Why visit Plentywood
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 5 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Orpheum Theatre.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average -2°F.
Weather in Plentywood
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Plentywood
Plentywood is a city in and the county seat of Sheridan County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,669 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Plentywood, Montana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks2
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Restaurants and cafes5
History
In 1881, Sitting Bull and his band surrendered to US forces roughly at what is now Plentywood.
Butch Cassidy and other rustlers used a trail through Plentywood to move their stolen cattle into Canada. The plentiful gulches provided coverage for the outlaws. The Enlarged Homestead Act of 1909 sparked an increase in Montana homesteaders, including in the Plentywood area. Claiming this land forced some of the outlaws away.
The first business in Plentywood opened in 1900, and a post office was established two years later. The city incorporated in 1912, following the arrival of a Great Northern Railway branch line that eventually ran from Bainville to Opheim.
Local folklore suggests that the name of the nearby Plentywood Creek, after which the city was named, comes from a search for firewood. One day, according to the story, a group of cowboys watched in exasperation as the chuck wagon cook attempted to start a fire with damp buffalo chips. Finally, in frustration, Dutch Henry said, "If you'll go two miles up this creek, you'll find plenty wood."
From the History section of Plentywood, Montana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship11
Saint Joseph Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic
301 North Main Street, Plentywood
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Healthcare1
Map of Plentywood
36 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°F | -2°F | 0.4 in |
| Feb | 26°F | 3°F | 0.3 in |
| Mar | 39°F | 15°F | 0.6 in |
| Apr | 54°F | 26°F | 1.0 in |
| May | 66°F | 38°F | 2.0 in |
| Jun | 75°F | 48°F | 3.1 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 52°F | 2.5 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 51°F | 1.5 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 40°F | 1.3 in |
| Oct | 55°F | 27°F | 0.9 in |
| Nov | 37°F | 14°F | 0.6 in |
| Dec | 24°F | 3°F | 0.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Plentywood (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Sheridan County has had 6 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2023-08-12: Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-03-31: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2011-06-17: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2000-12-06: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Sher-Wood Airport (PWD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Grenora 30 mi east, about 49 min by car
- Froid 30 mi south, about 49 min by car
- Scobey 39 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Culbertson 44 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Brockton 46 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Bainville 46 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Poplar 55 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Montana Highway 16, BrianHagan, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sheridan county courthouse, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
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