Sidney

Positioned just 10 miles west of the North Dakota border, and nestled against the Yellowstone River in the south, Sidney, Montana, has a rich history filled with hearty pioneers who settled in the area starting in the 1870s. Through hard work, and in both good times and bad, those pioneers managed to establish themselves and create a new culture filled with industrious, tireless homesteaders. From the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project, which made agriculture a viable commodity in the area, to widespread ranching, and finally to the boom-and-bust world of black gold in the Bakken, Sidney soon boasted a strong economy fueled by fertile land and hardworking people. Schools, churches, and many businesses were built, giving entrepreneurs the opportunity to prosper in the region. Featured here in over 200 vintage photographs is the history of this pioneer town, once boasted as the Metropolis of the Lower Yellowstone Valley. "

Author Kim Simmonds is a recent transplant to Montana and currently serves as the executive director of the MonDak Heritage Center in Sidney. Leann Pelvit, the photograph archivist for the book, has made Sidney home her entire life. She currently serves as the administrative assistant for the MonDak Heritage Center.