Welcome to Big Sandy, Montana
Big Sandy was named for a creek near the town. In Blackfeet Indian language, they called it‘Un-es-putcha-eka which means Big Sandy Creek. The first post office was established on December 22, 1887 with Leigh Marlow being the postmaster. Big Sandy was known as a freighting center when goods were unloaded at the Coal Banks Landing just south of here on the Missouri River.
In 1886, the railroad came and located its depot and water tank near the water source and the McNamara freight depot. In 1887, Big Sandy consisted of two depots, a warehouse, a boxcar for the section foreman to live in, and nine saloons. In 1889 the Spokane Hotel was built. By 1912, it had become a homesteaders’ boom town and the Great Northern Railroad moved into the depot.
Today, Big Sandy is a small farming community near the beautiful Bear Paw Mountains off US Highway 87. While there, visit the Big Sandy Historical Museum which is located in the old Great Northern Railroad depot and see the largest collection of early pioneer photographs in Choteau County. Be sure to visit the old jailhouse and tourist center as well. If wildlife viewing is what you had in mind, Lonesome Lake northwest of town offers great viewing opportunities.
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