The Billings Free Press

Donna Healy has an interesting article in the Gazette today about the sister city most Billings residents don’t know they have.

Here is an entry from October 1, 1954 by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt about her visit to Billings.

It’s a chatty, but interesting entry. One thing I found interesting; Mrs. Roosevelt lists what she feels makes a hotel comfortable and it seems the Northern fit the bill. Who would have thought washcloths, waste baskets and reading lights would be so important. I guess it just reinforces the belief that it’s the simple things in life we miss the most when they’re gone.

Governor highlights Billings history

While heading to the beach in Billings may seem impossible today, it wasn’t so far fetched 80 million years ago.
Governor Brian Schweitzer helped unveil a new geology sign to better showcase one of Montana’s oldest wonders.
Kids of all ages turned out Wednesday to see what used to be a seaway in Billings.
Governor Schweitzer and his wife Nancy have teamed up with the Montana Department of Transportation to try and get young people more interested in science.
The new sign, Shore of an Ancient Sea, can be found on the Black Otter Trail overlooking Billings, and it helps explain the history of this area millions of years ago.
Children even received a brief history lesson on how the ocean actually helped form the Rimrock’s.
But, Governor Schweitzer pointed out that water wasn’t the only thing here, “We had sharks. We had plesiosaurses. We had dinosaurs that were occupying the land above the ocean. It was an exciting place, but that was before I was here.”
The new geo-signs are one of the ways that Brian and Nancy Schweitzer are helping promote math and science awareness in Montana.
The sign is one of 32 new geologic signs across the state.

August 4, 1882

The Billings Post Office is established.

From Montana Dateline by Ellis Roberts Parry.

August 1, 1903

[Former Billings native] Calamity Jane dies from the effects of years of hard living and alcoholism at Camp Terry, South Dakota. She is about fifty-two years old, give or take a year or two. She is buried next to Wild Bill Hickok in Deadwood according to her wishes.

August 1, 1994

Billings Mustangs right hander Jason Robbins pitches the first perfect game in Pioneer League history as the Mustangs defeat the Medicine Hat Blue Jays 5-0 before three thousand fans at Cobb Field in Billings.

From Montana Dateline by Ellis Roberts Parry.

Today’s edition of The Billings Gazette has some good stories today which are worth reading.

The first is a story about the Japanese community in 20th century Harlowton and the second is of the last Japanese native in Harlowton. The story of Henry Muneta is especially poignant since he is the father-in-law of a Big Sky blogger.

I’ll let you figure out who the blogger is.

The next story is a nice one about the local Bluegrass music club which has weekly jam sessions at a local Hardee’s. The Gazette also has a nice photo album to go with the story.

I wonder if the Long Time Lonesome Dogs ever play at Hardee’s?

The scuttlebutt concerns the Chili’s Grill & Bar and Romano’s Macaroni Grill which are coming to Billings. The word I’ve heard on the street is that they’re planning to build next to the new Cabela’s on King Ave. East.

Do you have any scuttlebutt you want to share?

July 27, 1849-(1928)

Luther “Yellowstone” Kelly, scout for the military, is born in Geneva, New York. Following service late in the Civil War, Kelly comes west, eventually becoming chief of scouts for Colonel Nelson Miles. As chief scout, Kelly’s extensive knowledge about the Yellowstone and upper Missouri River basins proves to be invaluable to the military which is bringing the Sioux and Cheyenne under control. Following his service in Montana, Kelly spends time in western Colorado, Alaska, the Philippine Islands, and Arizona. Upon his death in California in 1928, Kelly’s remains are returned to Montana, where he is buried atop of the rimrocks above Billings.

July 27, 1941-

Chan Romero, rock-and-roll recording artist, is born in Billings. Romero is the author of “The Hippy Hippy Shake.” Romero originally records his song in 1959, hitting the national charts in the early part of 1960. A group called the Swinging Blue Jeans has a hit with the song during the British Invasion Year of 1964. The Beatles also record Romero’s song on two different occasions. In 1988, “The Hippy Hippy Shake,” performed by the Georgia Satellites, is featured in the Tom Cruise motion picture, Cocktail. Chan Romero is still active with his singing family, recording gospel music in the Billings area.

July 27, 1987

The Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer League defeat the Salt Lake Trappers 7 to 5 at Cobb Field in Billings. The Mustang victory ends the Trappers’ twenty-nine game winning streak, the longest streak in professional baseball history.

From Montana Dateline by Ellis Roberts Parry.

July 26, 1979

Actress Raquel Welch arrives in Billings for on-location shooting of the television movie The Legend of Walks Far Woman. Portions of the film are also shot in the Red Lodge area.

From Montana Dateline by Ellis Roberts Parry.

From the City of Billings Official Website.

Dr. Frank Bell
The history of flight in Billings began late into the year of 1912 with local dentist, Dr. Frank Bell, and his Curtiss 0-X-5. The first flight took place the following Memorial Day weekend in 1913. With much publicity and fanfare, Dr. Bell took off from Billings flying to Park City and back, a round trip distance of 40 miles. This historic flight was captured by local artist J.K. Ralston in his painting titled “First Flight,” which is displayed in the lobby of the Billings Logan International Airport. These flying machines used a number of open fields and pastures in the Yellowstone Valley near Billings to land and take off.

First Airport
By 1927, people began to realize that the community needed some place for these airplanes to land on a regular basis. $5,000 dollars was raised by the Billings City Council to establish an airport on top of the Rimrocks overlooking the Yellowstone Valley and the Billings area. Using horse drawn equipment, 1,820 feet of unpaved runway was constructed and a small administrative building (192 square feet) was erected.

On May 29, 1928, the Billings Municipal Airport was officially opened. Dick Logan was named the first Airport Manager and served in that capacity until 1957. After Dick Logan’s death in 1957, the Airport was renamed to Billings Logan Field, to honor his years of service and dedication to the early Airport. The Airport was renamed again in 1971 to its present name, Billings Logan International Airport.

Air Service
With an airport established, air service entered the Billings market shortly thereafter. Northwest Airlines brought air service to Billings in 1933. Inland Airlines began passenger service in 1934. All this activity prompted a new terminal building to be opened and a new road (North 27th St.) to downtown Billings to be blasted across the face of the Rimrocks.

Terminal Expansions
In 1958, 1972, and 1992, major Terminal expansions were made to accommodate the growing demands of the flying public.The growth at Billings Logan Field during the last seven decades has mirrored the growth of the community we serve. From the installation of the first field lights in 1935 to the 2005 FAA Tower Construction, many millions of dollars have been expended to ensure that Billings Logan International Airport keeps pace with industry changes and is able to provide for the current and future air service needs of our region.