Colstrip, Montana (Billings, Great Falls, Miles City: environment, trip , income)

[A Neighbor]

The Roxy theater in Forsyth is a really nice one with the costs being less than half of any theater in Billings. We go once in a while and eat at Hong Kong or Fitzgeralds. Not bad and we can do it for around $40 total including gas. It doesn't allow much in the way of dressing up but if you have been to a company Christmas party there are some that dress up to the point of being formal and the Elk foundation dinner is usually another night that we all get to "dress" up a little bit without looking out of place.

I agree that there isn't much in the line of work for women here. I've subbed, worked as a sec and a few other jobs. I've also applied for janitor jobs at the plant, but choke, I was over qualified. I couldn't believe it. I wouldn't have applied if I didn't think that I could do the job or want the job. I guess that my ability to clean rooms at my family's guest ranch put me over the top, ha ha. But now with shift work, I'm glad that I don't have a job or we would only get to be a family together for 4 days a month, not my idea of family.

I think that your husband & you would like some of the people we know if he likes to hunt and you don't necessarily enjoy it. I have found that I do enjoy going along especially when he's bowhunting. I bring the camera and do my hunting with that when we are out there. It is a great way to strengthen our relationship without interference from anyone or anything else, a lot of walking and quiet talking. We also find that we do a lot of visiting about our expectations and likes & dislikes when we go to visit my parents. It is amazing how much more we have learned about each other over the years.

[A Neighbor]

Originally Posted by jimj

We ask ourselves that weekly and then go outside and look around at the beauty.... Then it blows and snows and we ask again....

I guess that as long as I am dressed for the weather, I don't mind what it does I enjoy being out in it. But if I'm not wearing the appropriate attire then I'm the biggest weeny when it is cold or snowing and I can't wait for it to be warmer.

[hopscotch11]

Originally Posted by jimj

We ask ourselves that weekly and then go outside and look around at the beauty.... Then it blows and snows and we ask again....

That is so funny, and true.

[hopscotch11]

Originally Posted by hopscotch11

That is so funny, and true.

I have a question......It sounds as though there used to be alot more to do her, bowling alley, taco bell, movie theatre. Why did all this go??

[A Neighbor]

The bowling alley (Coal Bowl) is owned by Ron & Sharon Burton (CEI) they got tired of running it and have sold it as far as I know once and the people who bought it didn't have much for resources so they ended up turning it back to Burton's who don't want to run it, they want to spend their time enjoying their grandkids. There used to be Bob's Place and it was the best pizza in South East MT. But he moved away for some reason that I don't know and the people who bought it live in Miles City and only want to run the casino that is in it now. The Movie theater needed to have a lot of upgrades that were too expensive to do so it sold to Richard Burnett and he turned it into Cherry Street Grill and Whiskey Gulch. There used to be a mall that was really great in it's day almost all the businesses were in it at one time including Taylors, First Interstate Bank the Clinic but a guy from CA bought it and literally priced the rent so high that everyone left and either built their own building or rented from someone else. Then he turned it over to the City after years of not being able to sell it and got a nice little tax write off and stuck the city with the bill for the asbestos removal and eventual demolition (after a long hard battle of trying to rebuild it without it costing more than a new building) of the building. There used to be a western wear store in the building that houses State Farm, Miner House and the Post Office right behind Carquest and across the street from the Post office there used to be a Taco Johns. Pizza Hut/Taco Bell closed this location because they didn't want the hassle anymore, a corporate decision that wasn't very popular (Town Pump owns the building and they were rumoring that they were going to kick Pizza Hut out in a few years to build a super truck stop). We used to have Culver's until Ray Sr. died and Ray Jr. was working over 80 hours a week to keep it open and then some kid burnt up the building to get attention. There also used to be a gas station/bar where Montana Decoy and Johnna's salon are located but the gas station part closed when the underground tanks would have to have been replaced (too expensive) and then the bar closed a while later. The laundry mat next to it recently sold to some nice people from WA, he is a boiler maker. They have been to a few potlucks that we go to once in a while. There are a lot more that I know I am forgetting about. Some of the reason's why things haven't been replaced include the fact that almost everyone here over the last 10-15 years has gotten used to driving elsewhere to shop for stuff and it usually isn't very cheap or even reasonably priced to build a commercial building in Colstrip. We had gotten a quote of $50,000 to build the addition that we want to do (200sq ft) and that didn't even include the materials or their rooms. So needless to say until we can do it ourselves it won't be getting done.

[GEORGIAINMT]

I was happy to hear that you will be saying hi to folks. That can really make a person's day. That's wonderful, and so is your idea about a bbq in the summer, so why not invite some newcomers to the bbq? I wish someone would have done something like that when I was there. You know, now thinking about it, the only business owners who really made me feel welcome and I even got to know by name were Mercedes and her crew out at Mulligan's. They were the exception to the rule, as I saw it, as they were always very friendly and welcoming.

I am now married since I moved away from Colstrip and I think if I had been married while there my husband and I would have done okay living there. But being single it was really tough. I even tried online dating to meet someone in Colstrip and didn't find anyone up my alley. As I've said before, it is most likely a good place to raise a family, especially after the family gets established there, but being new and single was really the pits. I made it a year, so at least I tried.

I really do encourage anyone from Colstrip to try to put forth more effort, regardless of how busy you are or what shift you work, to make newcomers feel welcome. Thanks for listening!

[hopscotch11]

Originally Posted by GEORGIAINMT

I was happy to hear that you will be saying hi to folks. That can really make a person's day. That's wonderful, and so is your idea about a bbq in the summer, so why not invite some newcomers to the bbq? I wish someone would have done something like that when I was there. You know, now thinking about it, the only business owners who really made me feel welcome and I even got to know by name were Mercedes and her crew out at Mulligan's. They were the exception to the rule, as I saw it, as they were always very friendly and welcoming.

I am now married since I moved away from Colstrip and I think if I had been married while there my husband and I would have done okay living there. But being single it was really tough. I even tried online dating to meet someone in Colstrip and didn't find anyone up my alley. As I've said before, it is most likely a good place to raise a family, especially after the family gets established there, but being new and single was really the pits. I made it a year, so at least I tried.

I really do encourage anyone from Colstrip to try to put forth more effort, regardless of how busy you are or what shift you work, to make newcomers feel welcome. Thanks for listening!

I agree with you. It is the little things that matter. It is nice to know that you are now happy and doing well. I agree with you on the Mulligans crew. Has that swithched hands now?

[A Neighbor]

No, it is still Mercedes and Dick Kroll that operate it.

[Lisamarie66]

I am concidering moving my son and myself to Colstrip. I have an Aunt and Uncle living there, and I work in the mining industry. I have been trying to find info on the town online, but it is very limited.
I grew up in Anaconda, but have lived in Deadwood, SD for 20 years. I think that you give these few ladies too much power. I guess I don't let other people influence my life to that degree. This isn't highschool anymore, and if you don't need to be in the "in crowd", why would you care? I've always found a small group of good friends wherever I've gone, and that has always been good enough for me. Why would you want to be friends with people like that anyway? Sounds like way to much drama and highschool politics.
I found it funny when I went home to Anaconda for my 20 year reunion. Many of my old friends are still very "clicky". The ones who never moved away. I still love them to death, but feel more pity for them than anything else. What small lives they live really.
Take them for what they are. And who cares?
Take Care!

[hopscotch11]

Originally Posted by Lisamarie66

I am concidering moving my son and myself to Colstrip. I have an Aunt and Uncle living there, and I work in the mining industry. I have been trying to find info on the town online, but it is very limited.
I grew up in Anaconda, but have lived in Deadwood, SD for 20 years. I think that you give these few ladies too much power. I guess I don't let other people influence my life to that degree. This isn't highschool anymore, and if you don't need to be in the "in crowd", why would you care? I've always found a small group of good friends wherever I've gone, and that has always been good enough for me. Why would you want to be friends with people like that anyway? Sounds like way to much drama and highschool politics.
I found it funny when I went home to Anaconda for my 20 year reunion. Many of my old friends are still very "clicky". The ones who never moved away. I still love them to death, but feel more pity for them than anything else. What small lives they live really.
Take them for what they are. And who cares?
Take Care!

I don't think its whether or not one cares, but it just makes the journey a little more difficult. I choose not to surround myself with those type of people.
You may like it here. Good luck on your journey and I hope they treat you better.