I thought I would start a new thread to share the good things about Miles City. Please keep it positive and keep in mind you may like something about our small western town that others may not. It's all good.

I'll start by saying that Miles City has a good location. It's at the confluence of two rivers and is at the intersection of an interstate and two major highways. It is also served by a major rail line and has a good small airport.

Not hailing from MC I'll say that Miles City has lent its name to a great website that has inspired healthy and robust debate in discussions politic.

The people in Miles City are wonderful. Warm and friendly. And it's also a great town for walking! Everything is accessible on foot.

Wibaux Park, the pumping plant and the peace and quiet down by the Yellowstone under the bridge.

The hunting and fishing opportunities around Miles City are outstanding.

Definitely the people (or lack thereof) and the location.

History. Heritage. Character. Reputation.

I would say that the small town feel and the people are amazing. I'm in western Montana, so finding people who are not transplanted from other states is hard to find! I love being in MC and knowing that it will take me 4 minutes to get to any location. I also adore Cafe Utza and enjoy the booths at the Montana Bar.

Based on numerous post I've seen here I'd say that being able to say that you're not from Glendive would be a big one.

[This message has been edited by Kyle L. Varnell (edited 12/18/2008).]

Five in no order..

1. Denton Field
2. CCDHS
3. History-like Bucking Horse Sale, Olive, Fort Keogh
4. Haynes Ave (hey, when you live in Beach, ND it's a big deal)
5. Friends, Family, memories


I guess that's more then 5--sorry

Kind, intelligent, generous, engaged, creative people - very active churches and other organizations.

Beautiful setting and scenery, and wonderful parks, lakes and rivers.

No traffic and easy to get around.

Amazing cultural resources for a small town (great library, music program, theater group, art center, museums, community college, speaker's series, writers' group, etc.).

Fun special events (Bucking Horse, Caledonian Society, Beef Breeders, Fourth of July, classic car shows, etc.)

Great weather - low humidity, distinguishable seasons (not too hot nor too cold for too long - just right most of the time).

Very special small businesses with personal service, wonderful character and unique personalities (Kafe Utza, Discovery Pond, Montana Bar, Brewsters, etc.)

A remarkably good daily newspaper for a city of this size (although it definitely needs a better website!).

Excellent health care facilities and medical resources.

NOTE: This is not by any means to be considered a complete list.

[This message has been edited by Steve Craddock (edited 12/18/2008).]

...I love how the entire town rallies around youth, for example--during high school football season... it was pretty incredible to see all of the support.

Your Loyalty.

As an ex-pat, I have the misfortune of having to gauge Miles City by my childhood there which had its ups and downs and was 30 years ago. But I will abide by the rules and post only positive things. Here's my list:

The Caledonian Society
Cafe Utza
The natural food store (can't remember the name, sorry)
Pleasantries
Some beautiful historic homes and neighborhoods
Amorette Allison and her efforts at conserving the history of MC
Having breakfast at the 600 and people watching there
The Community Health Center
Elsie Fox and all those other politically active white haired ladies

Ok here is a reply to MC, people have said if I ever leave MC I am never coming back (including myself) but I left for 1.5 yrs. and I couldn't wait to get back. MC has everything for me and that is more than 5 things. I just love this town.

i love the ghost storied and unspoken history that this town as too offer to the people....

It is the only place I ever lived where you could go from one end to the other in 10 minutes provided there were no trains on the track.

You can make it even with a train as long as your vehicle is less than 11 feet tall

The best thing about Miles City, hmm, I don't live there anymore...

Haha, in all seriousness, I miss Grace Bible Church and I very much look forward to getting to attend Christmas service there this year!

Reading "Good Things about Miles City" One thing above all that I remember about MC is the comment made by Julie the people are warm and friendly I found this out in 1960 as a young airman out at the Radar Base as a young couple my wife working as a nurse at the Holy Rosary Hosp. the folks she came in contact with treated her great from the merchants , Bank, gas stations all very friendly, this is sometimes unusual most places at that time did not take to the military

Well, personally, I feel you never really leave a place like Miles City...and I've been gone a long time. Yet, the town seems to be in some sort of time warp where very little changes including the addresses & phone numbers of lots of families. I was blessed to grow up in one of the historic homes of Miles City, on Pleasant Street, no less! I've modeled my whole life around some of the best people I've known in Miles City. Strong, responsible and kind.

Some of the sentiments in these songs express what I found to be special and good about Miles. And most likely these sentiments hold true for any place where a person has (or has set down) roots, but after being away from Miles for nearly 25 years, I still feel it's a special place.

http://www.dailymotion.co...ld-t_music
http://www.youtube.com/wa...ikZwgj89HI

Living in northeastern MOntana now, I'd have to say that I miss the trees the most. Also the wonderful history and beautiful houses.

After living in a lot of other states and towns, I would have to say the best thing about Miles City is that everyone is proud to be from Miles City. I've never seen anywhere else the same sort of hometown pride that we have of our little cowtown.

HAL - those 2 songs are pretty sentimental...but there's one song in-particular that makes me think of Miles City before any other one does...

...I first heard it while working at a radio station in Missoula during my college days (while Hal was a TA at the U of Montana). It was then performed by Mac McAnally, who wrote it, but was more recently done by Kenny Chesney. I think that, rather than post a video of it, I'll post the lyrics - that shows why it reminds me of Miles City best, I think:

"Well, in the town where I was raised

The clock ticks and the cattle graze

Time passes with 'Amazing Grace'

Back where I come from



You can lie on a river bank

Or paint your name on the water tank

Or miscount all the beers you drank

Back where I come from



Back where I come from

Where I'll be when it's said and done

I'm proud as anyone

That's where I come from



We learned in Sunday school

Who made the sun shine through

I know who made the moonshine, too

Back where I come from



Blue eyes on a Saturday night

Tan legs in the broad daylight

TV's, they were black and white

Back where I come from



Back where I come from

Where I'll be when it's said and done

I'm proud as anyone

That's where I come from



Now, some say it's a backward place

Narrow minds on a narrow wage

But I make it a point to say

That's where I come from



That's where I come from

Where I'll be when it's said and done

I'm proud as anyone

That's where I come from



Back where I come from

I'm a proud MILES CITIAN!

I'm as proud as anyone

That's where I come from"

Okay, the "Miles Citian" wasn't originally written in there, but "Mississippian" was.

The friends I've made with the ladies at Curves. I have learned so much from them how to sew, canning, gardening, decorating and ect.
These ladies are so nice that they even offer to watch my business when I've been ill.
It's great to see young and old share with each other.
I'm glad my business is in Miles City, Montana.

I liked growing up in Miles City. You could go exploring all over town and even out into the countryside around the rivers, and your parents didn't have to worry that something bad was going to happen to you. They could appreciate your absence (for hours at a time) and you could appreciate your freedom. They also didn't really have to drive you anywhere, as everywhere in town was a short walk. I wish it was like that here.....and I hope it's still like that there!

When I was only six (yes, six...because my friend moved away before I turned seven) my best friend and I would each get 50 cents and walk downtown on Saturdays. We'd go to the lunch counter at Thompson Rexall and get something to eat. We'd buy something like a little Jurgens hand lotion or barrettes.

Still baffles me that at six I was wondering around loose like that.
I guess you could do that in Miles City at that time.