North Park in Billings in Yellowstone County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

Calamity Jane Visits Montana Avenue - 1894

Historic Montana Avenue

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2020

1. Calamity Jane Visits Montana Avenue - 1894 Marker

Inscription. Martha "Calamity Jane" Canary (1852-1903) of Deadwood fame lived in a cabin at Canyon Creek, west of Billings, during her visits to the Yellowstone Valley between stints in Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show. A pistol packing, cross-dressing bullwhacker lauded for her horsemanship and courage, Calamity Jane was known to have frequented some of the rougher drinking establishments of Billings. She was also witness to the 1894 American Railway Union Strike.

Erected by Downtown Billings Starts Here. (Marker Number 12.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Women.

Location. 45° 46.976′ N, 108° 30.097′ W. Marker is in Billings, Montana, in Yellowstone County. It is in North Park. Marker is on Montana Avenue (Business Interstate 90) near North 25th Street, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2505 Montana Avenue, Billings MT 59101, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The McCormick Hotel - 1905 (within shouting distance of this marker); Chief Plenty Coups Visits - circa 1921 (within shouting distance of this marker); The ARU Railroad Strike - 1894 (within shouting distance of this marker); The Eagle Hotel - circa 1905

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(within shouting distance of this marker); The Oxford Hotel - 1918 (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); George L. Tracy Building (about 300 feet away); Actor Bill Hart Visits Montana Avenue - 1927 (about 300 feet away); The Beanery - 1909 (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Billings.

More about this marker. Markers erected by Downtown Billings Starts Here are secure to streetlight poles and are only visible from the sidewalk provided they are not covered by a flower pot.

Also see . . . Calamity Jane -- Biography. She (Martha "Calamity Jane" Canary) traveled to South Dakota and met Wild Bill Hickok in Deadwood where her legend as a hard-drinking woman was born. Her reputation was advanced with stories of heroism and charity in an autobiography and western dime novels. She performed in Wild West shows immortalizing her as one of the more colorful characters of the West. Eventually, the hard life caught up with her and she died at age 51, in 1903. (Submitted on February 1, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2020

2. Calamity Jane Visits Montana Avenue - 1894 Marker

Martha "Calamity Jane" Canary at the grave of Wild Bill Hickok; she was buried next to him. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer

3. Martha "Calamity Jane" Canary at the grave of Wild Bill Hickok; she was buried next to him.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 1, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 407 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 1, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.