South Side in Billings in Yellowstone County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

How Billings Got Its News

The Beginnings of the Billings Gazette

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2020

1. How Billings Got Its News Marker

Captions: (upper right) The Billings Gazette headline the day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7m 1941.; (bottom left) An image of the first edition of the Billings Daily Gazette, May 3, 1885.; (bottom center) The Billings Gazette building was located on the corner of North 27th Street and 1st Avenue North, photo c. 1910.; (bottom right) The Billings Gazette later moved into this building on Montana Avenue and 27th Street that originally housed the First National Bank. The Gazette remained in the building until the 1960s, when it was torn down.

Inscription. In early Montana history, residents primarily received their news via the newspaper, personal letters, the gossip tree, and telegrams. After its founding in 1882, Billings had three main newspapers: the Billings Post, the Billings Herald, and the Billings Rustler. In May of 1885, these three newspapers combined to become the Billings Daily Gazette. Five hours after the editors moved their equipment into their new building, a fire burned down the entire block. It was reported all across Montana. During the fire, citizens were able to recover one small printing press, so it was used to print the first edition of the Billings Daily Gazette the next day.
The Billings Gazette grew into a statewide newspaper, and now covers more than 100,000 square miles in Montana and Wyoming. While larger (unburned) presses now produce more than 40,000 copies daily, BillingsGazette.com is also Montana's top-viewed website with more than 11 million visitors annually.

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

Location. 45° 47.048′ N, 108° 29.884′ W. Marker is in Billings, Montana, in Yellowstone County. It is in the South Side. It can be reached from Montana Avenue (Business Interstate 90) near North 23rd Street, on the right when traveling

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east. The marker is found on the fence paralleling the railroad tracks. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2300 Montana Avenue, Billings MT 59101, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Montana’s Yellowstone Country.

It is also in the American Mountain West

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Northern Cheyenne Tribe (here, next to this marker); The Yellowstone River (here, next to this marker); Steamboat City on the River (here, next to this marker); Billings: The Father and the Son (here, next to this marker); Billings' Chinatown (a few steps from this marker); Battle of the Little Bighorn (a few steps from this marker); The Fight or Flight of the Nez Perce (within shouting distance of this marker); Children of the Large-Beaked Bird (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Billings.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2020

2. How Billings Got Its News Marker

The marker is located on the fence line.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 8, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 318 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 8, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.