with less than 5000 population, (some a LOT less), but are within an hours drive of Billings, mostly good salt of the earth people.

If you attend a church, or join a fraternal club like the Sons of Norway, you can meet folks quickly and have a lot of fun.

You don't mention what kinds of activities you enjoy, and that makes it harder to specifically give direction.

All areas mentioned have excellent hunting, both big game and upland bird, some have decent waterfowl hunting. All have access to good fishing. Photographic opportunities abound everywhere, hiking, camping, gardening, canoeing, rafting, ATV trails, horseback riding, historic sites, fossil hunting, gold panning(on the western side), rock collecting including some precious and semi precious gems, and a plethora of shooting sports including archery and western shooting opportunities abound in the area.

Billings has theatres, art shows, cowboy poetry, concerts and most of the things associated with larger towns as it is the largest city in Montana.

It is a far more conservative area than the western part of the state, so that should be taken into account if you are looking for more leftist pursuits such as social activism or environmental protests.

Good Luck.

[mtboy]

Originally Posted by MTSilvertip

Lots of good places around Billings to live, mostly it depends how far you want to drive.

To the north, you have Lavina and Roundup. Both great llittle towns, but you have about an hours drive.

To the east, Belfry and Shepherd are both pretty homey.

To the south, if you really want to get back to basics you could check out Fromberg.

If you want a more liberal experience, to the south-west you have Red Lodge or for a better experience, Fishtail and Absarokee (Red Lodge has a local sales tax while the others don't).

To the east you have Laurel, Park City and Columbus or you can travel a bit farther and you have Reed Point, (lots of fun at the annual sheep drive and street dance) and Big Timber.

All are smaller towns with less than 5000 population, (some a LOT less), but are within an hours drive of Billings, mostly good salt of the earth people.

If you attend a church, or join a fraternal club like the Sons of Norway, you can meet folks quickly and have a lot of fun.

You don't mention what kinds of activities you enjoy, and that makes it harder to specifically give direction.

All areas mentioned have excellent hunting, both big game and upland bird, some have decent waterfowl hunting. All have access to good fishing. Photographic opportunities abound everywhere, hiking, camping, gardening, canoeing, rafting, ATV trails, horseback riding, historic sites, fossil hunting, gold panning(on the western side), rock collecting including some precious and semi precious gems, and a plethora of shooting sports including archery and western shooting opportunities abound in the area.

Billings has theatres, art shows, cowboy poetry, concerts and most of the things associated with larger towns as it is the largest city in Montana.

It is a far more conservative area than the western part of the state, so that should be taken into account if you are looking for more leftist pursuits such as social activism or environmental protests.

Good Luck.

Just for Clarification... we don't want to confuse a new commer about direction here.

To the east you have Shepard, Worden, Ballentine, Custer, Hardin etc.

To the south you have Joliet, Fromberg, Bridger, then BELFRY.

TO THE WEST, you have Laurel, Park City, Columbus, and Reedpoint.

[GEORGIAINMT]

I lived in Laurel for a few years after livng in Billings for about 11 years. I loved Laurel. The people were very welcoming and you still have that small town feel. It is only a 10 minute drive to Billings, all interstate, or you can take the back roads, which are pretty in the spring, summer, fall. If you get involved in any activities, such as church, civic groups, etc. in Laurel you will make friends very quickly. I know a lot of people there so can give you named of those to contact about particular activities you're interested in should you consider living there. We are in our late 40's, so close to your age. We moved to Wyoming about a year ago for financial reasons. I do miss Laurel!

[MTSilvertip]

Sorry, I posted prior to my 4th cup of coffee so my directions were off.

The basic premise holds true though, most of those towns are great places to live.

[coco2]

Well, we are both pretty conservative. I am a Catholic school teacher and my husband is a mining engineer. I teach science and rocks, minerals, fossils, animals etc. excite me! What we really want is to just have a group of friends that we can go do things with, laugh with, play cards with, see movies with, sit on the porch and talk with, bond with. Where we live now, it just doesn't happen and it's been 7 years. I can't imagine moving across the country, leaving family behind and not being able to find "Montana family" there. My husband loves to ski, and we both like to hike ( as far as these bodies will take us!). I actually have Sarcoidosis and the clean air will be good for my lungs. My health problem is a concern, but my doctor in Pittsburgh is willing to talk to any new doctor I have to discuss what he has been doing with me.

I keep reading that people in Montana don't like it when outsiders move in and try to change things. What are they trying to change? Also, my husband will be working for a coal company. Would we be ostracized for this? Seriously, I don't want to get out there and find these things out afterwards.

[seven of nine]

Humm, let me take your questions one at a time.
I do not see any problem with being conservative, Montana is changing but not at the pace many other places are although some more localized folks might disagree with me.
If you like rocks you will be in heaven, I know I am!
Being Catholic not a problem for me.
Now the outsider issue.
This is just something that you will have to deal with on your own. It is not all rainbows and sunshine. You will need a strong marriage, you will need to not have to have a big group of friends in case that does not happen.
Heck most folks want the coal to be mined, more jobs!
Good luck and visit on the porch

[mtboy]

Um here is a short list that I have thought about from my experiences with SOME out of staters who have tried to change the following.....

1) Montana and it's political views/ political process. Old time Montanan's are usually strong opinionated individuals, and there is no arguement that you could make to change their mind and their way of doing things.
2) The fact that one time a year every small town has a little shin dig. It is at this time you may hear fireworks til endless hours of the nights, music may be blaring, and people may be drinking. Geuss what it is one time of year, be a sport and deal with the noise for ONE night, and don't get an agenda to attempt to shut something down that has been happening for 60-80 years.
3) The fact that the highway you take to work, may be at times utilized farm equipment. It's not like they are driving down the road purposely to tick you off. It's just the fact that it is the quickest way from point A to point B. There is no need to honk and "flip the bird" to the person in the tractor.
4) The fact that the county is not responsible to plow snow out of your personal driveway, so please don't complain and write a letter to your local paper about how unsatifactory the services are here. It's not there job.


If there is one thing I believe in it is the fact that you can not judge a man for how he provides for his family. Unless that act is illegal. Whether, mining or nursing it is just a job. You get paid for both, and in no ways does it show what type of person you are outside of work. I am sure that is how most people feel around here. Unless you run into some environmental wacko.... they might judge him by his job. But on average I don't think people will.

[GEORGIAINMT]

I take it that your husband would be working for Stillwater Mine or the mine (sorry, don't know the name) up toward Roundup if you are looking around the Billings area. If so, you will be close to Red Lodge, which has good skiing and great mountain hiking areas. I liked Laurel as it was close to these things. If he works at Stillwater a bus takes them from Laurel. If he works up toward Roundup being north of Billings may be better than east. Just my opinion!

[coco2]

This new Cap and Trade Bill is going to be hell for the coal mining industry. AEP, who was working on clean coal technology shut down that plant as soon as the House voted on it. We are pretty worried about it. My husband thinks the mines out west will remain open longer than around here. He has worked in Ohio and right now in West Virginia, but the writing is on the wall.

My brother lived in Billings for awhile many years ago and said that he would rather be 0 degrees F in Montana than 30 degrees F in Ohio. Ohio has a wet cold that chills you to your very bones. Too bad there aren't any coal mines in hawaii!! haha