Unlike many other towns that arose along James J. Hill’s Great Northern Railroad in the late 1800’s, taking the names of famous cities from around the globe, legend has it that Big Sandy, Montana was named after “Big Sandy” Lane, a freight wagon driver who got stuck in the nearby creek. True or not, when the railroad arrived in 1887, Big Sandy, Montana had developed into a major shipping hub of sheep and cattle for local farmsteads, including the expansive McNamara and Marlow ranch. And after the Homestead Act of 1909, homesteaders flooded the area, enticed by misleading railroad promotions claiming the fertile lands climate was “so moderate, one could work outdoors all winter in one’s shirtsleeves.”
The town of Big Sandy, Montana grew as the McNamara and Marlow store, and surrounding assortment of saloons, were joined by businesses ranging from a funeral parlor and car dealer to a grocery and café. The Big Sandy Mountaineer newspaper printed its first edition in 1911 and continues to this day.
Over time, the Town of Big Sandy has produced two internationally famous authors—B.M. Bower and Dan Cushman—as well as musicians, athletes and others; its citizens figured prominently in the two World Wars and later conflicts.
Today, Big Sandy’s agricultural foundation still thrives with innovative leaders in organic farming and ranching. Hunters from across the nation make it a point to find their sport here and U.S. Highway 87 has replaced the railroad as a major, well-traveled route between the USA and Canada.
More than 100 years since its founding and true to its historic tradition, Big Sandy, Montana is still a friendly, enterprising community of good schools and energetic businesses.