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

The Flood of 1937

Historic Montana Avenue

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2020

1. The Flood of 1937 Marker

Inscription. After weeks of rain and moderate flooding, Billings received four inches of rain on the evening of June 11, 1937. The irrigation ditch near the Hilands Golf Course on Poly Drive broke apart and water raged through the downtown area. Central downtown acted as a catch basin of the flood water. Alkali Creek's drainage, just to the north on the rimrocks, also flooded and created havoc at the Midland Empire Fairgrounds and the area of downtown where MetraPark is today.

Erected by Downtown Billings Starts Here. (Marker Number 4.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Disasters. A significant historical date for this entry is June 11, 1937.

Location. 45° 47.042′ N, 108° 29.965′ W. Marker is in Billings, Montana, in Yellowstone County. It is in North Park. Marker is on Montana Avenue (Business Interstate 90) near North 23rd Street, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2319 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 Billings Brewery - Opened in 1899 (here, next to this marker); Teddy Roosevelt Visits the Depot - 1918 (a few steps from this marker); Northern Pacific Depot "Union Station" (within shouting distance of this marker); The Northern Pacific Depot - 1909

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(within shouting distance of this marker); The Yellowstone Garage - 1920 (within shouting distance of this marker); Houses of Ill Repute (within shouting distance of this marker); St. Vincent Healthcare (within shouting distance of this marker); All We Need is Some Water (within shouting distance of this marker). 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 . . . The flood of '37: Billings' worst natural disaster inundated homes, businesses -- Billings Gazette. A shotgun blast woke neighbors in the 300 block of Wyoming Avenue on the night of June 11, 1937, as a torrent of water flooded downtown Billings. Magdalene Buller Winslow remembers her neighbor firing his shotgun from the porch to sound an alarm.... (Submitted on February 3, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

The Billings Flood of 1937 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Billings Gazette

2. The Billings Flood of 1937

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer

3. The Billings Flood of 1937

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 3, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 403 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 3, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.