Big Sandy

History

At one time the site of a saloon that served Missouri River freighters, the community of Big Sandy is named for nearby Big Sandy Creek. The town began in 1887 with the arrival of the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway (later the Great Northern Railway). By early 1900, Cornelius J. McNamara and Thomas A. Marlow, owners of the McNamara Cattle Company, had opened the town's first store. Homesteaders began arriving in Big Sandy in 1909, and an influx continued for a decade. Several stories explain the creek's name. The most colorful involves a muleskinner, “Big Sandy” Lane, who arrived one day near the present townsite and, to his dismay, discovered the creek at flood stage. He cursed the uncooperative weather, his bad luck, and the flooded creek crossing so fluently that the offending stream dried up immediately and he was able to cross. For decades Big Sandy's primary landmark was the town water tower, which was visible for many miles. The water tower was dismantled in 1993. As of 2019 some local and former residents have banded together to establish a recurring puddle on Main Street (which has been dubbed, simply, "Puddle") as a new landmark of the municipality. Two of the higher profile natives of Big Sandy, Craig Edwards and Steve Sibra, are among those who actively promote "Puddle" as a body of water of consequence.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land. The town is located in what is referred to as the "Golden Triangle", a region renowned for its wheat and barley production. Nearby Lonesome Lake is a shallow lake providing a prairie wetland complex. It becomes a resting area for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds. In the summer, pronghorn, coyotes, and badger can be found. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Big Sandy has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Western Meadowlark

  Sturnella neglecta Audubon, 1844 · Aves
  155
• Horned Lark

  Eremophila alpestris (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  113
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  100
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  83
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  69
• Vesper Sparrow

  Pooecetes gramineus (J.F.Gmelin, 1789) · Aves
  66
• Killdeer

  Charadrius vociferus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  63
• Eastern Kingbird

  Tyrannus tyrannus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  59

Largest nearby schools

• F E Miley School
  Elementary · Big Sandy · 105 students · 13.1:1 ratio
• Big Sandy High School
  High · Big Sandy · 63 students · 10.5:1 ratio
• Big Sandy 7-8
  Middle · Big Sandy · 29 students · 14.5:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2013-02-25
  28 km WSW of Chester, Montana