Sidney, Montana
Sidney is a city of 6,171 people in Richland County, Montana, founded in 1911.
Why visit Sidney
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 10 parks and trails, 15 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Centre Theatre, MonDak Heritage Center and Sidney Country Club.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 6°F, and about 30 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Sidney
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Sidney
Sidney is a city in and the county seat of Richland County, Montana, United States, less than 10 mi (16 km) west of the North Dakota border. The population was 6,346 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 6,031 in 2024. The city lies along the Yellowstone River. Sidney is approximately midway between Glendive, Montana and Williston, North Dakota.
From the Wikipedia article Sidney, Montana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks1
MonDak Heritage Center
Museum · 0.6 mi
120 3rd Avenue Southeast, Sidney
Tu-Fr 10:00-16:00; Sa 13:00-16:00; PH off
Parks, trails and playgrounds10
Restaurants and cafes15
Rodiron grill and casino
Restaurant · Steak House · 0.7 mi
520 North Central Avenue, Sidney
Mo-Th 03:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Club Tavern
Bar and pub · 0.5 mi
112 North Central Avenue, Sidney
Burger King
Fast food · Burger · 0.7 mi
416 North Central Avenue, Sidney
Mo-Sa 06:00-23:00; Su 07:00-23:00
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 0.6 mi
410 North Central Avenue, Sidney
Mo-Th 10:30-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-01:00; Su 10:30-24:00
3 more on the map.
History
Settlers began arriving in the area in the 1870s, and a post office was established in 1888. Six-year-old Sidney Walters and his parents were staying with Hiram Otis, the local justice of the peace, and Otis decided that Sidney was a good name for the town. The following year, Montana became a state and Sidney was incorporated in 1911.
Sidney was originally part of Dawson County, but became the county seat of Richland County at its inception in 1914.
Agriculture became an important part of the region after the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project was completed in 1909. A dam was built on the river south of Glendive, which diverted water from the river into a 115.2 km (71.6 mi) main canal, which runs north–south, parallel to the Yellowstone, irrigating land from Glendive north up to Fairview, where it drains into the Missouri River. This project irrigates 51,429 acres (208.13 km2) and serves water to 450 farms, according to the manager of the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Districts.
During the Great Depression, Montana artist J. K. Ralston painted a Federal Arts Project mural at the Richland County Courthouse in Sidney.
The town received a boost in 1924 when the Holly Sugar Corporation opened up a sugar refinery in Sidney to process locally grown sugar beets.
From the History section of Sidney, Montana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Sidney
Motel and hotel · 0.5 mi
251 West Holly Street, Sidney
MainStay Suites Sidney - Medical Center
Motel and hotel
1000 3rd Street NorthWest, Sidney
Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Sidney
Motel and hotel · 0.9 mi
1500 South Central Avenue, Sidney
Wingate by Wyndham Sidney
Motel and hotel · 0.9 mi
1490 South Central Avenue, Sidney
Churches and places of worship20
Peoples' Congregational Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Sidney Seventh Day Adventist Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 1.7 mi
2475 South Central Avenue, Sidney
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon
1215 5th Street Southwest, Sidney
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Healthcare3
Map of Sidney
78 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°F | 6°F | 0.5 in | 7.0 in |
| Feb | 32°F | 11°F | 0.4 in | 5.6 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 21°F | 0.6 in | 3.0 in |
| Apr | 60°F | 32°F | 1.2 in | 1.7 in |
| May | 71°F | 43°F | 2.4 in | 0.7 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 52°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 57°F | 2.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 55°F | 1.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 46°F | 1.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 59°F | 34°F | 1.1 in | 1.5 in |
| Nov | 42°F | 21°F | 0.6 in | 3.0 in |
| Dec | 31°F | 11°F | 0.5 in | 7.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Sidney (1 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
Richland County has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2021-08-13: Straight-Line Winds (Other)
- 2020-03-31: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2014-04-17: Ice Jams And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-06-17: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Sidney-Richland Municipal Airport (SDY) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 1 miles away.
- Fairview 11 mi northeast, about 17 min by car
- Savage 20 mi southwest, about 32 min by car
- Trenton 29 mi northeast, about 46 min by car
- Bainville 30 mi north, about 48 min by car
- Culbertson 34 mi northwest, about 54 min by car
- Williston 41 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Watford City 42 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Brockton 46 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Glendive 49 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- West Glendive 50 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 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, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Richland county courthouse, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Sidney Montana Banner, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Peoples Congregational Church NRHP 82003179 Richland County, MT, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ISS059-E-111557 - View of California, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-13762 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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