Columbus, Montana
14 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1892 and the latest in 1979. It stands in the Columbus census division. It lies in ZIP code area 59019. It stands on Keyser Creek. The Survey maps it on the Columbus West quadrangle. 1,857 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 3,586 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Columbus
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 6 records
Atlas Blocklisted 2011
Halfway Houselisted 2002
Michael Jacobs Houselisted 1987
W. H. Norton Houselisted 1982- Mountain View Cemeterylisted 1987
- Stillwater County Courthouselisted 2019
Population over time
2 figuresColumbus fell from 1,893 to 1,857 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1,893 | |
| 2020 | 1,857 | -36 (-2%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
6 surveys from 14 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1892 USGS Stillwater quadrangle1:125000, 4 printings
- 1954 USGS Billings quadrangle1:250000, 4 printings
- 1956 USGS Columbus West quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1957 USGS Billings quadrangle1:250000
- 1958 USGS Billings quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1979 USGS Big Timber quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
32 since 1999Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 32 fires within 5 miles of Columbus between 1999 and 2020, burning about 1,239 acres in total. 2 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 25 |
| Natural | 2 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 1 |
| Fireworks | 1 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 1 |
| Debris and open burning | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 September 2009 | Power generation/transmission/distribution | 877 acres | Southern Land Office | EAGLE MOUNT |
| 3 September 2007 | Equipment and vehicle use | 225 acres | Custer Gallatin National Forest | HENSLEY CREEK ASSIST |
| 7 August 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Stillwater County | 1823 HWY 10 |
| 24 August 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Stillwater County | I-90 MM 406 |
| 22 August 2017 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Southern Land Office | CAMPSITE 6 |
| 20 August 2019 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Stillwater County | 24 PLATEAU |
| 19 August 1999 | Recreation and ceremony | 109 acres | Southern Land Office | EAGLE MOUNTAIN |
| 11 August 2017 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Southern Land Office | HIGHWAY 10 |
Mines and quarries near this place
4 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 4 workings within 5 miles of Columbus: 2 plants, 1 past producer, 1 unknown. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, PGE, Chromium. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Facility) Columbus Smelter | Chromium | Plant | ||
| (Facility) Stillwater Pgm Smelter | PGE | Plant | ||
| Richardson Sand and Gravel | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unnamed Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown |
Storms near this place
60 of 72 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Columbus in 72 storm reports between 1996 and 2025: 53 hail, 10 thunderstorm wind, 7 flash flood, 1 wildfire. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2025 | Hail | Columbus | - | One inch hail reported. |
| June 2025 | Hail | Columbus | - | One and a quarter inch hail reported. |
| June 2025 | Hail | Columbus | - | Report from mping. |
| June 2025 | Hail | Columbus | - | One and a half inch hail reported. |
| June 2023 | Flash Flood | Columbus | - | County Road 306 was washed out and North Ridge Road was closed due to Keyser Creek overflowing. |
| June 2023 | Flash Flood | Columbus | - | Flowing water was reported on the sidewalks and up to the doors of businesses in downtown Columbus. |
| June 2023 | Flash Flood | Columbus | - | Law enforcement reported flooding along Keyser Creek. |
| August 2023 | Hail | Columbus | - | The time was estimated. Some damage to decking and a few dents to vehicles was noted. |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | - | A wind gust of 58 mph was recorded 6 miles east of Columbus. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | - | A wind gust of 60 mph was reported 6 miles east of Columbus. |
| July 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | - | There were numerous reports of trees down on houses, power lines and across roads in the town of Columbus. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | - | An estimated wind gust of 60 mph was reported just northwest of Columbus. |
| June 2011 | Hail | Columbus | - | One inch hail fell in the city of Columbus. |
| June 2011 | Hail | Columbus | - | There was heavy damage to a car windshield. |
| June 2011 | Flash Flood | Columbus | - | A thunderstorm producing 0.63 inches of rain in 20 minutes resulted in water over some roads just northwest of Columbus. |
| May 2011 | Flash Flood | Columbus | - | Extreme flooding reported on Keiser Creek, north of Columbus. A dramatic rise in water levels occurred in the region, estimated 6-7 foot rise in a matter of minutes. Local bridge washed out along with damage to a shop. Flooding worsened as a result of debris collection at a bridge. Several houses flooded in the area. |
| June 2010 | Hail | Columbus | - | Ping pong ball size hail was reported along with 30 mph winds. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | - | Several 8 inch diameter trees were snapped off several feet off the ground. Several other tree limbs were blown down. |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | - | Estimated wind gust of 70 mph was reported 7 miles Northeast of Columbus. A large 30 diameter tree was downed, landing on a power line and building. |
| July 2007 | Hail | Columbus | - | Sheets of heavy rain with 1/4 mile visibility were reported just northwest of Columbus. |
| May 2005 | Heavy Rain | Columbus | - | 1.30 inches of rain 18NW Columbus in 24 hours |
| June 2004 | Hail | Columbus | - | Hail 3 inches deep on highway |
| September 2002 | Wildfire | Columbus | - | Cow Creek:Cause: Lightning Strike. Fire grew to 2,000 acres within four hours.Begin Date: September 6, 2002End Date: September 8, 2002Acres Burned: 5495Total Persons: 113Structural Loss: 2Cost: 223,000K |
| June 1999 | Hail | Columbus | - | Montana highway patrol reported dime size hail. |
| July 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| July 2019 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| July 2019 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| July 2019 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2018 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2018 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| July 2018 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| July 2018 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| July 2018 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| May 2018 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| August 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| August 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| May 2016 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| May 2016 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| May 2016 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2013 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| July 2011 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| August 2006 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| August 2005 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| August 2005 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Hail | Columbus | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craver | 8.0 miles | 14 | |
| Springtime | 8.3 miles | 14 | |
| Absarokee | 12.9 miles | 14 | |
| Reed Point | 16.2 miles | 15 | |
| Park City | 17.7 miles | 10 | |
| Fishtail | 18.4 miles | 12 | |
| Busteed | 21.7 miles | 14 | |
| Rapelje | 23.1 miles | 14 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Columbus | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q961735 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 770043. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.





