Libby, Montana

History

Continental and alpine glaciers shaped the area's valleys and lakes. The first indigenous peoples arrived at least 8,000 years ago and hunted and gathered for food. The earliest known American settler, David Thompson, arrived in the 1800s, and early American economic activity included "fur trading, railroad construction, mining, and logging." Miners flocked to Libby Creek in 1867. It was deserted by the 1870s. In 1892, with the arrival of the Great Northern Railway, the town moved downstream and the name was shortened from Libbysville to Libby.

Geography

Libby is on U.S. Route 2 at its junction with Montana Highway 37. It is at the confluence of Libby Creek and the Kootenai River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 1.95 sqmi, of which 1.91 sqmi is land and 0.04 sqmi is water. Libby is in the Kootenai National Forest, between the Cabinet Mountains to the south and the Purcell Mountains to the north, the town lies in the heart of the Kootenai Valley along the Kootenai River, and downstream from the Libby Dam. Libby is at an elevation of 2096 ft above sea level.

Libby experiences a continental climate (Köppen Dfb).

|Jan record high F = 56 |Feb record high F = 65 |Mar record high F = 75 |Apr record high F = 90 |May record high F = 102 |Jun record high F = 107 |Jul record high F = 110 |Aug record high F = 109 |Sep record high F = 105 |Oct record high F = 89 |Nov record high F = 73 |Dec record high F = 65

|Jan avg record high F = 45.3 |Feb avg record high F = 51.6 |Mar avg record high F = 65.7 |Apr avg record high F = 78.4 |May avg record high F = 88.2 |Jun avg record high F = 94.1 |Jul avg record high F = 99.9 |Aug avg record high F = 99.3 |Sep avg record high F = 91.1 |Oct avg record high F = 75.7 |Nov avg record high F = 54.6 |Dec avg record high F = 43.1 |year avg record high F = 101.5

|Jan avg record low F = -0.5 |Feb avg record low F = 2.4 |Mar avg record low F = 12.8 |Apr avg record low F = 21.6 |May avg record low F = 25.9 |Jun avg record low F = 33.3 |Jul avg record low F = 38.6 |Aug avg record low F = 36.7 |Sep avg record low F = 28.6 |Oct avg record low F = 20.3 |Nov avg record low F = 12.0 |Dec avg record low F = 2.9 |year avg record low F = -9.7

|Jan record low F = -46 |Feb record low F = -37 |Mar record low F = -20 |Apr record low F = -5 |May record low F = 12 |Jun record low F = 24 |Jul record low F = 30 |Aug record low F = 26 |Sep record low F = 13 |Oct record low F = -7 |Nov record low F = -19 |Dec record low F = -39

|Jan snow depth inch = 12.3 |Feb snow depth inch = 10.3 |Mar snow depth inch = 6.2 |Apr snow depth inch = 0.4 |May snow depth inch = 0.0 |Jun snow depth inch = 0.0 |Jul snow depth inch = 0.0 |Aug snow depth inch = 0.0 |Sep snow depth inch = 0.0 |Oct snow depth inch = 0.6 |Nov snow depth inch = 3.5 |Dec snow depth inch = 11.2 |year snow depth inch = 14.6

|access-date = February 21, 2023 |access-date = February 21, 2023

Demographics

U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 2,775 people, 1,297 households, and 644 families in Libby. The population density was 1,506.5 per square mile (581.7/km). There were 1,428 housing units at an average density of 775.2 per square mile (299.3/km). The racial makeup was 90.52% (2,512) white or European American (89.62% non-Hispanic white), 0.07% (2) black or African-American, 1.23% (34) Native American or Alaska Native, 1.08% (30) Asian, 0.18% (5) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 0.86% (24) from other races, and 6.05% (168) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 2.74% (76) of the population.

Of the 1,297 households, 21.7% had children under the age of 18; 35.0% were married couples living together; 33.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 43.6% of households consisted of individuals and 21.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 11.5% of the population.

20.1% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 26.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 105.0 males.

The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $37,434 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,721) and the median family income was $46,905 (+/- $14,298). Males had a median income of $28,533 (+/- $6,664) versus $25,685 (+/- $4,127) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $27,188 (+/- $2,184). Approximately, 9.7% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under the age of 18 and 5.7% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,628 people, 1,252 households, and 647 families residing in the city. The population density was 1375.9 PD/sqmi. There were 1,416 housing units at an average density of 741.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 95.9% White, 0.1% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population.

There were 1,252 households, of which 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 48.3% were non-families. 41.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.71.

The median age in the city was 45.8 years. 19.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.4% were from 25 to 44; 28.6% were from 45 to 64; and 22.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

Economy and environment

Libby's economy had been largely supported in the past by the use of natural resources, such as logging and mining. Mining and timber mills have since closed down. Tourism is playing an increasing role in the local economy. The Libby Dam is 17 mi upstream from Libby, one of the Columbia River Treaty Dams, finished in 1975. Libby is known as the "City of Eagles". Several eagle sculptures can be found around town, including a 60 ft eagle at both ends of town.

In 1961, area volunteers opened the Turner Ski Area about 20 miles north of Libby. Owned by a nonprofit foundation, the Ski Area served around 4,600 visits per year in 2017/2018 and relies on volunteer hours and donations for most of its services. In the mid-1980s, a major ski resort was proposed for Great Northern Mountain, 20 mi south of Libby. Discussions on land usage and wildlife reached the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Reserved Water, and ultimately the ski resort was not built.

Libby's energy usage includes or potentially includes multiple renewable resources: biomass, hydroelectric, and solar. In 2008, a report found that wood pellet waste from nearby lumber mills could be used to produce several megawatts of electricity. The Flathead Electric Co-op began purchasing up to 2.5 megawatts of power from the F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber Company in 2013 with a twenty year contract, leading to the construction of "a biomass-fueled electric generation facility at their plant near Columbia Falls." The Co-op "receives Renewable Energy Credits." The city also generates and sells hydroelectric energy. In 2020, a statewide appraisal of Montana public schools' solar power potential, the Montana Community Solar Project, assessed Libby's schools and found the buildings had good potential, but installing solar panels would be financially inefficient as the schools' "electric demand charges [were] in the 92nd percentile when compared against the cohort of 25 schools."

Vermiculite mine and asbestos contamination

In 1919, vermiculite was discovered in the mountains near town. In 1963 W. R. Grace and Company bought the local mine, by which time it was producing 80% of the vermiculite in the world. Because the local vermiculite contains asbestos, and the mine's byproducts were used in local buildings and landscaping, the town suffered from an extremely high rate of asbestosis. Nearly 10% of the population died from asbestos contamination, and the federal government later charged company officials for complicity. On May 8, 2009, W.R. Grace & Co. was acquitted of charges that it knowingly harmed the people of Libby. It was also acquitted of subsequently participating in any cover-up. Fred Festa, chairman, president and CEO said in a statement, "the company worked hard to keep the operations in compliance with the laws and standards of the day." In 2004, Libby, Montana, a documentary on the situation, was released.

On June 17, 2009, the EPA declared its first public health emergency, which covered Libby and nearby Troy. It had provided an additional $130 million in cleanup and medical assistance.

By 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was concluding the removal of asbestos-contaminated soils and other suspect materials in and near Libby and had spent $425 million in Superfund money on cleanup. That year, an EPA review of toxicity and risks found that the cleanups had managed asbestos exposure risk effectively. By the end of 2018, the EPA had removed "more than one million cubic yards of contaminated soil," and area cleanup was completed that year, except for the location of the former mine, which is the disposal site of the contaminated soil. Contaminated construction materials were disposed of "in a specially designed landfill cell." The remaining contamination is limited to the forests and property in or near the former mine, with cleanup plans pending and with controls for higher exposures during wildfire fighting.

In 2020, the EPA transferred control of the site to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. The same year, the local Center for Asbestos began offering testing for autoimmune markers for pleural disease, which would act as an early screen for at-risk patients.

Ground water contamination

A second EPA Superfund site is the Libby Ground Water Contamination site at a former lumber and plywood mill which ceased operations in 1969. The mill's disposal practices and spills contaminated the soil, surface water, and groundwater with chemicals including pentachlorophenol, which the EPA discovered in nearby well water in 1979. Site reviews are held every five years, and as of 2020, several controls are in place to prevent contact with and consumption of contaminated materials.

Government

Libby has a mayor and six city council members. Hugh R. Taylor II was elected mayor in 2025. He defeated incumbent Peggy Williams. Williams had been appointed to the position to fill the remainder of Brent Teske's term. She then won the 2021 election.

Media

;Radio

• KHRU-LP FM 93.1 religious
• KLCB AM 1230 country music
• KTNY FM 101.7 adult hits
• KUFL FM 90.5 (local NPR station)

;Newspaper

• Kootenai Valley Record - Weekly
• The Western News- biweekly (Lincoln county newspaper of public record)
• The Montanian - Weekly

Education

Public education in Libby is administered by the Libby School District. The district operates Libby Elementary School and Libby Middle-High School.

Libby Adventist Christian School and Kootenai Valley Christian School are private institutions.

Libby has a public library, a branch of the Lincoln County Public Libraries. Established in 1920 after residents petitioned the Board of County Commissioners, the county free library first operated out of the former Libby Woman’s Club building. The Woman's Club had formerly sponsored a small library of two thousand books for Libby citizens, and members of the Woman’s Club voted to donate the collection to kickstart the new library's circulating collection. The library moved buildings for the next few decades until its current building, the Inez R. Herrig building, was built in 1964. Branches were established in other county towns, and from 1956 to 1974, a bookmobile served smaller areas. The library now provides programming for children and adults and online services such as mobile data hotspots for borrowing.

Flathead Valley Community College offers courses through its Lincoln County Campus in Libby. This campus operates the Glacier Bank Adult Basic Education Learning Center "where students can take free classes in preparation for their GED exams."

Transportation

Libby is located on the BNSF Railway's Northern Transcon. Amtrak serves Libby through a local station.

U.S. Route 2 and Highway 37 meet at a traffic light in the center of town.

Libby Airport is a public use airport seven miles south of town.

Notable people

• Steve Gunderson, politician in Montana, serving Montana House of Representatives for District 1
• Ralph Heinert, engineer and politician in Montana, serving Montana House of Representatives for District 1
• Ryggs Johnston, golfer
• John Lovick, magician
• Scott MacDonald, actor
• Destiney Sue Moore, television personality, best known for her appearance on the second season of Rock of Love
• Duane Nellis, president of Ohio University
• Marc Racicot, Governor of Montana (1993–2001), Chairman of Republican National Committee (2003–2004)
• Keith Tower, NBA player

Popular culture

The nearby Kootenai Falls and the Swinging Bridge were featured in the 1994 movie The River Wild. The original bridge was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, and the falls are a sacred site to the Kutenai tribes who originally lived in the area.

The Kootenai Falls were featured in the 2015 movie The Revenant.

References

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